Public Health Centers Struggle to Keep Up

"We need to expand this lot," said Taylor, who runs Oakhurst Medical Centers Inc., which operates two clinics.

Oakhurst is among 1,200 community health centers, 1,100 public hospitals, and nearly 3,000 local health departments that are primary strands in the nation's healthcare safety net. Most say they have become significantly busier in the last seven months, as the economy has worsened.