Leaders of community clinics in Southern California were in Washington, D.C. this week urging the region's congressional delegation to preserve federal funding for community health centers to provide care to low-income residents, according to a U-T San Diego report.
The Health Centers Fund, a five-year appropriation that was created by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, is at risk of becoming insolvent in October 2015. If the legislation does expire, federal funding for community health centers would drop by 70 percent.
The National Association of Community Health Centers said that means 7 million Americans may no longer have access to cost-effective care and 40,000 health workers could be laid off, according to the report.
Gary Rotto, director of health policy and strategic communications for the Council of Community Clinics, which represents 16 health centers in San Diego, Imperial and Riverside counties, told U-T San Diego that the Health Centers Fund has been essential in raising clinics' staff to treat people who are newly insured through Medi-Cal, California's Medicaid program.
"If Congress does not act, it could be hours cut back, new facilities that are delayed or do not open, much longer waits for appointments or delays in care until medical problems are urgent," he told the publication.
Mr. Rotto also noted that although Congress has until the fall to approve a budget, it is essential that community clinics be able to budget before the next fiscal year, which, for community clinics, generally begins in June.
According to the report, the lobbying is part of a nationwide effort mobilized by the National Association of Community Health Centers.
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