For nearly 60 years, Community Health Centers (CHCs) have been at the forefront of delivering care to populations with limited access to health care—preventing chronic illness, generating cost savings, and ensuring access to high-quality, affordable care. Long before the term Food for Health became part of national health conversations, CHCs were already putting it into practice. At the very first health center in Mississippi in 1965, Dr. Jack Geiger famously wrote prescriptions for food, recognizing that addressing hunger was as essential to health as prescribing medication.

At CHCs across the country, food is being used for medicine, prevention, and connection. Whether through medically tailored meals, produce prescriptions, or partnerships with local farms and food banks, CHCs are redefining how communities access nutritious food as part of comprehensive health care. “Community Health Centers stand at the heart of the [Food for Health] movement. They don’t just treat chronic disease—they help prevent it by identifying food insecurity and connecting patients to nourishment and care.” – Aletheia House Health Center (AL) 

For decades, CHCs have addressed the non-clinical factors of health that shape outcomes beyond the exam room, from transportation and housing to food security. Today, they are scaling these efforts through cross-sector collaborations, data-driven care, and innovative payment models that recognize food and nutrition as a core component of health. As another health center stated, “Healthy food is medicine—cultivating a world where hunger ends and health begins.” – Grace Health (MI) 

Across the country, CHCs are translating these principles into action.   

Lawndale Christian Health Center (IL): Operates an urban farm that distributes produce boxes to patients, building direct access to healthy food while fostering community connection. The model’s success was recently featured in Health Affairs for its innovative approach to clinical integration and sustainability.

Wai’anae Coast Comprehensive Health Center (HI): Through its Keiki and Kupuna Pantries, provides fresh produce and ready-to-eat meals for children and elders, supported by community health workers who also connect patients to Medicaid and SNAP. The center’s produce prescription program and on-site farmers markets are strengthening food systems from the ground up.

While financing and sustainability remain ongoing challenges, NACHC is leaning into this space—recognizing that scaling Food for Health programs are essential to advancing health outcomes and whole-person care. The question is no longer if food belongs in healthcare—it’s how we build sustainable systems that make it possible. 

NACHC is helping to scale these efforts, reminding the nation that Food for Health is not new at CHCs—it’s a continuation of their decades-long mission to nurture health, dignity, and whole-person care. Building on this legacy, NACHC’s Food for Health Ecosystem takes a bold, three-pronged approach that meets patients where they are, strengthens community partnerships, and drives lasting improvements in health and well-being.

• Food Access and Security: Focusing on food insecurity and addressing systemic barriers to access through partnerships with food banks, pantries, and community-based organizations. 

• Food for Health & Clinical Integration: Leveraging nutrition as a core component of healthcare by integrating food-based interventions into clinical settings to prevent, manage, and treat chronic diseases. 

• Nutritional & Lifestyle Approaches: Applying a whole-person approach that honors cultural traditions and personal preferences, building skills in cooking literacy, nutrition knowledge, and self-management for health-supportive choices. 

NACHC’s framework will help to guide how health centers can operationalize nutrition and food access within primary care and community settings- positioning them as the Employer, Provider, and Partner of Choice (EPPOC). Leveraging the 3 pillars, NACHC has developed SEPP goals: Science, Education, Practice, and Policy—which provide a roadmap for building sustainable, evidence-based, and community-centered models of care: 

Science: Develop robust metrics and data points to measure the impact of Food for Health programs, including improved patient outcomes, cost savings, and community health benefits.  

Education: Educate and inform the healthcare workforce, patients, and community partners about the importance of integrating nutrition into care—promoting food as a critical component of whole-person health.  

Practice: Identify and scale sustainable, community-centered models for implementing Food for Health programs within Health Centers, including workflows, partnerships, and best practices.  

Policy: Develop reimbursement strategies and policy frameworks to secure long-term financial sustainability for Food for Health initiatives, including aligning with value-based care models and exploring innovative funding sources.  

Through this framework, NACHC is charting a path toward sustainable systems of care that recognize food as a vital component of whole-person health. Through collaboration, data-driven learning, and aligned policy efforts, this vision moves beyond programs—it builds the foundation for a healthcare model where nutrition and wellness are integral to achieving better outcomes, reducing costs, and strengthening community resilience. 

This reflects what CHCs have always known: health happens in communities. When care is rooted in trust and responsive to real-world needs, outcomes improve, not just for patients, but for families and neighborhoods.

In the United States, maternal health challenges remain significant nationwide, with chronic conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, depression, and more increasing the risk of severe maternal complications. Mary’s Center, a Community Health Center in Washington, D.C., confronts these challenges through rapid response, innovation, integration, patient-centered care, and service workers such as doulas and midwives. These strategies not only improve outcomes for mothers and children but also strengthen families and communities.

In 1988, in a basement in Adams Morgan, a neighborhood in Northwest Washington, D.C., a visionary nurse named Maria Gomez launched Mary’s Center with a simple yet powerful goal: to ensure immigrant women fleeing violence and poverty had access to prenatal care. What began with a $250,000 grant from then DC Mayor Marion Barry to serve 200 pregnant women has evolved into a thriving network of five full-service community health center sites across DC and Maryland.

Today, Mary’s Center supports over 65,000 individuals annually, regardless of insurance status, while remaining steadfast in its commitment to provide high-quality care for the entire family with an emphasis on maternal and child health. There are layers of components that make Mary’s Center organization distinct from others, and that starts with community understanding.

Jessica Laycock, Communications Manager at Mary’s Center, shared, “We were founded to fill a void in care for women and children. And we’ve stayed grounded in that, but we’re always evolving, finding new ways to bridge ongoing gaps in care.” Mary’s Center is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC, also called a Community Health Center) that provides integrated services, focusing heavily on maternal and child health (MCH). Pregnant women are prioritized, children are safeguarded, and families are embraced.  

Rapid Response at Mary’s Center  

A key strategy that positioned Mary’s Center at the forefront of leading the MCH charge in DC is being able to have a rapid response at times of uncertainty. Mary’s Center staff sprang into action and contacted patients in the district via text messages about the expected changes to take place within the DC Healthcare Alliance (HCA). The DC HCA Program is a locally funded program designed to provide medical assistance to District residents who are not eligible for Medicaid. DC HCA serves low-income adults who have no other health insurance and are not eligible for Medicare.

Some expected changes to take place within DC HCA included, but were not limited to, timeline changes, eligibility criteria updates, and freezing DC HCA enrollment for adults over the age of 26 at current levels, which affected pregnant women’s access to care. DC HCA initial eligibility and coverage cuts took place on September 30, 2025, when adults aged 21 and older with incomes above 138% of the FPL would lose their coverage. In Washington, DC, pregnant women can receive comprehensive Medicaid coverage, known as DC Healthy Families, for prenatal care, labor, delivery, and postpartum services for 12 months after delivery if their household income is at or below 319% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL). While DC HCA has not entirely sunset yet, eligibility changes will force people out of the program, the majority of which already do not qualify for Medicaid.  

Maternal and Child Health Innovation at Mary’s Center 

The second strategy Mary’s Center pursued was innovative partnerships, such as grant-funded programs that provided pregnant women with transportation services through Uber to their doctor appointments. It allows expectant parents to have a reliable way to get to their appointments, making it possible for D.C residents to attend routine check-ups and their prenatal and postpartum services. As Mary’s Center saw a lot of success related to fewer no-show appointments and patient outcomes, there was unfortunately a lack of sustainable funding to keep this initiative for patients. This is a common challenge for many health centers that use limited grant funding to support essential patient services, and health centers need an increase in federal funding to support important patient activities.  

Integration, Patient Centered Care, and Service Workers 

The third strategy Mary’s Center utilized to confront the challenges in maternal health in the District of Columbia is their commitment to integration, patient-centered care, and service workers such as doulas and midwives. Beyond clinical services, Mary’s Center is committed to providing integrated and patient-centered care that supports pregnant women’s full life experience. From language access, primarily English and Spanish, to behavioral health integration, Mary’s Center model of care ensures patients, such as pregnant women, are treated as a whole person and not isolated conditions.

Research shows that first-time mothers giving birth at medical centers where midwives were on their care team were 74% less likely to have their labor induced, 75% less likely to receive oxytocin augmentation, and 12% less likely to deliver by cesarean than their counterparts at medical centers without midwives in attendance. Childbirth Service workers, such as doulas, CPMs, and midwives, have the ability to lower rates of cesarean births, induction, and episiotomy, higher rates of breastfeeding initiation, and greater patient satisfaction.  

What’s Next for Mary’s Center? 

Despite their innovation, Laycock points out that federal barriers continue to pose challenges in the maternal health space in both Washington, D.C., and Maryland. In Washington, D.C, the city budget remains subject to congressional oversight and approval. Still, efforts persist to ensure health centers are recognized and included as a critical part of the solution to addressing gaps in maternal health across the district. “The threshold to prove the value of Community Health Centers is higher than that of hospitals,” she says. “We’re not always seen as essential, even though we are.”

Mary’s Center works to ensure that pregnant women, new parents, infants, and children up to age 5 receive services they need by providing breastfeeding counseling, nutritional education, and healthy food access through an eWIC card system with over 51,000 enrollees, i.e., “Whole-person care is more than prescriptions,” Laycock says. “But without sustainable funding, it’s difficult to keep those roles.”  

Looking Ahead 

With so many programs and so much need, what keeps the team at Mary’s Center going? Laycock responded with no hesitation that community impact does. Through rapid response, innovation, integration, and patient-centered care, Mary’s Center has and continues to tackle the gaps in the maternal health space. Every year, they track patient outcomes, from healthy birth weights, and use the data to improve maternal health in the district. They seek inspiration from partners in the community and celebrate the word-of-mouth referrals that bring pregnant women and their families through their doors. A center that began with a nurse, a dream, and a grant to serve 200 pregnant women is now a cornerstone for maternal healthcare access in DC and Maryland.

As funding tightens and the political climate tenses, the need for integration, patient centered care and rapid response grows more urgently. Jessica Laycock puts it best, “We’re here to fill in the gaps. And as long as those gaps exist, we’ll keep showing up.” NACHC provides the best resources for health centers across the country for maternal health. NACHC has worked closely with healthcare providers, public health professionals, and researchers across the country to develop comprehensive resources to help health centers improve the quality of pregnancy and postpartum care. This includes collecting patient stories and experiences while receiving pregnancy and postpartum care, establishing goals for care transitions, and continuous quality improvement.  

For over 60 years, health centers like Mary’s Center have provided individuals and families across the United States with comprehensive, affordable, community-centered, and high-quality primary care, including a host of healthcare services that support maternal health and family medicine for medically underserved populations prior, during, and post-pregnancy.

Every year, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) recognizes Community Health Centers (CHCs) that deliver measurable excellence in care. The most recent quality badge data show a consistent national pattern of CHCs achieving strong clinical outcomes despite limited resources and rising patient complexity. These CHCs serve patients with some of the highest medical and social needs in the country, and yet continue to outperform national averages in chronic disease management and preventive care. This performance is not only symbolic, but also evidence that CHCs, the backbone of the nation’s primary care infrastructure, can deliver value and accountability at scale.

Across the country, CHCs serve more than 34 million people annually and manage care for as many as 52 million. Nearly one in five CHC patients have no health insurance, yet these CHCs deliver comprehensive primary and preventive care regardless of ability to pay. They achieve this reach while operating on some of the narrowest margins in American health care. In 2024, CHC costs exceeded revenue for the first time, with average operating margins falling below negative 2 percent. With looming Medicaid cuts, many CHCs are confronting the real possibility of site closures, staff reductions, and service cutbacks. These financial pressures threaten the gains reflected in HRSA’s quality data.

National and State CHC Performance on Clinical Quality Measures

Quality can be measured in many ways, from patient experience to clinical outcomes. This blog focuses on HRSA Quality Badges, which measure CHCs against standardized benchmarks for clinical performance, high-value care, and health IT use, highlighting CHCs that achieve exceptional outcomes despite challenging patient populations and resource constraints.

Table 1 illustrates how CHCs across the country sustain high performance while serving as a major source of care for uninsured in many states. The table reflects the top 30% of CHCs nationwide, highlighting those that earned HRSA Gold (top 10%), Silver (11%-20%), and Bronze (21%-30%) Badges for clinical excellence. In Nebraska, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, and South Dakota, at least half of CHCs in these states earned HRSA Quality Badges for clinical excellence while caring for at least one in four uninsured residents. 

Some states, however, have relatively few recognized CHCs. This variation reflects differences in infrastructure, funding, and capacity to meet national benchmarks, highlighting the importance of targeted investment to ensure all states can support high-performing primary care.

Table 2 highlights additional areas of achievement, including the adoption of health information technology  and other value-based metrics. Every state has at least one CHC recognized for excellence, underscoring the national scale of achievement across diverse care settings.   

Why Clinical Quality Measures Matters to States

These results should matter deeply to every state. CHCs serve a large share of state people who are insured through Medicaid, and when CHCs perform well, states benefit through better outcomes and lower costs. Strong primary care reduces preventable hospitalizations, emergency department utilization, and downstream costs in specialty and reduces avoidable deaths. 

For states facing fiscal pressure, investing in CHCs is a proven strategy to strengthen the health system and protect access. States that maintain strong CHC networks can see measurable gains in maternal health, behavioral health access, and chronic disease control that directly affect state budgets.

CHCs are a Model of Innovation and Efficiency in Action

Decades of research have confirmed these patterns. CHCs consistently deliver care at lower cost than comparable settings while improving outcomes. Their leadership in programs such as Food for Health (which includes Food Is Medicine programs), AI-assisted technologies, and community health worker integration show how innovation and efficiency can thrive even in resource-constrained environments.

Aligning Funding with Evidence

Sustaining this level of performance requires a financing strategy that aligns with the evidence.  As Medicaid revenue declines and discretionary support remains uncertain, the risk is not theoretical. Each badge and each metric underscore the same conclusion: reducing CHC support does not reduce costs. It simply shifts costs to emergency departments, hospitals, and systems far less equipped to manage chronic care effectively.

Quality is not an exception in CHCs. It is the standard expectation. Ensuring that funding aligns with proven performance is essential for protecting access, improving outcomes, and containing costs at the state and national level.

Table 1.  Top CHCs and Uninsured Coverage by State, 2024

State	Number of CHCs	Health Center Quality Leader – Gold	Health Center Quality Leader – Silver	Health Center Quality Leader – Bronze	Total Quality Badges	% of CHCs Earning  Top 30% Badges	% state Uninsured served by CHCs
AK	29	1	0	3	4	14%	24%
AL	19	4	0	1	5	26%	21%
AR	12	2	1	0	3	25%	22%
AZ	24	0	3	3	6	25%	19%
CA	214	17	19	24	60	28%	26%
CO	20	1	2	3	6	30%	35%
CT	17	1	4	3	8	47%	33%
DC	8	0	2	0	2	25%	96%
DE	3	0	0	0	0	0%	19%
FL	54	6	5	3	14	26%	19%
GA	36	2	6	6	14	39%	15%
HI	14	1	0	1	2	14%	30%
IA	14	3	2	0	5	36%	30%
ID	14	2	1	0	3	21%	28%
IL	51	4	3	5	12	24%	33%
IN	41	2	4	3	9	22%	22%
KS	21	3	3	0	6	29%	35%
KY	30	8	5	3	16	53%	29%
LA	41	5	5	3	13	32%	23%
MA	37	4	4	4	12	32%	66%
MD	16	1	2	3	6	38%	20%
ME	19	3	2	1	6	32%	24%
MI	41	3	7	2	12	29%	18%
MN	17	1	1	1	3	18%	18%
MO	29	2	2	2	6	21%	24%
MS	21	4	1	0	5	24%	32%
MT	14	0	3	0	3	21%	22%
NC	43	3	6	2	11	26%	24%
ND	4	0	0	1	1	25%	16%
NE	7	3	0	1	4	57%	29%
NH	10	0	2	0	2	20%	23%
NJ	24	2	2	0	4	17%	23%
NM	20	0	2	0	2	10%	35%
NV	8	0	0	0	0	0%	10%
NY	72	8	4	5	17	24%	32%
OH	60	6	8	8	22	37%	17%
OK	21	0	2	1	3	14%	13%
OR	32	3	0	1	4	13%	18%
PA	51	3	0	3	6	12%	23%
PR	21	7	4	0	11	52%	26%
RI	8	2	3	0	5	63%	44%
SC	25	6	3	3	12	48%	23%
SD	4	0	1	1	2	50%	27%
TN	30	3	4	2	9	30%	21%
TX	75	8	8	10	26	35%	12%
UT	12	0	1	0	1	8%	22%
VA	27	3	3	3	9	33%	15%
VT	11	0	3	0	3	27%	86%
WA	27	1	2	1	4	15%	34%
WI	18	0	2	0	2	11%	16%
WV	30	5	4	2	11	37%	55%
WY	5	0	0	0	0	0%	11%
US	1,501	143	151	118	412	8%	22%

Note: HRSA awards badges based on adjusted quartile rankings using the latest CHC clinical data.  These badges recognize the top 30%, with the Gold Badge representing the top 10%.  Excludes US Territories except Puerto Rico.

Table 2.  CHC Excellence Across Value, Access, Care Delivery, and HIT in Every State, 2024

State	% State Medicaid enrollees served by CHCs	High-Value	Improving Health Care Access	National Quality Leader – Behavioral Health	National Quality Leader – Cancer Screening	National Quality Leader – Diabetes Health	National Quality Leader – Heart Health	Preventive Health	Advancing HIT
AK	29%	0	4	0	2	0	1	0	14
AL	12%	4	3	1	1	7	4	4	15
AR	21%	0	2	2	0	2	2	0	9
AZ	23%	1	3	1	0	2	1	2	13
CA	60%	23	76	23	14	23	18	22	110
CO	27%	0	3	3	0	3	2	1	9
CT	39%	3	4	2	0	3	4	2	13
DC	92%	0	0	0	1	1	0	1	6
DE	8%	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	3
FL	15%	7	10	12	3	14	9	9	33
GA	9%	3	10	9	2	6	7	5	18
HI	30%	1	2	0	0	1	2	1	10
IA	24%	0	3	1	0	0	4	0	7
ID	22%	6	6	1	0	1	2	1	11
IL	36%	7	6	6	3	11	11	9	30
IN	34%	5	13	1	0	4	6	1	31
KS	18%	1	4	2	1	3	6	2	14
KY	40%	0	6	6	0	7	7	2	23
LA	34%	5	6	6	3	6	10	7	24
MA	26%	3	11	1	4	1	6	3	27
MD	14%	2	7	1	1	1	2	1	12
ME	29%	1	4	2	2	1	2	1	8
MI	18%	3	5	3	0	3	9	1	31
MN	8%	2	5	0	0	1	3	1	12
MO	33%	2	8	8	0	5	3	2	24
MS	16%	5	6	5	2	8	9	1	16
MT	19%	2	2	0	1	0	0	0	10
NC	12%	4	11	6	1	2	7	2	24
ND	9%	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	3
NE	14%	1	2	2	0	2	4	3	4
NH	10%	0	2	1	1	0	0	0	5
NJ	18%	4	8	6	3	6	2	5	12
NM	31%	2	1	1	0	3	1	1	6
NV	8%	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0
NY	31%	8	12	9	4	5	7	5	46
OH	25%	6	12	8	1	12	10	5	48
OK	17%	4	4	2	0	5	0	1	11
OR	37%	2	4	2	0	4	0	1	21
PA	19%	4	9	6	2	1	8	2	23
PR	32%	2	2	9	3	4	6	5	13
RI	49%	2	3	2	0	1	0	0	7
SC	12%	1	5	3	1	4	9	2	12
SD	18%	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	3
TN	10%	5	9	7	2	9	11	4	19
TX	10%	11	13	12	4	13	7	7	39
UT	5%	1	3	0	0	1	1	0	5
VA	9%	2	7	2	1	6	9	1	18
VT	51%	3	3	1	2	0	3	0	10
WA	51%	5	6	1	0	1	1	0	19
WI	18%	4	5	0	0	1	1	0	11
WV	62%	2	7	5	0	5	9	1	16
WY	7%	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	3
US	26%	161	338	181	66	200	228	124	911

Note: National Quality Leader Badges recognize CHCs meeting or exceeding national benchmarks on select indicators. The High-Value Care badge reflects achievement in both quality and cost benchmarks. The Advancing HIT for Quality badge recognizes use of telehealth as well as the collection and exchange of patient data. For full badge description visit HRSA’s Community Health Quality Recognition Overview: https://bphc.hrsa.gov/initiatives/advancing-health-center-excellence/community-health-quality-recognition-chqr-overview  Excludes US Territories except Puerto Rico.

Investments in community health centers (CHCs) are not one-size-fits-all. Across the country, health centers serve a variety of patient populations with unique challenges, and the actions states take look different. In this blog, we explore state-level investments that are responsive to the needs of health centers to help them shape the future of providing care. This ranges from capital funding to modernize facility infrastructure, expanding coverage for remote patient monitoring devices, and closing critical gaps in the health care safety net. These examples highlight how tailored financial commitments can help ensure health centers remain resilient and responsive to the needs of their communities. 

Massachusetts: Closing the Health Safety Net Gap 

On September 22, 2025, Governor Maura Healy signed House Bill 4530 into law—not as a routine budget measure, but to address the anticipated loss of federal health care dollars. House Bill 4530 provides $35 million in financial relief to community health centers, including $2.5 million for the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers to facilitate regional savings initiatives, including shared service options.  

“Massachusetts’ leaders have once again stepped up to ensure equitable access to care for our most vulnerable patients and communities. I am immensely grateful to our allies in the Legislature, Speaker Ron Mariano, Senate President Karen Spilka, Chair Aaron Michlewitz, and Chair Michael Rodrigues, as well as the Healey-Driscoll administration, for supporting community health centers as they navigate an increasingly challenging environment,” said Michael Curry, Esq., President and CEO of the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers. “This is a critical moment for our movement and as we continue to navigate a shifting federal policy landscape, the Mass League looks forward to working closely with our allies to ensure community health centers have the resources needed to uphold their mission and mandate to provide high-quality care to everyone who walks through their door.” 

The passage of H.R. 1, also known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” has left Massachusetts facing a future where billions of federal Medicaid dollars would vanish—an estimated $13 to $21 billion in lost funding over the next decade, according to Kaiser Family Foundation forecasts.  Soon, lawmakers in other states will face the same decision Massachusetts just made: whether to use state funds to replace their lost federal revenue. Without state action, financially burdened health centers and hospitals are preparing for cuts to primary care, dental, behavioral health, maternity services—and even potential facility closures. The result could be devastating with patients losing access to care close to home and providers forced to choose between staying open or turning people away. 

Massachusetts acted because the alternative—doing nothing—would have left too many people behind. By stepping in where federal dollars fall short, Massachusetts has sent a clear message: protecting access to health care is not optional—it is a responsibility. This law ensures that our most vulnerable neighbors are not abandoned and that our health care system remains strong enough to serve every community, no matter the federal headwinds ahead. 

New York: Union Community Health Center Receives Capital Funding for Bronx Dental Clinic  

On, September 9, 2025, Union Community Health Center (UCHC) celebrated a $1,115,000 capital investment to renovate and expand UCHC’s Dental Clinic in the Bronx. With the support of New York State Senator Gustavo Rivera, UCHC was able to obtain this funding through a grant award disbursed through the New York State Community Resiliency, Economic Stability, and Technology Program (CREST). 

This project will significantly improve access to dental care for Bronx residents by reducing wait times and increasing service capacity. A community anchor institution, UCHC has served the health care needs of the Bronx for more than 115 years. UCHC provides care tofor nearly 40,000 patients annually. In addition to comprehensive primary and specialty care, UCHC operates one of the largest dental practices in the Bronx, serving patients with Medicaid and Medicare through one of New York City’s most extensive oral health programs. In 2024 alone, its dental department delivered nearly 50,000 visits – yet patients across the Bronx continue to face significant delays due to overwhelming demand and space constraints.  

The project will feature an expanded Dental Clinic with four additional operatories, reducing wait times and improving care delivery. The center is part of a broader transformation of the Grand Concourse site that will co-locate dental, primary care, pediatrics, OB/GYN, behavioral health, and UCHC’s Mother-Child Center- creating a single-site model of integrated, equitable care that is rarely available in historically underserved communities.  

“This investment represents more than bricks and mortar – it’s a commitment to access, addressing a severe shortage of dental services in the Bronx,” said Dr. Douglas York, PhD, MPH, President & Chief Executive Officer of Union Community Health Center. “Bronx families deserve superior quality care that is timely, accessible, and delivered in an environment designed for their needs. This project brings us closer to that goal.”  

Construction is expected to begin shortly. UCHC will ensure uninterrupted services for patients throughout the renovation process. The expansion project marks a major step forward in closing health access gaps in the Bronx, offering residents access to comprehensive and responsive care in a welcoming and modern setting.  

District of Columbia: Investing in Maternal Health  

On September 16, Councilmember Christina Henderson of the District of Columbia introduced the Prenatal and Postpartum Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) Clarification Amendment Act of 2025. This bill directs the D.C. Department of Health Care Finance (DHCF) to cover and reimburse remote patient monitoring (RPM) for blood pressure and blood glucose in pregnant and postpartum individuals, for up to 12 months after childbirth.  

This legislation aligns with the current administration’s Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) initiative, which identifies Maternal and Child Health (MCH) as a top public health priority. Research shows that remote monitoring can significantly improve maternal health outcomes by enabling early detection of complications such as hypertensive disorders and gestational diabetes, two leading causes of maternal morbidity and mortality. Community health centers play a vital role in delivering maternal and perinatal care, especially low-income, marginalized, or underinsured populations through RPM. RPM technology allows providers to extend care beyond the clinic walls, enabling patients to track key indicators like blood pressure and glucose levels from home and transmit data directly to their care team. This is beneficial for health center patients facing barriers like limited transportation, childcare needs, work obligations, or mobility issues.  

Investing in MCH is not only about reducing maternal mortality and morbidity but also about creating conditions for healthy pregnancies and long-term family and community well-being. RPM supports proactive intervention and improves chronic disease management, reducing the need for costly hospitalizations and emergency visits. By covering RPM services for high impact metrics like blood pressure and glucose, the amendment makes reimbursement more targeted and sustainable in constrained health care environments that health centers serve. The proposed amendment also supports continuity of care during the postpartum period, a critical time when many patients disengage from the health system. Extending RPM coverage for up to 12 months of postpartum ensures ongoing monitoring and timely interventions, enhancing patient outcomes.  

Known for their innovation and resilience, health centers are well-positioned to serve as key hubs for implementing this clarification amendment. The bill offers a meaningful opportunity to expand access to RPM for maternal health, improve health equity, and ensure that the most vulnerable patients benefit from high quality, continuous care.  

Across Massachusetts, New York, and the District of Columbia, a common thread emerges: When states invest strategically in health centers, they strengthen the foundation of their entire health care system. Whether through emergency funding to preserve the safety net, capital support to expand access, or policy changes that bring care closer to home, these actions demonstrate the essential role of state leadership in advancing better health outcomes. As federal funding and policy landscapes continue to shift, sustained state commitment will be critical to ensuring that health centers can continue to innovate, adapt, and deliver on their mission—to provide comprehensive, high-quality care for everyone, regardless of where they live or their ability to pay. 

During a recent Senate HELP Committee (Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions) hearing, senators from both parties—including Committee Chairman Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), and Susan Collins (R-ME)—highlighted how Community Health Centers (CHCs) in their states responsibly use 340B savings to lower drug costs and expand access to care for the up to 52 million patients they serve.

The hearing examined the growth of the 340B program and its impact on patients. The HELP Committee heard from subject matter experts Michelle Rosenberg of the Government Accountability Office (GAO), Dr. Aditi Sen of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), and UCLA physician Dr. William Feldman. Many Senators shared examples of how health centers use the 340B program to lower patients’ out-of-pocket drug costs and reinvest savings in enabling services. They emphasized the importance of protecting health centers’ access to the program while also calling for reforms and greater transparency.

Before the hearing, NACHC CEO Dr. Kyu Rhee wrote to Chairman Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Ranking Member Bernie Sanders (I-VT), thanking them for their focus on 340B and highlighting the reforms necessary to protect patients’ access to care.

Chairman Bill Cassidy (R-LA) opened the hearing by summarizing findings from his investigation into how 340B revenue is generated and used. In his remarks, he shared that a smaller health center in Louisiana reported, “The cost of compliance and fees forced upon them by the middlemen made it almost unprofitable to participate in 340B, and they were thinking of dropping their participation.”

His remarks reflect concerns shared by many Senators during the hearing that fees and restrictions from drug manufacturers and Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) threaten the savings that smaller providers, like health centers, depend on.

Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) highlighted how disruptive a rebate model would be to health center finances. In her questioning, she incorporated information from a Wisconsin health center about the substantial increase in upfront costs that would result if the pilot program were implemented. “Under the proposed pilot program, their upfront drug costs would increase by 2,360 percent, threatening their financial stability and, of course, patient care. I’ve heard similar concerns from hospitals, particularly from rural hospitals, and that they would struggle with millions more in additional upfront costs under a pilot program as proposed.”

Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) focused his remarks on how health centers reinvest 340B savings. The Senator submitted into the record a letter he received from Piedmont Access to Health Services (PATHS). This Virginia health center uses savings generated from 340B to fund obstetrics and gynecologic care after rural hospitals in the area stopped delivering babies. “PATHS delivers about 500 babies a year and 7,000 OB-GYN visits, picking up from where the rural hospitals have not been able to figure out how to make it work,” Kaine said.

Kaine’s example illustrated how 340B can make the difference between access and a lack of access, enabling health centers to maintain critical services and ensuring that rural residents don’t have to travel for hours for care.

Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) offered a powerful example of how health centers use 340B savings to benefit patients directly. She shared that Hometown Health Center in Newport, Maine, uses 340B savings to ensure that patients facing financial hardship can access medications without a copay.

“Hometown Health has also used 340B savings to provide transportation services to homebound patients, to bring them to their appointments and then to the pharmacy to pick up prescriptions.”

Across party lines, Senators recognized the 340B program as a pillar sustaining health center operations. Their stories from Louisiana, Wisconsin, Virginia, and Maine show that when health centers can fully leverage 340B savings, patients benefit.