Bank of America-led Consortium Announces $5 million Healthcare Access Program

Bank of America, Partners HealthCare and the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers today announced a $5 million program to improve access to quality health care for low- and moderate-income individuals and families. The $5 million in funding will be provided by the Bank of America Charitable Foundation.

As the state’s health reform law is implemented, more low- and moderate- income individuals will become insured and have access to primary and preventive care. At the same time, the state is facing a critical shortage of primary care physicians. This need will only increase in the state’s community health centers, which are expected to play an even more important role under health care reform.

At the North End Community Health Center today, Governor Deval L. Patrick and Senate President Robert E. Travaglini announced their support for the program and underscored its importance.

"With the passage of the state’s landmark health reform legislation, hundreds of thousands of people will have insurance for the first time," said Patrick. "But health care coverage without access is meaningless. Bank of America has taken a bold step in helping the state meet this challenge, and I commend the bank’s commitment to ensuring that patients have access to primary care."

"As a company, we believe that healthy individuals and communities help create strong businesses," said Bank of America Chief Marketing Officer and Northeast President Anne M. Finucane. "Massachusetts has made a huge investment in the health of its citizens with the passage of its health care reform law. We applaud them and are proud to take this opportunity to join Partners HealthCare and the Commonwealth in helping the state’s low- and moderate-income citizens realize the promise of health care coverage."

Massachusetts’ elected leadership also expressed support for the program.

"Massachusetts is once again leading the way in guaranteeing good health care for all our citizens," said Senator Edward M. Kennedy. "This initiative will enable 65,000 more people to obtain the health care they need in the communities where they live and work. I especially congratulate the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers, Partners HealthCare and Bank of America for creating this model public-private partnership to increase the number of primary care physicians in the Commonwealth."

Added Travaglini, "We need primary care doctors and community health centers to help encourage more residents to access the health care system long before it becomes an urgent and expensive medical necessity. Partners, Bank of America and the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers recognize that this investment will not only increase access but will also help bring down overall health care costs."

"As our historic health care reform law takes hold this year, we need to be ever-conscious of filling critical gaps in service — even as we expand coverage to the uninsured," said House Speaker Salvatore F. DiMasi. "I am pleased that Partners and Bank of America have leveraged resources to expand access to health care in a way that clearly identifies and responds to community needs. I know that our community and our neighbors will benefit from having more physicians working in health centers."

According to Partners President and CEO Dr. James J. Mongan, the average wait for a new patient to obtain an appointment with a primary care physician is nearly five weeks, and the percentage of patients waiting for more than two months for a primary care appointment has increased by more than 50 percent since 2005.

"Nationally, the percentage of medical school students choosing to practice internal medicine has fallen from 55 percent in 1998 to only 20 percent in 2005, resulting in a serious shortage of primary care physicians nationwide and in Massachusetts," said Dr. Mongan. "This makes access to preventive care that keeps people healthy and out of the hospital more difficult and puts the promise of universal health care at risk."

Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers President and CEO James W. Hunt Jr. added that the problem is more severe in community health centers, which often do not have the financial resources to recruit and retain primary care physicians.

"Right now, approximately 10 percent of primary care positions are vacant in community health centers," said Hunt. "We estimate that at least 100 primary care physicians are needed to meet the needs of existing patients and the newly insured."