HHS Gives $500M to Community Health Centers in Calif., Other States
On Tuesday, HHS announced an additional $500 million in grants to bolster primary care services at community health centers in California and other states, The Hill reports (Ferris, The Hill, 9/15).
Background
Community health centers are not-for-profit health care organizations that offer care to medically underserved populations and bill based on patients' ability to pay. There are about 1,300 CHCs across the U.S., and nearly 23 million patients receive care through such facilities (California Healthline, 8/12).
Details of Awardees
In addition to expanding primary care services, the grants can be used toward efforts to enroll U.S. residents in coverage through the ACA's exchanges. According to HHS, 12 million people have received help with enrolling in exchange plans at community health centers throughout the past two years (The Hill, 9/15).
HHS gave Health Infrastructure Investment Program awards -- which allow health centers to renovate or acquire new clinical space -- to 21 California facilities. The amount of awards to California recipients ranged from $196,411 to $1 million (Infrastructure Investment Program awards list, 9/17).
HHS also gave Expanded Services awards -- which aim to expand access to affordable health care for individuals newly insured under the ACA -- to 140 California facilities, with amounts ranging from $239,948 to $708,680 (Expanded Services awards list, 9/17).
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