Colorado community health centers saved $17.3 million in Medicare dollars
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The Community Health Provider Alliance improved health care quality and saved $17.3 million in taxpayer money that would have been paid out by Medicare in 2023.
Brandi Apodaca, chief operating officer with Community Health Provider Alliance, said nearly half of the money saved will go to support community health centers that treat all patients regardless of their ability to pay. That's good news for clinics struggling with a steep increase in uncompensated care after more than half a million Coloradans were dropped from health insurance rolls.
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"As Medicaid dollars have decreased to the community health centers due to the Medicaid unwind, these dollars are coming at a critical time to really support the integrated work that community health centers are doing," she said.
Medicaid coverage was automatically maintained during the COVID public health emergency, but that ended in the spring of 2023. Nearly half of enrolled Coloradans, including thousands who still qualified for coverage, lost their health insurance.
Over the past five years, the alliance has helped save $70 million for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Apodaca said improving the quality of care - for example, by bringing more people in for their annual wellness visits - creates better health outcomes for patients, and keeps costs down by reducing expensive emergency room visits and hospitalizations.
"By doing things like managing chronic conditions and getting engaged into primary care - which should be your number one source of health care - we're going to control costs," she continued.
Nationally, the Medicare Shared Savings Program saved a record $5.2 billion in 2023. Program participants get to keep a portion of those savings. Apodaca says in Colorado, the money will help ensure that community health centers can continue to deliver high-quality coordinated health care.
"They not only provide physical health, they are also integrated with dental and behavioral health. So when you show up at a community health center, we're going to be able to provide services for all of your health care needs," she concluded.
