The Consortium for Oral Health Systems Integration and Improvement released “Selected Quality Measures of Oral Health Care for Children.” The new brief provides a national summary of selected oral health care quality measures for children including oral evaluation, dental services, topical fluoride for children, and sealant receipt on permanent first molars.
New Data Show Highest Number of Health Center Patients in Nearly 60 Year History of the Program
HRSA-Funded Health Centers Served 2.7 Million More Patients Over Past Four Years, Reaching High of More than 31 Million Patients
Today, to mark National Health Center Week, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) released new data showing over 31 million total patients served at HRSA-funded health centers in 2023—an increase of 2.7 million since 2020.
“Community health centers play a pivotal, and growing, role in America’s health care system. They are especially important in our effort to reduce health care disparities in underserved communities,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. “More than 31 million people across the country – in every U.S. state, territory, and the District of Columbia – depend on health centers, making them a vital resource. The Biden-Harris Administration wants all Americans to have access to high-quality primary health care services, regardless of a patient’s ability to pay, and community health centers help make that possible.”
“HRSA-funded community health centers make it possible for anyone in the community to access high-quality primary health care, regardless of income,” said HRSA Administrator Carole Johnson. “We are proud to serve millions more people and expand the community health workforce in rural and underserved areas all across the country.”
HRSA-funded health centers are required to treat all patients regardless of ability to pay, and in 2023 more than 90 percent of health center patients had incomes less than 200 percent of the 2023 Federal Poverty Guidelines. Health centers are now serving one in eight children across the country, more than 9.7 million patients in rural areas, over 6.4 million patients who live in or near public housing, and over 1.4 million people experiencing homelessness. Health centers have also expanded their preventive services, screening hundreds of thousands more people for cancer and infectious diseases and caring for patients with substance use disorders.
Health centers continue to be leaders in quality of care, increasing access and improving clinical quality across the board. Quality improvements since 2020 include:
- Administering more than 4 million HIV tests;
- Treating 585,000 prenatal care patients; and
- Improving clinical quality measures for chronic conditions, including hypertension control (+8%) and depression screening (+7%).
For more details on these and other Health Center Program outcomes see Four Years of Health Center Outcomes.
HRSA’s Health Center Program is a cornerstone of our nation’s health care system, especially for those who are uninsured; enrolled in Medicaid; living in rural, remote, or underserved areas; struggling to afford their health insurance co-pays; experiencing homelessness; residing in public housing; or otherwise having trouble finding a doctor or paying for the cost of care.
Dive Into Appalachian Data!
Take a dip in facts and figures about the Appalachian Region!
ARC’s Chartbook has over 300K data points to explore, including statistics on population (see one map above). 📍 Though much of the region has experienced population decline, Appalachian South Carolina and Georgia have grown since 2010. Some counties in Georgia experienced population growth of over 18%.
Whether you’re interested in population data, education and employment, or how rural Appalachia compares to the rest of rural America, you’ll find an endless sea of interesting facts—all presented at regional, subregional, state and county levels.
New Report: Oral Health Care for Children and Youth with Developmental Disabilities
The American Academy of Pediatrics published “Oral Health Care for Children and Youth With Developmental Disabilities.” This clinical report highlights the oral health needs of children and youth with developmental disabilities and calls for coordinated care.
Data Disaggregation: Principles, Promising Practices, and Lessons Learned to Advance Health Equity
In 2023-2024, the Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations (AAPCHO) conducted an environmental scan of racial, ethnic, and language data disaggregation practices at health centers. They sent out a questionnaire and held interviews. Their new report compiles their findings, including promising practices and lessons learned.
FTC Releases Scathing Report on PBMs
On July 9, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) released a scathing interim staff report based on their ongoing investigation of Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBM). The report notes that six of the largest PBMs across the country handle nearly 95% of the prescriptions filled in the U.S. Intel indicates that the Reports indicate that the FTC is gearing up to file lawsuits against healthcare companies acting as PBMs. The PBMs are being accused of inflating medication costs.
Article Published on the Integration of Primary and Oral Health
A new article in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) focuses on best practices and challenges for integrating oral health into primary care practice. “Integration of Primary and Oral Health Care – An Unrealized Opportunity” explores the solution of using a team-based approach where a variety of professionals collaborate to provide whole-person care.
Rural Hospitals Built During Baby Boom Now Face Baby Bust
OSKALOOSA, Iowa — Rural regions like the one surrounding this southern Iowa town used to have a lot more babies, and many more places to give birth to them.
At least 41 Iowa hospitals have shuttered their labor and delivery units since 2000. Those facilities, representing about a third of all Iowa hospitals, are located mostly in rural areas where birth numbers have plummeted. In some Iowa counties, annual numbers of births have fallen by three-quarters since the height of the baby boom in the 1950s and ’60s, when many rural hospitals were built or expanded, state and federal records show.
Similar trends are playing out nationwide, as hospitals struggle to maintain staff and facilities to safely handle dwindling numbers of births. More than half of rural U.S. hospitals now lack the service.
“People just aren’t having as many kids,” said Addie Comegys, who lives in southern Iowa and has regularly traveled 45 minutes each way for prenatal checkups at Oskaloosa’s hospital this summer. Her mother had six children, starting in the 1980s, when big families didn’t seem so rare.
“Now, if you have three kids, people are like, ‘Oh my gosh, are you ever going to stop?’” said Comegys, 29, who is expecting her second child in late August.
These days, many Americans choose to have small families or no children at all. Modern birth control methods help make such decisions stick. The trend is amplified in small towns when young adults move away, taking any childbearing potential with them.
Hospital leaders who close obstetrics units often cite declining birth numbers, along with staffing challenges and financial losses. The closures can be a particular challenge for pregnant women who lack the reliable transportation and flexible schedules needed to travel long distances for prenatal care and birthing services.
Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder Population Estimates Released
Most adults who needed opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment in 2022 either did not perceive that they needed it (43%) or received treatment that did not include medications for OUD (30%). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) researchers analyzed Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) data to come to these conclusions. Higher percentages of White than Black or African American or Hispanic or Latino adults received any treatment. Higher percentages of men than women and of adults aged 35-49 years than other adults received medications. Read the full CDC report.
Maternal Mortality Rates Released, State by State
KFF has released a new analysis outlining maternal mortality rates for every state and Washington, D.C.
KFF used 2018-22 data from the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics to compile maternal deaths and mortality rates. Maternal deaths are defined as deaths of women while pregnant or within 42 days of pregnancy termination. Only causes of death from or aggravated by pregnancy are included.
Nationwide, 4,295 maternal deaths were reported between 2018 and 2022, resulting in a maternal mortality rate of 23.2 deaths per 100,000 live births. The U.S. has the highest maternal mortality rate of any developed nation, according to The Commonwealth Fund.
To address this issue, CMS has proposed adding obstetrical standards for hospitals as part of its conditions of participation requirements. Hospitals and physicians have pushed back on the suggestion, arguing the approach is too punitive and could inadvertently hinder access to obstetrical care.
Below is a breakdown of maternal mortality rates by state.
Note: KFF expressed caution at making comparisons between states, as data for many states are based on small numbers and could be statistically unreliable. The organization suppressed data for several states, if mortality rates were based on fewer than 20 deaths. Variation in state rates is likely due to differences in the quality of maternal mortality data, KFF said.
Tennessee
Maternal mortality rate: 41.1
Number of deaths: 166
Mississippi
Maternal mortality rate: 39.1
Number of deaths: 70
Alabama
Maternal mortality rate: 38.6
Number of deaths: 112
Arkansas
Maternal mortality rate: 38.3
Number of deaths: 69
Louisiana
Maternal mortality rate: 37.3
Number of deaths: 108
Kentucky
Maternal mortality rate: 34.6
Number of deaths: 91
Virginia
Maternal mortality rate: 32.7
Number of deaths: 158
South Carolina
Maternal mortality rate: 32.3
Number of deaths: 92
Georgia
Maternal mortality rate: 32.1
Number of deaths: 201
Indiana
Maternal mortality rate: 30.9
Number of deaths: 124
Arizona
Maternal mortality rate: 30
Number of deaths: 118
Oklahoma
Maternal mortality rate: 29.6
Number of deaths: 72
Texas
Maternal mortality rate: 28.2
Number of deaths: 532
New Mexico
Maternal mortality rate: 28
Number of deaths: 31
North Carolina
Maternal mortality rate: 26.7
Number of deaths: 159
New Jersey
Maternal mortality rate: 26
Number of deaths: 131
Nebraska
Maternal mortality rate: 25.1
Number of deaths: 31
Ohio
Maternal mortality rate: 24.5
Number of deaths: 161
Florida
Maternal mortality rate: 24.1
Number of deaths: 263
West Virginia
Maternal mortality rate: 23.9
Number of deaths: 21
Missouri
Maternal mortality rate: 23.8
Number of deaths: 84
Kansas
Maternal mortality rate: 22.8
Number of deaths: 40
New York
Maternal mortality rate: 22.4
Number of deaths: 241
Maryland
Maternal mortality rate: 21.3
Number of deaths: 74
Nevada
Maternal mortality rate: 20.4
Number of deaths: 35
Idaho
Maternal mortality rate: 20
Number of deaths: 22
Iowa
Maternal mortality rate: 19.5
Number of deaths: 36
Michigan
Maternal mortality rate: 19.1
Number of deaths: 101
Illinois
Maternal mortality rate: 18.1
Number of deaths: 123
Washington
Maternal mortality rate: 18
Number of deaths: 76
Pennsylvania
Maternal mortality rate: 17.5
Number of deaths: 116
Oregon
Maternal mortality rate: 16.6
Number of deaths: 34
Massachusetts
Maternal mortality rate: 16.4
Number of deaths: 56
Colorado
Maternal mortality rate: 16
Number of deaths: 50
Connecticut
Maternal mortality rate: 15.6
Number of deaths: 27
Utah
Maternal mortality rate: 15.5
Number of deaths: 36
Wisconsin
Maternal mortality rate: 13.2
Number of deaths: 41
Minnesota
Maternal mortality rate: 12.3
Number of deaths: 40
California
Maternal mortality rate: 10.5
Number of deaths: 228
Alaska
Maternal mortality rate: Data suppressed
Number of deaths: 12
Delaware
Maternal mortality rate: Data suppressed
Number of deaths: 9
District of Columbia
Maternal mortality rate: Data suppressed
Number of deaths: 12
Hawaii
Maternal mortality rate: Data suppressed
Number of deaths: 13
Maine
Maternal mortality rate: Data suppressed
Number of deaths: 7
Montana
Maternal mortality rate: Data suppressed
Number of deaths: 17
New Hampshire
Maternal mortality rate: Data suppressed
Number of deaths: 11
North Dakota
Maternal mortality rate: Data suppressed
Number of deaths: 11
Rhode Island
Maternal mortality rate: Data suppressed
Number of deaths: 9
South Dakota
Maternal mortality rate: Data suppressed
Number of deaths: 16
Vermont
Maternal mortality rate: Data suppressed
Number of deaths: 1
Wyoming
Maternal mortality rate: Data suppressed
Number of deaths: 7