Continuing Resolution Left Community Health Centers In The Lurch

What’s the story?

One of the big ticket items that got taken care of in the continuing resolution that Congress and the president agreed to Monday was CHIP, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, which provides health insurance to 9 million children across the country. But what Congress didn’t take care of was funding for Community Health Centers, which serve 1 out of every 12 Americans, or approximately 27 million primarily low income people.

Their funding also ran out on September 30, 2017, or 115 days ago. The National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) states that it is looking at a 70 percent loss of funding if Congress does not appropriate the necessary funds.

Community Health Centers are authorized by Public Health Service Act, and fall under the umbrella of the Department of Health and Human Services. They are funded in two ways — through mandatory spending provided by the Community Health Center Fund (CHCF) and via discretionary spending provided in the annual appropriations process.

Currently, the nation’s health centers are funded with $1.5 billion from discretionary funds, and were provided with $3.6 billion from the CHCF.

Community Health Centers are at the forefront of the opioid crisis. They provide prenatal care and preventative care. In some rural areas they are the only health care option. Since funding for the CHCF ran out Community Health Centers have been struggling, NACHC Senior Vice President Dan Hawkins told the Washington Post:

"While we have supported and are very pleased that CHIP relief is included [in the CR], the failure to do the same for health centers leaves them increasingly anxious that many more will face a loss of clinical health professionals, who are seeking other more stable work options, and some are facing closure of their clinic facilities because they cannot sign longer-term lease agreements. This will only get worse if relief is not forthcoming very soon."

Funding for the CHCF has been included in appropriations bills that have been proposed in recent months, then pulled again. According to the Post, word on Capitol Hill is that it will be included in the funding bill that must be approved by February 9, but whether that actually happens is not guaranteed by anyone at this point.

What do you think?

Should Congress make sure to include funding for the Community Health Center Fund in their next appropriations bill? Why or why not?

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— Asha Sanaker

(Photo Credit: Wikimedia / Creative Commons)