Health centers and the states. Partnership potential to address the fiscal crisis.

The 38-year-old federal Health Centers program funds community-owned preventive and primary health care for 14 million people, mostly from low-income and minority groups. Studies show that health centers provide quality health care efficiently and effectively. President Bush has begun a major program expansion to serve 6 million more people, but the states' fiscal crisis has forced funding cutbacks that could undermine the administration's initiative. The authors argue that states could actually save money by increasing their investment in health centers, given the health centers' record of reducing the need for high-cost specialty and hospital care and eliminating health disparities.