Here’s Why We All Should Celebrate National Health Center Week
Hint: everyone benefits.
This week is National Health Center Week — and that’s worth celebrating!
Why do we at Blink Health celebrate health centers? One reason is that our missions have an overlapping theme: expanding access to affordable care and treatments.
They do it by operating in underserved communities, accepting all patients regardless of their insurance status and emphasizing primary and preventive care. We do it by offering affordable prescription medications to all Americans who need them so they can live healthy, productive lives.
In honor of National Health Center Week, we want to spread the word about what health centers are, who they help and why they’re so important.
What’s a health center, exactly?
Health centers (initially known as Federally Qualified Health Centers and currently sometimes called community health centers) are local clinics that focus on offering primary healthcare services for under-served populations.
Often partially funded by federal grants, they must meet these requirements to be considered a health center:
- Be located in an area of high need
- Offer a comprehensive set of services based on community needs
- Be open to everyone
- Have patient-majority governing boards
Where are they?
There are around 11,000 service delivery sites, located in every state. Find a health center near you.
Who do they help?
In 2018, health centers served more than 28 million patients. But, technically, their services help everyone: offering primary and preventive care to those who otherwise couldn’t afford it means everyone can get the care they need and manage acute and chronic conditions before they become worse — and more expensive for the entire healthcare system that we all interact with.
Many health center patients are covered by Medicaid or Medicare, but 18% of patients in 2017 had private health coverage and 23% were uninsured. That means health centers reach about one in every five uninsured patients. That’s big.
How can Blink help health center patients?
If the health center or the patient’s drug coverage does not cover the cost of the medication, be sure to check Blink Health for discounts on prescription medication.
And if you work at a health center that partners with Americares, be sure to ask about Blink’s discount medication offering for your clinic and patients.
Happy National Health Center Week, everyone!
Blink Health is not insurance. The discount prescription drug provider is Blink Health Administration, LLC, 536 Broadway, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10012, (844) 366–2211, www.blinkhealth.com
