Kris McCracken’s letter calls for urgent support to keep essential healthcare services for 1 in 14 Granite Staters.
August 2, 2024
Kris McCracken, CEO of Amoskeag Health, recently wrote a letter to the editor that has been picked up by local outlets like NH Business Review and New Hampshire Bulletin. In her letter, McCracken highlights the essential role of Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) like ours in New Hampshire. FQHCs, including Amoskeag Health, provide primary care to 1 in 14 Granite Staters, many of whom live in underserved communities. These centers ensure everyone can access comprehensive healthcare, regardless of their ability to pay.
McCracken emphasizes that FQHCs save the state's healthcare system millions of dollars each year by reducing emergency room visits and hospital stays. By offering preventive care and managing chronic conditions, we help keep people healthier and reduce the strain on hospitals. This not only benefits individual patients but also the broader community by preventing more serious health issues and controlling healthcare costs.
However, she also warns that FQHCs are facing serious financial problems, putting their future at risk. Without immediate support, centers like Amoskeag Health might not be able to continue providing these vital services. The letter outlines how decreased funding, low reimbursement rates, and rising operational costs have created an unsustainable situation for FQHCs. The financial pressures are compounded by the need to compete for healthcare staff and the loss of Medicaid coverage for many patients, which has increased uncompensated care costs.
McCracken is calling for strategic emergency stabilization funding from state policymakers to preserve access to essential healthcare services. The impact of FQHCs extends beyond individual patient care to significant economic contributions, including job creation and generating economic activity within the state.
To read the full letter and learn more about why supporting FQHCs is so important, click here.
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