The Fundamentals of Community Health Centers
In 2003, about 45 million Americans were uninsured at some point and millions more lacked access to care, even if they had public or private health insurance. The health care safety net is health care professionals who are willing to provide care to the uninsured and underserved form a loosely knit, frayed, and often torn group. It is consists of a combination of people and institutions that includes hospital emergency departments, public hospitals, community health centers, free clinics, and private physicians’ offices, among others. Its financing is equally varied and reflects a range of funding sources, such as federal, state, and local expenditures through Medicaid, including the disproportionate share hospital (DSH) program; federal community health center grants; and philanthropic contributions.