WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Kit Bond today visited the Ozarks Community Health Center to discuss the importance of community health centers (CHCs) in Missouri, particularly during the current economic crisis.

                       

“With our country in a deep recession, Community Health Centers are more important than ever.  People who are already vulnerable are experiencing even rougher times,” said Bond.  “We need these centers to continue to provide high-quality, cost-effective, accessible care to all in need, where nobody is turned away,” said Bond. 

 

Bond stressed that during the economic downturn, access to quality and affordable health care continues to be a nationwide problem. 47 million people do not have health insurance, 56 million people do not have access to a doctor because of local physician shortages, and too many rely on emergency rooms for primary care or receive no health care at all.  CHCs help address many of these problems by providing primary health care, pediatric care, dental and mental health services in underserved urban and rural areas.

 

Health Centers like Missouri Ozarks CHC serve everyone, regardless of ability to pay, in a cost-effective way. This means that services such as prenatal care, immunizations, regular check-ups, dental and mental care are available to many people and families who are facing economic hardship.  

 

Studies show that community health centers are successful: 

·       Patients with access to a community health center make better use of preventive care;

·       Patients with asthma, diabetes, heart disease, cancer and AIDS are better able to manage their illnesses if they have access to a community health center;

·       Infant mortality rates are lower in communities served by a health center;

·       Health centers reduce racial and ethnic health disparities by removing the barriers to care people often confront;

·       People who regularly visit a health center also reduce other health spending on their behalf by 30 percent.

 

“Community Health Centers can alleviate the suffering many people go through as a daily fact of life,” said Bond. “For the 6,000 people you serve each year, health care is one less challenge they have to worry about. I look forward to more good things to come from Missouri Ozarks Community Health Center.” 

 

Since serving as Governor, Bond has been one of the strongest advocates for CHCs.  As a leading advocate in Congress, Bond helped to increase funding for community health centers by $1 billion over the last 8 years.  This is the largest increase of federal funding for health centers, which has fostered an unprecedented growth in both the number of health center sites and patients served.  Due to Bond’s efforts, Missouri expanded to 21 health centers providing services through over 120 delivery sites in both rural and urban communities. These centers now serve 330,000 individuals through 1.2 million visits annually.  Bond stressed that he will continue to fight for the expansion of these critical CHC’s in Missouri and across the nation.

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