Jonathan Michels writes for Jacobin on our homegrown army of doctors in the US National Health Service Corps. These primary care doctors have been practicing in underserved communities throughout the US for 50 years. It’s time to expand the National Health Service Corps.
We have a shortage of primary care doctors. One report finds that by 2033, the US will be short 55,200 primary care doctors. Today, people struggle to get the preventive care they need, along with referrals for specialty care. In the next decade, the situation is likely to only worsen.
President Biden’s American Rescue Plan commits an additional $1 billion to the National Health Service Corps. Michels calls it “a model for universal programs.” It is not profit-driven and is designed to meet the individual needs of the people it serves.
Members of the National Health Service Corps. include physician assistants, social workers, nurses, mental and behavioral health specialists and physicians. Most of them practice at Federally Qualified Health Centers, sometimes called FQHCs or community health centers. There are thousands of FQHC sites throughout the country treating patients of all-income levels. But, FQHCs primarily serve people with low incomes and charge people on a sliding scale.
FQHCs serve about 26 million people each year. About half of them have Medicaid. Among other things, FQHCs provide vaccinations and health screenings. With more staffing and resources they could serve a lot more people.
The American Rescue Plan’s $1 billion will pay for tuition and offer loan forgiveness to people in the National Health Service Corps. Medical education is so costly and can leave students in substantial debt. The National Health Service Corps. recognizes the need for primary care doctors. It responds to the reality that few students opt to go into primary care medicine because it is not nearly as lucrative as specialty care.
Michels sees an opportunity to enlist members of the National Health Service Corps. in the Medicare for All movement. He argues that for Medicare for All to succeed, it will need an army of doctors advocating for it. The National Health Service Corps. participants appreciate the value of social solidarity and serving the public good. They would be excellent leaders in the movement.
Here’s more from Just Care:
- Congress must protect our community health centers
- John Oliver explains why we need Medicare for all
- Six reasons you need a primary care doctor in this age of specialization
- Four questions to ask yourself about your primary care doctor
- Do you need a POLST, Physician Order for Life-Sustaining Treatment?
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