FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Amy Simmons Farber, 202-309-0338

Bethesda, MD — Karen Turner McWilliams has joined the leadership team of the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) as Chief Legal Officer, a newly created and essential role for the association which is the leading voice for the nation’s Community Health Centers, which serve 32.5 million people nationwide. Ms. McWilliams is a seasoned legal executive with a strong track record of guiding publicly traded organizations through complex regulatory and compliance matters.  

Named a “Top General Counsel to Watch in 2021” by Washington Executive magazine, she brings a wealth of experience from the commercial, financial, government services, and IT sectors. Before joining NACHC, Ms. McWilliams served as General Counsel for PVD Spectrum Holding Company, LLC, where she worked on selling and leasing spectrum in the 900 MHz band.  

Previously, she held the Deputy General Counsel role for Corporate at Scientific Applications International Corporation (SAIC), a major federal government contractor. At SAIC, Ms. McWilliams helped create the SAIC Foundation, a nonprofit that assists employees in need. 

Earlier in her career, Ms. McWilliams led global employment law at E*TRADE Financial, now part of Morgan Stanley. She also spent years as a labor and employment litigation partner at DLA Piper US, LLP, one of the world’s largest law firms. Additionally, she served as a substitute judge for Virginia’s Nineteenth Judicial Circuit and taught law as an adjunct professor at her alma mater. 

Ms. McWilliams earned her law degree from George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School and holds a bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Virginia’s Curry School of Education and Human Development. She is a licensed attorney in multiple jurisdictions. 

About NACHC

NACHC’s mission is to champion Community Health Centers delivering affordable, effective, comprehensive primary care that is community-driven and improves health for all. 

Bethesda, MD — One in 10 Americans relies on Community Health Centers (CHCs) for primary care, and now a record number of lawmakers want to ensure that care continues. 

Bipartisan coalitions of 288 House members (the largest number in at least 10 years) and 57 Senators have signed letters requesting robust FY 2026 funding for the 1,500 CHCs operating over 16,000 locations nationwide. The level of bipartisan House support represents the largest bipartisan backing in that chamber for CHCs’ funding in at least a decade. 

The letters, led by Senators Roger Wicker (R-MS) and Jack Reed (D-RI) and Representatives Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) and Diana DeGette (D-CO) underscore CHCs’ impact across rural, urban, frontier, and suburban communities.  

“Today, thanks to persistent support from Congress, there are nearly 1,500 health center organizations delivering care at over 16,000 locations in every state and territory, including through almost 1,100 mobile vans,” the lawmakers wrote. “Ten million rural residents, nine million children, nearly four million seniors, and 419,000 veterans call a health center their medical home.” 

The lawmakers continued, “Each year health centers save the overall health system billions by reducing the burden of chronic disease through prevention and early intervention…Despite the complexity of their patient population, health centers consistently achieve positive health outcomes for the people they serve, surpassing national quality benchmarks.” 

The push for funding comes at a critical time. CHCs are confronting potential Medicaid changes and coping with mounting financial pressures. In 2023, CHCs’ average margins were negative 2.2%, and 42% of CHCs reported 90 days or less cash on hand. Meanwhile, demand for affordable primary care continues rising as 100 million Americans report difficulty accessing primary care. A new study also documents that access to CHCs saves lives and maintains population health. 

Current CHC funding expires on September 30, making congressional action urgent as the appropriations process progresses.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Amy Simmons Farber, 202-309-0338

Bethesda, MD — House passage of the “One Big, Beautiful Bill” (H.R. 1) reconciliation bill puts millions of Americans at risk of losing health coverage, including millions of Community Health Center (CHC) patients. NACHC is deeply concerned about the immediate impact of this legislation and urges the Senate to take into consideration the important role health centers play in serving their patients. 

“CHCs save lives and money and proudly serve more than 16 million patients insured through Medicaid who include veterans, children, seniors, farmers, ranchers, and families who need affordable healthcare,” said Kyu Rhee, MD, MPP, President and CEO of NACHC. “CHC patients who are insured through Medicaid stay healthier thanks to regular access to high quality, comprehensive primary care. These patients have fewer Emergency Department visits, hospitalizations, and specialty visits than patients at other providers, saving lives and billions of taxpayer dollars every year. We need healthcare reforms that incentivize greater access and investments in affordable, comprehensive, effective primary care.” 

Two million Community Health Center patients could lose health coverage 

Based on the Congressional Budget Office projections, NACHC estimates that the House bill could cause 2 million patients insured through Medicaid to lose health coverage. Patients insured through Medicaid rely on their local health centers to help them manage their diabetes, high blood pressure, substance use, behavioral health, and so many other chronic conditions. 

CHCs already face significant financial challenges and cannot absorb further reductions in Medicaid funding. These proposals come at a time of intense financial pressure that is already straining CHCs. The average financial margin for CHCs approaches a negative 2.2% while 42% of CHCs report having 90 days or less cash on hand.  

As the Senate takes up the budget reconciliation process, CHCs stand ready to work with leaders on policy changes that invest in primary care and Medicaid and deliver cost-savings to taxpayers.  

The newly released reconciliation bill from the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce proposes changes to Medicaid that would result in millions of Americans who rely on Medicaid for health coverage losing access to healthcare, including Community Health Center (CHC) patients.

Nationwide, CHCs care for one in five people in the U.S. who have health insurance through Medicaid. The Trump administration’s goal of Making America Healthy Again presents an opportunity to refocus the healthcare system on primary care to lower rates of chronic disease, increase adoption of healthier lifestyles and reduce long-term federal healthcare spending. Doing so will require strong Community Health Centers, which make up the largest primary care network in the nation.

CHCs proudly serve more than 16 million patients insured through Medicaid who include veterans, children, seniors, farmers, ranchers, and families who need affordable healthcare. Because half of CHC patients get health coverage through Medicaid, they stay healthier with regular access to coordinated primary care. These patients have fewer Emergency Department visits, hospitalizations, and outpatient procedures than patients at other providers, saving taxpayer billions of dollars every year.

Medicaid Restrictions May Harm Healthcare Access for Patients and Raise Healthcare Costs

Preliminary estimates by the Congressional Budget Office found that, if enacted, the bill’s Medicaid provisions would cause millions to lose health insurance.

Medicaid is the lifeblood of CHCs, accounting for over 40% of their revenue on average. When CHC patients lose Medicaid coverage, they can still access care at CHCs, which are required by law to serve all patients, regardless of their insurance status or ability to pay. With millions losing Medicaid coverage, CHCs will lose revenue and take on additional uncompensated care costs. Cutting Medicaid will affect patients’ health and the financial health of CHCs.

CHCs are already facing significant challenges in meeting the costs of patient care and cannot absorb further reductions to Medicaid funding. Medicaid cuts could trigger a cascade of site closures and service reductions that ultimately cost taxpayers more through increased emergency care and hospitalizations.

Even a small shift in patients from Medicaid to uninsured status could force clinics to reduce services or close locations, jeopardizing access to cost-effective primary care and medical services in communities.

Rural communities would lose critical access points for primary care, dental services, and behavioral health. When CHCs close, communities lose not just healthcare but also jobs and economic stability. Terminating Medicaid coverage for gig workers, freelancers, caregivers, and those who have been laid off will not only compromise their health but also make it harder for them to work.

The partnership between CHCs and Medicaid is fundamental to improving Americans’ health and generating cost-savings for taxpayers and must be protected. We urge the Energy & Commerce Committee to amend the bill to protect Medicaid access for patients.