| Most of us do not think about what we will do if we get sick. We simply go to the doctor and get the medicine or specialty care that we need. Too many, however, do not have that luxury, and often go without the care or prescription medication they need to live happy, healthy lives. The good news is that America’s community health centers often fill the breach for those who cannot afford the care they need.
I have been a strong proponent of community health centers since coming to Congress because they 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.
One of the reasons community health centers have so successfully provided care to so many though the years is that the individual centers are governed by a community board, a majority of whose members are patients of the health center itself. This feature makes health centers more responsive to the needs of the communities they serve than they otherwise might be.
And they are certainly needed. 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.
I have introduced legislation to renew the federal health centers program through 2011. My bill, the Health Centers Renewal Act, would authorize $1.93 billion in funding next year, which would raise funding to the level the President has requested, an increase of approximately $181 million from last year. The Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee recently held a hearing on community health centers during which witnesses expressed their strong support for my bill.
I hope we can both preserve and strengthen the core elements of the health centers program this year so that they can continue to provide health care to those who need it, as they have done well for more than four decades.
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