August 9, 2006

Pryce Applauds Vital Work
of Community Health Centers

Pryce is a Recognized Advocate for Centers Locally, Nationally

Columbus, Ohio – Today, Congresswoman Deborah Pryce (R-Columbus) spoke of the importance of community health centers at the Lower Lights Christian Community Health Center in Franklinton, at an event celebrating National Health Center Week. Pryce has been a leading advocate for community health centers both in Washington and in central Ohio as a means of helping the uninsured and underserved receive critically important health care services.

“The importance of community health centers cannot be overstated,” said Pryce. “For some central Ohioans who are without insurance or who live in areas far removed from doctors or hospitals, these centers may offer the sole option for primary care and preventive health services.”

Pryce added, “These centers provide primary and preventive care services for the working poor, the uninsured, and many high-risk and vulnerable populations. Community health centers save billions of taxpayer dollars by reducing the need for more expensive inpatient and emergency room care. They’re a good deal for patients, a good deal for taxpayers, and a good deal for the economy, providing jobs for community residents.”

Congress established the Community Health Center program as a unique public-private partnership, and has continued to provide direct funding to organizations to develop and operate health centers. In June, the House passed the bipartisan Health Centers Renewal Act, H.R. 5573, legislation cosponsored by Pryce that reauthorizes the federal Health Centers program.

Pryce also collaborated with community health centers to craft the Patient Navigator, Outreach, and Chronic Disease Prevention Act. Signed into law in 2005, the patient navigator program makes funds available to community health centers, rural and frontier serving medical facilities, and other eligible entities to increase and promote chronic disease prevention screening, outreach and public health education. The Senate has included $5 million for the program in its FY07 Labor, Health and Human Services Appropriations bill.