NACHC Statement on Release of FY2016 Omnibus Appropriations Legislation
On Wednesday, House leaders released the text of the final negotiated appropriations legislation for Fiscal Year (FY) 2016, which includes funding for the Health Center Program and other key health priorities. A copy of the bill can be viewed here. The Health Center provision begins on page 889 line 6 and ends on page 890 line 5.
The bill contains a discretionary funding level of $1.491 billion for the Health Center Program, which, when combined with the $3.6 billion in mandatory funding provided earlier this year through H.R. 2, the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA), represents a total funding level of $5.1 billion for the Health Center Program in FY16. Of that total, the legislation specifies that no less than $150 million be spent on construction and capital improvements and no less than $200 million be spent on expansions of health center capacity, including new delivery sites and additional services like oral and behavioral health. Each of these funding levels is consistent with NACHC’s requests.
NACHC Senior Vice President for Public Policy and Research Dan Hawkins issued the following statement:
“On behalf of America’s more than 1,300 Community Health Center organizations and the more than 24 million patients they serve, I am pleased to share NACHC’s support for this legislation. Combined with overwhelming bipartisan support shown earlier this year for health center funding included in H.R. 2, the funds in this bill will ensure access to high-quality, affordable primary and preventive care for millions of Americans.
We are extremely grateful to the bipartisan leaders in Congress who championed health centers in this legislation, first and foremost to Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee Chairmen Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO) and Representative Tom Cole (R-OK) and Ranking Members Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT). Further, we wish to thank the bipartisan leads on Senate and House support letters sent to the Appropriations Committee earlier this year: Senators Roger Wicker (R-MS) and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Representatives Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) and Gene Green (D-TX).
It is only because of the longstanding support of these and other Members of Congress that health centers today are able to provide not just needed care, but to deliver value, access and quality to our patients and serve as an asset to the broader health care system every day. We urge members to support this bill and look forward to working with all Members to ensure stability in funding for health centers long-term.”
