Capital Link's new report provides a national picture of health center revenue loss, COVID-19-related expenses, the influx of relief funds through December 31, 2020, and the estimated gap in needed funds, based on the 15-month period from April 2020 through June 2021.
Results show that the nation’s more than 1,400 Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) have experienced a 26% decline in patient visits between April and December 2020, as patients complied with stay-at-home orders. Without additional support to cover the identified shortfall through June 2021, many health centers sites will remain closed, and 29,121 staff will be laid off or furloughed, and 66% of FQHCs will drain cash reserves to dangerous levels.