On October 1, the House approved, by voice vote, a bill (H.R. 3450) that would reauthorize community health centers and the National Health Service Corps. The legislation also would create a Community Access Demonstration Program to help states and localities coordinate services for the uninsured and underinsured. The measure was considered under suspension of the rules, an expedited floor procedure that limits debate, prohibits amendments, and requires a two-thirds majority for passage.
Sponsored by Reps. Michael Bilirakis (R-FL) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH), the bill would expand the primary health care services provided through community health centers to include “appropriate cancer screening,” specialty referral when medically indicated, housing-related services, and behavioral and mental health and substance abuse services. Funding for the centers would be increased to $1.293 billion in FY2003. Last year, community health centers received $802 million.
Additionally, the bill would establish a grant program designed to improve the quality of health care in rural areas and another grant program to provide telehealth programs and telehealth resource centers. The rural health grant program would be authorized at $40 million, and the telehealth programs would be authorized at $60 million.
The bill also would authorize a $50 million grant program to address the dental health professionals shortage. States could receive funds to implement loan forgiveness programs for dentists who agree to practice in designated shortage areas, to serve as public health dentists for the federal, state, or local government, to provide services regardless of a patient’s ability to pay, and to use a sliding payment scale.
Grants could also be used for a variety of other programs, including dental recruitment and retention efforts, grants and low-interest or no-interest loans to help dentists who participate in Medicaid to expand or establish services in shortage areas, the establishment or expansion of dental residency programs in states without dental schools, and the expansion or establishment of oral health services and facilities in shortage areas.
Speaking about the importance of community health centers, Rep. Bilirakis said, “Since 1965, America’s health centers have delivered comprehensive services to people who otherwise would face major barriers to obtaining quality, affordable health care. Health centers serve those who are hardest to reach and are required by law to make their services accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay.”
Rep. Danny Davis (D-IL) agreed, adding, “One example of this program’s effectiveness is the tenacity with which health centers have addressed the racial and ethnic disparities in health care.”
A companion bill (S. 1533) was passed by the Senate on April 16 (see The Source, 4/19/02).
