Contact: Amy Simmons Farber 202 309 0338

On behalf of America’s Health Centers, we are pleased by the Senate vote to confirm Xavier Becerra as Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).  Secretary Becerra assumes leadership of HHS as our weary nation marks nearly one year of fighting COVID-19 and we usher in a new beginning in this long battle.  Health centers, working in partnership with the Biden Administration and supported by bipartisan leaders in Congress, are carrying out an unprecedented national COVID vaccination effort to reach minority and special populations – the elderly, homeless and agricultural workers — and to ensure health equity.

We appreciate that the Secretary brings to the leadership post notable expertise in health care policy, an established relationship with health centers and a solid understanding of the value of affordable primary care, especially in times of chaos and disruption.  As a former Member of Congress from Los Angeles, and a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, Becerra used his office to further understand the mission of health centers from the ground up.  As Attorney General of the State of California, he vigorously defended insurance coverage for millions of Americans.  He also spearheaded efforts to protect the 340B low-cost prescription drug program,  which is essential to health center efforts to provide affordable care to the poor and chronically ill.

Secretary Becerra’s commitment to equitable access to health care for all and his experience at the state and federal levels make him an ideal choice to lead our nation through these challenging times.

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 Contact: Amy Simmons Farber 202 309 0338

We applaud recent actions by the Biden Administration to formally remove the harmful “Public Charge” rule that was put into place by the prior Administration in 2019. Community Health Centers, led by our strong advocates at the California Primary Care Association (CPCA) and the Association for Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations (AAPCHO), have fought against Public Charge for a host of reasons, not the least of which is that it puts the health and well-being of immigrant families at risk. Our argument then, as it is now, is that everyone benefits when there is unfettered access to services, health care, and benefits. As representatives of health centers across the country and the 30 million patients they serve, we pledge to work together and with national leaders to advance health equity and ensure that everyone, no matter who they are or where they are from, has equal access to quality and affordable health care in a safe space, regardless of insurance status or ability to pay. These democratic ideals of inclusion and access allow individuals to contribute to their communities and reach their full potential.

Through the years, health centers and other safety-net health care providers have seen the chilling effects of policy developments around the public charge doctrine. Following the passage of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, a climate of fear and confusion was created among immigrants, preventing them from enrolling in critical programs and keeping them from seeking medical care.  As in the past, the end result of the most recent policy would have led to further worsening health outcomes and more complex, costlier health services for patients, their families, and their communities. More importantly, the rule also erected a barrier between health care providers and their patients.

We thank the Biden Administration for their leadership and join with immigrant advocacy groups and other community-based organizations who have pledged to help dispel the fear and confusion that this policy has created over the past few years.  Though we know we must remain ever vigilant for policy changes that may affect our patients in a detrimental manner, this is a very positive step in helping our friends and neighbors begin to feel safe in their own communities once again — and continue to receive the care and compassion they deserve.

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Contact: Amy Simmons Farber 202 309 0338

Congress has passed the $1.9 trillion COVID relief package, known as the American Rescue Plan, which is on its way to President Biden’s desk for signature. In addition to providing stimulus checks for families, funding for schools, small businesses and anti-poverty programs, the package includes much-needed relief for America’s Community Health Centers as they mark one year of fighting a deadly pandemic on the front lines of medically underserved and hard to reach communities.  The legislation includes:

• $7.6 billion in flexible emergency COVID-19 funding for Community Health Centers;
• $800 million for the National Health Service Corps, $200 million for the Nurse Corps, and $330 million for the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education programs, all of which support the health center workforce;
• $7.6 billion to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to expand the public health workforce;
• $47.8 billion to HHS to implement a national testing strategy and contact tracing surveillance; and
• $7.5 billion in funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for vaccine administration and distribution, to be dispersed to support state, local, tribal, and territorial public health departments, community vaccination centers, and mobile vaccination units.

“This relief cannot come soon enough for health centers and we are deeply grateful for these resources and the leadership in Congress, along with the Biden Administration, who made it possible,” said Tom Van Coverden, President and CEO of NACHC. “Nearly one year ago we were fighting this pandemic with one hand tied behind our backs and a multitude of challenges that included diminished revenues and shortages of protective gear, supplies and tests.  Health center advocates across the country have worked tirelessly to let their leaders in Congress know that to successfully fight the pandemic we need to have adequate resources. Today, that call has been answered and we look toward bringing about an end to the pandemic and putting everyone back to work.”

The package comes as health centers, which serve 30 million patients nationwide, are engaged in a national vaccination effort as the centerpiece of the Biden Administration’s plan to ensure equity in the fight against COVID.  Currently, some 250 health centers, with more than 4,000 sites, are working on the ground to ensure special populations — such as the homeless, the poor, agricultural and migrant workers, residents of public housing, those with limited English proficiency, and people living in rural areas — have access to all three COVID vaccines.

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