Healthcare and Homelessness

The majority of homeless people do not have health insurance or the ability to pay for needed care. In extreme situations, many turn to emergency rooms despite being costly and inappropriate for ongoing care. Federally funded Health Care for the Homeless (HCH) projects provide primary care without regard to one’s ability to pay, but these health centers reach less than a million out of the three to four million homeless individuals annually who desperately need care. You can get involved by advocating for:

• Medicaid Expansion – Medicaid provides the consistent health coverage needed to prevent and treat the health issues of individuals experiencing homelessness.
• Reliable coverage through Medicaid will improve financial security, stabilize health, and help prevent and reduce homelessness.
• The expansion of Medicaid will improve state budgets and lower health costs with savings on uncompensated care and reduced spending on hospitalization and criminal justice for individuals with severe behavioral health needs.

NCH works to promote the comprehensive and integrated treatment needs of homeless persons within the context of health reform. We support effective implementation of Medicaid expansion for people living in or near poverty.