If you’re at all familiar with health centers, you know our number one priority is providing access to affordable health care. In fact, because we serve a federally designated “medically underserved area,” we’re called an FQHC: Federally Qualified Health Center.
Since September 30, 2017, health centers across the nation and the state of Wisconsin have been facing a funding cliff.
What does this mean? It means that 70% of health centers’ federal funding is in limbo, which is not a happy prospect for the 27 million Americans who rely on health centers for care–many of them live in rural areas, with few options for medical service. Despite enjoying wide bi-partisan support, health centers’ funding remains uncertain in the early months of 2018.
To learn more:
- You can learn more about the current status of the Health Center Fund funding cliff in Mattie Quinn’s Jan. 11, 2016 article in Governing.com, “4 Health Programs (Other Than CHIP) That Congress has Left in Limbo.”
- For an update on what this means locally for Community Health Systems, the Beloit Daily News covered the issue in its Jan. 9 edition: “Funding anxiety high at community health center“
What can you do?
Let your elected officials know that this is not acceptable! Call, tweet, or email your federal legislators, and ask them how they plan to #fixthecliff. You can click here to find a form to direct you to your elected officials.
