Health Centers, Medical Education To Receive Funds
The House on Wednesday passed legislation that would reauthorize funds for community health centers and graduate medical education at children's hospitals, CQ HealthBeat reports.
The House voted 424-3 to pass a bill (HR 5573) that would authorize $10 billion for the federal community health centers program for fiscal years 2007 to 2011 and would reauthorize other parts of the program, such as a 51% patient majority governing board.
In a statement, Dan Hawkins -- vice president for federal, state and public affairs at the National Association of Community Health Centers -- said, "This 'patient democracy' is a model of care that is unique in health care and generates unprecedented results that have been documented by academia, health care experts and independent studies."
The House also voted 421-4 to approve a bill (HR 5574) that would authorize $300 billion annually for five years for the federal Children's Hospitals Graduate Medical Education Program.
Lawrence McAndrews, president of the National Association of Children's Hospitals, said that the bipartisan support for the legislation "reflects the breadth of understanding of how vitally important this federal investment is to the future of health care for all children" (Carey, CQ HealthBeat, 6/21).