A Crisis In Community Health (Joshua Johnson, The 1A)

For several months, the Childrens Health Insurance Program (CHIP) was in limbo. Its budget expired and Congress took no action to reauthorize it. Then, relief came as part of the bill that ended the government shutdown last week.

But the future of another vital health service remains uncertain. The more than 10,000 community health centers that treat low-income Americans have not seen a funding reauthorization.

The centers, funded by the Affordable Care Act, retain bipartisan support, The Hill quotes Republican Senator Tom Cole saying “I certainly didn’t support Obamacare but I think one of the good provisions was the expansion of the community health centers … I think they’re a wonderful model. They’re a much cheaper way to deliver care to people that really need it. So, again, I think there is a commitment there to find a solution.”

What will become of the centers where an estimated one in 13 Americans gets care?
Interview:
https://the1a.org/shows/2018-01-29/a-crisis-in-community-health