“The committee sessions have been contentious, with Members using the amendment process to score political points as well as to improve the policy provisions of the legislation.” – John Sawyer, Health Centers on the Hill

More on reform:
• Health Center Role Highlighted on High-Profile Blog (Health Center News and Happenings)

“Health Centers and their patients do not need thousands more expert lobbyists or full-time advocates. We need thousands more people who understand firsthand what is at stake – now and in the future. We need thousands more people who are willing and able to make (not find) a few minutes, 2 or 3 times a month, to have an impact on decisions that are being made in Washington.” - Marc Wetherhorn, Health Center Advocacy in Action

More on advocacy:
• Updated Patient Advocacy Newsletter
• Encourage friends and family to sign up at the NACHC Grassroots Advocacy Center
• More information at the NACHC health reform hub
 

“Two Community Health Centers (Urban Health Plan and Heart of Texas) have won the 2009 HIMSS Davies Award of Excellence for their leadership in electronic health records (EHR) implementation.” – NACHC media release

“$373 Million Available Through 'Communities Putting Prevention to Work' (CPPW) Program” …and… “HRSA Issues Updated Health Center Quarterly Report (HCQR) Reporting Manual” – NACHC alerts

“The (Tacoma, Wash.) News Tribune ran an op-ed by Linda McVeigh — director of Country Doctor Community Health Centers — with her arguments in favor of health reform as it’s currently being discussed on Capitol Hill.” – Beau Boughamer, Health Center News and Happenings
•Minnesota: Working with the Local Hmong Population
• GA, IN, NV, NJ, news
 

The U.S. Senate Finance Committee continues its lengthy amendment process to determine a path on Health Reform; share your thoughts at www.facebook.com/nachc

@Lupitasl: Sen. Menendez opening statement: will offer "protections for FQHCs" in Finance bill. #fqhc

“Federally funded health centers, originally created to serve the poor, are seeing a surge of patients as more Americans struggle financially. The centers are on track to handle more than 20 million patients this year, up by more than two million from last year and twice the figure of a decade ago, according to surveys by the National Association of Community Health Centers.”

-The Wall Street Journal, SEPTEMBER 28, 2009, “Use of Federal Health Clinics Soars.”