September 30 is the deadline for Congress to pass funding measures for community health centers, and while the House has made efforts to craft a funding package for these centers, the Senate has not written any legislation addressing the issue, according to The Hill.
In a letter written to Congressional leadership earlier this month, over 70 healthcare advocacy groups highlighted the importance of funding these centers.
"According to [the Department of Health and Human Services'] own estimates, a failure to renew these funds would lead to loss of 51,000 jobs, closure of 2,800 [community health centers] delivery sites, and a loss of access to care for more than nine million patients," the groups wrote. "To preserve the gains that have been made and strengthen our system of access to primary and preventive care, Congress must act expeditiously to avert this funding cliff."
The House Energy and Commerce Committee hopes to include funding for community health centers alongside funding for CHIP, but members of the Senate Finance Committee want a CHIP funding bill to stand alone.
Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., and Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., penned a letter to the Senate health committee calling for funding for community health centers before the September 30 deadline. Including its authors, the letter was signed by 61 senators.
More Articles on Leadership:
University of Chicago Medicine to rebrand, alter leadership structure
New York judge revokes Martin Shkreli's bail after offering $5k for a strand of Hillary Clinton's hair
Bernie Sanders' Medicare-for-All bill: 4 things to know