The U.S. Senate Finance Committee’s votes to adopt two important amendments “are crucial to putting health centers, our patients, and our prevention-oriented system of care at the heart of health care reform, and they are a testament to the power of health center advocacy.” – John Sawyer, Health Centers on the Hill.

More on reform:
• Committee Adopts Amendments that Expand Access, Strengthen Health Centers (NACHC media release)
• Amendment Containing MATCH Act Adopted (Health Centers on the Hill)
• Merges, Whip Counts and Votes: What’s Next in the Senate? (Health Centers on the Hill)
• Background at the NACHC health reform hub
 

Community Health Centers, primary care associations got a funding boost to help kids through CHIP outreach and enrollment funding … and HHS Secretary Sebelius released $27.8 million in Recovery Act funds to expand the use of health information technology.

“The recession has brought more patients to America's Health Centers -- a trend documented by a new NACHC fact sheet.” – NACHC media release.

Health center reporting deadline approaches … HRSA Administrator announces reorganization of Office of Performance Review.

“The Concord Monitor and the New Hampshire Business Journal ran a piece by Bi-State PCA head Tess Kuenning in which she emphasized how costs and the lack of primary care physicians will continue to eat away at the system if there’s not change.” – Beau Boughamer, Health Center News and Happenings.
• D.C.: ‘Health Rationing Already Exists’, WA Post Letter to the Editor
• New York: State Resources Boosting Health Centers
• AK, CA, IA, OH, RI news
 

Health center victories in the U.S. Senate Finance Committee are topics of discussion; share your thoughts at www.facebook.com/nachc

@JustJolly RT: @CommHealthCorps is the @IAMAMERICORPS Natl program winner! Check us out at http://www.communityhealthcorps.org  #fqhc #americorps

“In the wake of this reform, we’ll be looking to our nation’s…health centers to bring access to care to those who gain coverage through this reform effort…they have an exemplary track record when it comes to delivering high-quality care, often to those patients and communities most in need.”
– U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), speaking about his amendment to ensure health centers are paid appropriately in health reform.