Contact: Ernie Blazar 202.224.7627 Matt Roney 816.471.7141
Friday, June 22, 2001

KANSAS CITY - Senator Kit Bond today announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released almost $865,000 in funding to the Kansas City Care Network, a coalition of safety net health care agencies in the Kansas City area.

“This grant will greatly improve the health care provided to folks in the Kansas City area who find themselves without health insurance,” said Bond.

The grant will be used to develop a new program to build cooperation among safety net providers. Difficulty in providing coordinated care between primary care doctors, specialists, hospitals and other health professionals is a serious barrier to quality care.

Senator Bond, a long-time supporter of health care safety net programs is working with other members of Congress to further address the problem of care coordination. With several colleagues, he has helped write the “Health Care Safety Net Amendments of 2001.” This legislation – which is expected to be introduced within the next few weeks – will authorize the Health Communities Access Program (HCAP). HCAP will allow many other communities nationwide to receive grants to coordinate care among safety net providers, similar to the one received by the Kansas City Care Network.

“In order to improve the level of care the most needy patients receive, safety net providers must come together,” said Bond. “This program is a step in the right direction in providing more integrated and higher-quality care for all uninsured residents of our great city.”