Mayor Andrew Ginther's proposed operating budget would pull back city funding that helps PrimaryOne Health keep its community clinics running, and the health center says the shift could trigger service reductions that land hardest on low income and uninsured Columbus residents. PrimaryOne operates multiple clinic sites across Franklin and Pickaway counties and offers primary care, dental and behavioral health services that many patients treat as their main source of medical care.
As reported by The Columbus Dispatch, Ginther's proposal would trim or eliminate city grant support for PrimaryOne, and the health center has warned that the cuts could lead to staff reductions and shorter hours at some locations. The Dispatch notes that PrimaryOne leaders are openly worried about ripple effects on patients who already have limited options for routine care.
PrimaryOne is one of Central Ohio's largest federally qualified health centers, serving tens of thousands of patients, more than 41,000, according to a PrimaryOne press announcement earlier this year. That network of clinics provides services that many uninsured and underinsured residents use instead of costly emergency room visits, as outlined by Business Wire.
At the West Broad clinic at 2300 W. Broad St., roughly 60% of patients are uninsured, according to The Columbus Dispatch, making that site especially vulnerable if city support is reduced. PrimaryOne's locations page lists the West Broad clinic and its mix of services, from medical care to dental and vision, according to PrimaryOne Health.
How cuts could affect care
PrimaryOne's menu of services includes primary care, pediatrics, OB GYN, dental, vision, behavioral health, and a retail pharmacy. Those programs are expensive to operate and typically depend on a patchwork of reimbursements, grants, and local support. When municipal funding shrinks, community health centers often respond by reducing hours, limiting specialty referrals, or trimming outreach programs that help keep patients stable and out of emergency rooms. Those kinds of programs and staffing pressures are front and center in PrimaryOne's recent public statements and local coverage, according to Business Wire.
What happens next
Ginther unveiled his operating budget in late 2025, setting priorities that include public safety hiring and targeted investments. City Council will hold hearings and can amend the plan before a final vote, a window when advocates and providers typically push hardest for changes. Local reporting and city materials spell out the budget timeline and ways residents can weigh in during the council process, which is the next formal opportunity for PrimaryOne and other health care advocates to make their case, per WOSU 89.7.
Residents who want to follow the debate or submit public testimony can track the budget calendar on the city's website and contact councilmembers ahead of key votes. The city's budget pages describe the annual schedule for hearings and amendments and explain how to participate in the process, according to the City of Columbus.
