(Missouri News Service – Farah Siddiq) – Community health centers in Missouri and across the nation are receiving a significant boost in funding, courtesy of the bipartisan spending package passed by Congress. House Resolution 4366, a compilation of six Fiscal Year 2024 appropriations bills, not only continues funding for several programs but also plays a crucial role in averting a partial government shutdown. These community health centers are essential, providing healthcare access to 31 million Americans and playing a critical role for individuals, especially in rural areas.
Joe Dunn, Senior Vice President for Public Policy and Advocacy with the National Association of Community Health Centers, highlighted the importance of these centers, noting that approximately one in 11 Americans across the country receive their care from community health centers. “Over 100 million Americans need better access to primary care,” Dunn remarked. He emphasized the benefits of incentivizing primary care, including fewer hospitalizations and complications from chronic conditions, thanks to preventive screening and care. Dunn pointed out that these investments are crucial for reducing healthcare costs over the long term.
The spending bill notably increases the annual funding for health centers to $4.4 billion. Additionally, it extends and enhances key primary-care workforce programs, such as the National Health Service Corps and the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education Program.
Dunn shed light on the challenges faced by those living in rural areas, including numerous hospital closures and limited primary-care options. He underscored the significance of this network as a critical source of comprehensive care. “They provide primary care, behavioral health, dental, and an array of services, often in newer communities, to reach underserved patients across the nation, especially in rural and frontier areas,” Dunn added.
The Congressional Budget Office has reported that the increase in funding for community health centers, effective through the end of this year, will result in more than $700 million in savings on federal spending on public health insurance programs.
