Community health provider in Waltham committed to quality care amid incoming Medicaid cuts

With federal cuts to Medicaid looming, Charles River Community Health is readying itself for the impacts on its facilities and patients, while remaining focused on what it can control.

CRCH, a health center that provides outpatient services to traditionally underserved communities based in Allston-Brighton with an additional location in Waltham, is part of the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center community health center group.

According to CEO Matt Mullaney, cuts to federally funded health care programs as well as changes to Medicaid eligibility requirements and enrollment are expected to pose significant stress on the community health center.

More specifically, he said CRCH will see more patients who are uninsured, directly impacting the health center’s ability to cover its costs.

“That will mean we have less money to expand and improve services, or to give our team the raises they need to work and live in this area,” Mullaney added.

Among the impending changes are added requirements for Medicaid eligibility, and a requirement to verify eligibility twice a year, rather than just once. Some health officials have said the requirements could potentially result in people losing their coverage. 

“People could get disqualified right before they need to bring their kid for a checkup or get hurt on their job site,” Mullaney said.

Such changes could impact a notable portion of the Waltham community, as approximately 13.5% percent of Waltham residents are on Medicaid, according to Data USA, a website that compiles publicly available government data. That percentage accounts for about 15,000 residents, which includes seniors, children, adults with low incomes and those with disabilities who rely on home care.

Waltham state Rep. Thomas M. Stanley last month warned that cuts to Medicaid and the Department of Health and Human Services would threaten health care access across the state.

“A reduction in funding would mean devastating budget shortfalls, strained hospitals and health services,” Stanley said.

With so much uncertainty remaining at the federal level, Mullaney said he and his staff at CRCH are focusing on what they can control: providing high-quality patient care.

To Mullaney, that means excellent technical expertise from a team that consistently gives the right diagnosis and treatment in a kind and respectful environment.

“[Patients] really appreciate the kindness of the care we provide. …This is incredibly important to us, because most of the work we do is preventative or chronic disease management where the relationship with the patient is crucial to success,” Mullaney added.