FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                      CONTACT: Amy Simmons Farber 202 309-0338

Bethesda, MD. – The Continuing Resolution (CR) Congress just passed to prevent a government shutdown includes an extension of mandatory Community Health Center Funding, the National Health Service Corps, and the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education program through January 19, 2024.

NACHC appreciates that Congress included health centers and workforce programs in the short-term funding bill at current funding levels. This is another indicator that lawmakers on both sides of the aisle value health centers’ role as the largest primary care network in the nation, serving 31.5 million Americans, regardless of patients’ insurance status or ability to pay.

“While we join our members in breathing a sigh of relief that Congress did not allow Community Health Center funding to expire on November 17, the repeated short-term funding extensions are disrupting the work of health centers to care for 1 in 11 Americans,” said NACHC President and CEO Kyu Rhee, MD, MPP. “We hope that this short-term agreement gives Congress time to reach a bipartisan agreement on long-term funding for health centers, including a much-needed increase in essential primary care funding, which saves lives and reduces overall health care spending.”

The short-term funding creates uncertainty for health centers, which already operate on thin margins and are facing a triple threat of fiscal pressures: workforce shortages, Medicaid redeterminations, and losses from drug manufacturer restrictions on the 340B program. Health centers are experiencing a surge in demand for their services and rising costs, yet federal funding, which accounts for a large portion of their budgets, is not keeping pace.

“The funding uncertainty is causing unnecessary stress for our member health centers that need predictability to retain and recruit providers and staff, plan and deliver services, and sustain operations,” said Dr. Rhee. “By law and mission, health centers serve communities with unequal access to health care. Congress can support that mission by passing long-term stable funding, which improves the health of our nation and delivers significant economic impact for communities that need it the most.” 

Earlier this month, Dr. Rhee wrote to congressional leadership urging them to include funding for Community Health Centers, the National Health Service Corps, and the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education program in the eventual CR. View Dr. Rhee’s letter.

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NACHC is the leading innovative change agent collaborating with affiliates and partners to advance Community Health Centers as the foundation of an equitable health care system free from disparities, and built on accessible, patient-governed, high-quality, integrated primary care. 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Amy Simmons Farber, 202 309-0338

BETHESDA, MD — At a news briefing today, health center advocates described how fiscal uncertainty affects operations among the nation’s Community Health Centers, creating disruptions in hiring clinicians and planning services for the 31.5 million patients they serve. Unless Congress acts by September 30, 2023, all federal funding for health centers expires. NACHC has been leading the push among health center advocates across the country for bipartisan legislation to address the looming expiration of the Community Health Center Fund (CHCF) and critical primary care workforce programs, such as the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) and the Teaching Health Centers Graduate Medical Education (THCGME) program. The CHCF represents 70 percent of health center funding. 

“Historically, the value of the Community Health Center program has been reflective in the bipartisan support we have received. Today’s federal spending debate comes at a dire moment as Health Centers and the record 31.5 million people we care for continue to recover from the damage left in the wake of COVID. Underinvestment in the only safety-net our patients can count on would undoubtedly cause further devastation to those who are most vulnerable,” said Paloma Izquierdo-Hernandez, MS, MPH, NACHC Board Chair, and President & CEO of Urban Health Plan, Inc., (UHP), Bronx, Queens, and Central Harlem, NY.

“I am staying up at night worrying about the stability of our primary care workforce. This debate over health center funding comes as clinicians are considering what residency they should go on, what training program, or whether or not they should sign a contract at a Community Health Center. That is why it makes sense to invest in health centers and in primary care development programs to grow the current workforce of 285,000 health center professionals,” said Kyu Rhee, MD, MPP, President and CEO of NACHC.

“Health centers make a difference in rural communities just like mine every day and continued funding is critical and vitally important to all of us who depend on health centers to provide great care for every one every day regardless of their ability to pay,” said Deborah Morrison, a patient and Board Chair of Roanoke Chowan Community Health Center in rural Ahoskie, NC.

“I am cautiously optimistic that there seems to be congressional progress regarding continued health center funding. Any disruption would be detrimental to our ability to sustain operations and health care access for all of Cornell Scott Hill Health Center’s 55,000+ patients. That same impact would be  multiplied for the 31.5 million patients cared for by the nation’s 1,400 plus health centers,” said Michael R. Taylor, NACHC Board Chair-Elect, CEO of Cornell Scott-Hill Health Center, New Haven, CT.

The news briefing comes as lawmakers in the House and Senate are working against the clock on bipartisan measures in both chambers. In the House, the Lower Costs, More Transparency Act (H.R. 5378) is ready for floor consideration and the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions is set to consider the Bipartisan Primary Care and Health Workforce Act. Both bills extend and increase funding for the more than 1,400 health centers nationwide that provide care to more than 31 million patients nationwide, including 8.8 million children. The bills also extend and increase funding for key primary care workforce programs that are essential to building a diverse health care workforce and addressing provider shortages in underserved areas.

About National Association of Community Health Centers

Established in 1971, the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) serves as the leading national voice for America’s Health Centers and as an advocate for health care access for the medically underserved and uninsured.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                     CONTACT: Amy Simmons Farber 202 309-0338

BETHESDA, MD — With a September 30^th deadline drawing closer, efforts on Capitol Hill to craft bipartisan legislation that extends funding for Community Health Centers and essential primary care workforce programs will be considered next week. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Chairman of the Senate, Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, and Sen. Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kan.), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Primary Health and Retirement Security, have announced legislation ahead of a markup Thursday, Sept. 21, that boosts critical funding for health centers, as well as the National Health Service Corps (NHSC), and Teaching Health Centers. Highlights of the “Bipartisan Primary Care and Health Workforce Act” include:

• Increase funding for Community Health Centers to $5.8 billion per year for three years.
• Provides $3 billion in capital funding for health centers to expand dental care and mental health care in their facilities.
• Increase National Health Service Corps funding from $310 million to $950 million per year and provide scholarships and debt forgiveness for 20,000 doctors, nurses, dentists, and mental health professionals who work in underserved areas.    
• Provides $1.5 billion over the next five years to the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education program to create more than 700 new primary care residency slots, resulting in up to 2,800 additional physicians by 2031.
• Authorizes $100 million a year for a Workforce Innovation Fund to support community-led models to educate and train allied health professionals.

“Health centers appreciate the strong leadership from Chairman Sanders and Sen. Roger Marshall for introducing the ‘Bipartisan Primary Care and Health Workforce Act,’” said Kyu Rhee, MD, MPP, the President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC). “This bill lays out a vision that emphasizes the role of health centers and expands their reach beyond the 31.5 million existing patients by providing allowances for more comprehensive essential services, including dental and mental health. The bill also encourages much-needed growth of the primary care workforce by investing in innovative health center-led career development programs. We look forward to consideration of this bill and securing a funding extension that is timely, bipartisan, and can get signed into law – so that health centers can  be assured that they will be able to continue serving 31.5 million current patients, as well as the millions more who need care.”

NACHC has been leading the push among health center advocates across the country for bipartisan legislation to address the looming expiration of the Community Health Center Fund (CHCF) and key primary care workforce programs. With the deadline drawing closer, the fiscal uncertainty is already creating disruptions in hiring and planning essential services for health center patients. The CHCF represents 70 percent of health center funding.

About National Association of Community Health Centers

Established in 1971, the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) serves as the leading national voice for America’s Health Centers and as an advocate for health care access for the medically underserved and uninsured.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Amy Simmons Farber, 202 309-0338

BETHESDA, MD —Community Health Center leaders will discuss the urgent need for lawmakers to pass sustainable funding for the Community Health Center Fund (CHCF) at a virtual news briefing on Monday, September 18, at 1 p.m. ET. The briefing, hosted by the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC), comes as House lawmakers are scheduled to consider The Lower Costs, More Transparency Act (H.R. 5378), and the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions is set to consider the Bipartisan Primary Care and Health Workforce Act.

Both bills extend and increase funding for the more than 1,400 health centers nationwide that provide care to more than 31 million patients nationwide, including 8.8 million children. The bills also extend and increase funding for key primary care workforce programs – the National Health Service Corps and the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education – that are essential to building a strong health care workforce and addressing provider shortages in underserved areas.

Unless Congress acts, funding for health centers and these workforce programs will expire on September 30, 2023.  Health center leaders will discuss how the funding uncertainty is already affecting health centers’ operations and creating disruptions in hiring and planning services for patients.

WHO:

• Paloma Izquierdo-Hernandez, MS, MPH, NACHC Board Chair, President & CEO of Urban Health Plan, Inc., (UHP), Bronx, NY
• Kyu Rhee, MD, MPP, President and CEO, NACHC
• Mike R. Taylor, CEO of Cornell Scott-Hill Health Center, New Haven, CT
• Deborah Morrison, Board Chair, Roanoke Chowan Community Health Center, Ahoskie, NC
• Joe Dunn, Senior VP, Public Policy and Research, NACHC

WHAT:  Virtual Press Briefing

WHEN:  Monday, September 18^th 1 p.m. ET

Register in advance via the link above or contact Bryan Mason, NACHC Communications Specialist, at  bmason@nachc.org

About National Association of Community Health Centers

Established in 1971, the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) serves as the leading national voice for America’s Health Centers and as an advocate for health care access for the medically underserved and uninsured.

BETHESDA, MD– Paloma Izquierdo-Hernandez, MS, MPH, President and Chief Executive Officer of Urban Health Plan, Inc. (UHP), one of the largest Community Health Center networks in New York State, has become Chair of the Board of Directors of the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC). Ms. Hernandez assumed the leadership role during the NACHC 2023 Community Health Institute (CHI) and EXPO in San Diego, CA, a hybrid conference which drew more than 3,000 health center leaders, policy experts, consumers, and corporate partners from around the country.

A trusted thought leader, Ms. Hernandez brings to the NACHC board leadership a nationally recognized record of quality improvement and innovation in health care, a passion for health equity, and a visionary commitment to address the social drivers of health and reduce health disparities among the underserved. Under Ms. Hernandez’s stewardship, UHP, which began as a small medical practice started by her father, the late Dr. Richard Izquierdo in 1962, has expanded from a one-site health center in the South Bronx, to a network of 12 health centers, two mental health facilities and 12 school-based health centers, serving approximately 84,000 patients. UHP established the Dr. Richard Izquierdo Health and Science Charter School in 2010, creating a pathway to health care careers for middle and high school students. 

During her acceptance speech at the NACHC conference, Ms. Hernandez described how the legacy of her father’s achievements inspire her work today:

“Like my father, I believe the heart and soul of public health lies in health equity, helping to identify and close the gaps for those who suffer in ways that address their social conditions,” said Hernandez. “I have no doubt all of you here today share a calling to keep building on the accomplishments of those who came before us. As Board Chair, my goal is to be an accessible and inclusive leader, committed to diversity — not just in people — but in ideas, experiences, and perspectives.”

Hernandez assumes the board leadership role at a pivotal time for the fiscal future of the health center program. Health centers are caring for a record 31.5 million patients. A major portion of funding for the program is set to expire on September 30^th unless Congress acts. The urgent need for a funding extension comes as health centers are struggling to protect access to low-cost prescription drugs for patients and rebuild their workforce after the COVID-19 pandemic, while growing numbers of Americans are losing coverage from Medicaid redeterminations.

Hernandez urged health center leaders to continue their appeal to bipartisan Members of Congress. “Every voice and every second counts in delivering the message to decision-makers about the value of our programs — the $24 billion in cost savings we deliver, the jobs we create…  the billions delivered in overall economic output and the lives saved,” said Hernandez.

About National Association of Community Health Centers

Established in 1971, the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) serves as the leading national voice for America’s Health Centers and as an advocate for health care access for the medically underserved and uninsured.

Through the Awards of Excellence we recognize the superlatives in our field. The Awards of Excellence are given annually by NACHC to individuals in the Community Health Center Movement who:

• are innovators in health care delivery
• set higher standards for patient care and quality
• have demonstrated leadership and advocacy that advances community health needs

We at NACHC thank this year’s winners for their contribution to the Community Health Center Movement! Watch the video to learn more about this outstanding awardees.

Winners of 2023 Awards

John Gilbert Award  

Gloria B. Warner, Chief Operations Officer, Beaufort Jasper Hampton Comprehensive Health Services, Inc., Ridgeland, SC 

Ethel Bond Memorial Consumer Award 

Stan McKee, Board Member, Carevide, Greenville, TX 

Samuel U. Rodgers, MD Achievement Award 

Mark Wallace, Chief Clinical Officer, Sunrise Community Health, Evans, CO  

Louis S. Garcia Community/Migrant Health Services Award 

Rhonda Hauff, Chief Executive Officer, Yakima Neighborhood Health Services, Yakima, WA  

Norton Wilson State/Regional Leadership Award 

Bruce Gray, Chief Executive Officer, Northwest Regional Primary Care Association, Seattle, WA 

Jeffery T. Latman Leadership in Health Care Finance Award 

Maria Coppenrath, Chief Financial Officer, Greater Lawrence Family Health Center, Lawrence, MA 

Health Professions Education and Training Award 

Saint Anthony Amofah, Executive Vice President and Chief Clinical Officer, Community Health of South Florida, Miami, FL