Sanders and Clyburn: American healthcare is in crisis
Friday 30 June 2017 11.44 EDT
Excerpt:
When compared to other providers, community health centers save, on average, $2,371 per Medicaid patient and up to $1,210 per Medicare patient. In one year, they generated more than $24bn in savings to the entire national healthcare system. And because community health centers help people maintain and improve their health and wellness by focusing on primary care that is reasonably priced, they also help people avoid bankruptcy because of unaffordable medical costs.
Our bill also doubles the amount of money for the National Health Service Corps (NHSC). At a time when we desperately need more doctors, dentists and nurses in medically underserved areas, this successful federal program provides debt forgiveness for medical professionals who are prepared to practice in communities that need them.
Our bill also includes robust investments in Teaching Health Centers and Nurse Practitioner Residency Training Programs, which train new primary healthcare doctors and nurses – the majority of whom are trained in community health centers and continue working in them after graduating.
Today community health centers protect, preserve and improve the health and wellness of 25 million Americans, including some of our country’s most vulnerable residents. In addition to healthcare, they also provide dental care, mental health services and the lowest cost prescription drugs in America.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/jun/30/american-healthcare-bernie-sanders-james-clyburn
