The effects of community health center care on medical expenditures for children and adults

Abstract

This study examines whether community health center (CHC) patients have lower medical expenditures. Using 2011-2012 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data, propensity score methods are used to compare annual expenditures for adults and children receiving at least half their ambulatory care at CHCs versus those who did not. For children, CHC use was associated with 35.3% lower total medical expenditures ($627), 40.0% lower ambulatory expenditures ($279), and 49.1% lower prescription drug expenditures ($157) (all Ps < .05). For adults, the reduction in hospital expenditures for CHC users ($529) was statistically significant at a P < .10 threshold. Estimated differences in total expenditures and other expenditure categories were not statistically significant for adults.