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Washington D.C., May 4, 2006 - Congressman Mike Bilirakis (R-FL), Vice-Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, last week introduced H.R. 5201, the Health Centers Renewal Act, which reauthorizes the federal Health Centers program through Fiscal Year (FY) 2011. The Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health held a hearing today to discuss the vital role that community health centers play in ensuring access to care.
For 41 years, community health centers have provided health services in underserved communities. In 1996, the Health Centers Consolidation Act combined the various entities – community, migrant, homeless, and health centers for residents of public housing – and created the Consolidated Health Centers Program. The program was later reauthorized through FY 2006 as part of the Health Care Safety Net Amendments of 2002.
"Community health centers have been a model for delivering primary and preventative care efficiently and effectively for more than four decades. They serve more than 16 million Americans, many of whom are uninsured or underinsured, in areas where people most need such services. They make their services available to all residents of the communities in which they are located, without regard to their ability to pay," Bilirakis said.
H.R. 5201 would provide for a straight reauthorization of the program through FY 2011 at an initial funding level of $1.963 billion in FY 2007. The bill keeps intact the key program requirements that enable health centers to provide high quality, cost-effective care customized to meet the individual’s health care needs.
Bilirakis said, "Despite our best efforts, there are still far too many Americans who lack health insurance, and for whom community health centers are their only source of care. These vulnerable individuals need the community health centers program to remain strong and vibrant as they work toward greater health security for themselves and their families. It is my hope that we can reauthorize this critical program this year prior to the expiration of its current authorization in September."
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