Shi Leiyu, Stevens Gregory D, Politzer Robert M
Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health & Hygiene, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Med Care. 2007 Mar;45(3):206-13. doi: 10.1097/01.mlr.0000252160.21428.24.
This study examined access to care for uninsured and Medicaid-insured community health center patients in comparison to nonhealth center patients nationally. Using nationally representative data from 2 major surveys in 2002, there was a positive association between seeking care in community health centers and self-reported access to care for both uninsured and Medicaid patients. This suggests that health centers may fill a critical gap in access to care for patients who use their services. Given recent budget cuts to the Medicaid program, health centers remain an important policy option to assure access to care for vulnerable populations.
本研究比较了全国范围内未参保和参保医疗补助计划的社区卫生中心患者与非卫生中心患者获得医疗服务的情况。利用2002年两项主要调查的全国代表性数据,发现社区卫生中心就医与未参保和参保医疗补助计划患者自我报告的医疗服务可及性之间存在正相关。这表明,卫生中心可能为使用其服务的患者填补了获得医疗服务方面的关键缺口。鉴于近期医疗补助计划的预算削减,卫生中心仍然是确保弱势群体获得医疗服务的重要政策选择。