MPCA Honors Sen. Cherry, Rep. McDowell as Champions for the Medically Underserved
At its Legislative Forum held February 2, 2010, Michigan Primary Care Association (MPCA) presented Senator Deborah Cherry (D-District 26) and Representative Gary McDowell (D-District 107) with the Champion for the Medically Underserved Award.
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Health Centers Stand Ready to Care for Millions More Under Reformed Health Care System
With the number of uninsured residents in Michigan and across the country continuing to rise, and as more and more people have difficulty accessing quality health care they can afford, NOW is the time for Congress to reform the American health care system. And NOW is the time for U.S. lawmakers to recognize that Community Health Centers stand ready to serve as the health care home for 60 million Americans in the years ahead.
Please contact your Members of Congress TODAY using the NACHC Advocacy hotline at 1.866.456.3949 and let them know that you want them to continue on the path toward health care reform that includes a renewed commitment to strengthening and expanding the Health Center program. Today, Community Health Centers provide comprehensive primary and preventive health care for 20 million Americans, including nearly 600,000 Michigan residents.
Or, you can send an e-mail to your Members - click the Read More button below to log into the NACHC online advocacy center and send your message.
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Registration for 2010 MPCA Legislative Forum Now Open
Registration for Michigan Primary Care Association's 2010 Legislative Forum is now open. This year is sure to be an action-packed, life-changing legislative year, with the majority of State Senate seats and the governorship up for election, the continuation of Michigan's economic crisis, and landmark efforts to reform the U.S. health care system forging ahead.Educating our elected officials is critical to ensure that Community Health Centers and the issues that most affect them, their patients, and their communities remain top-of-mind, namely developing Michigan's health care workforce; providing health coverage for all of the state's low-income residents; modernizing Michigan's outdated revenue structure; maintaining the integrity of Medicaid; and reinstating the Medicaid adult dental benefit.So please join us in Lansing on February 2 for the annual Legislative Forum to learn how together we can impact the future and to nurture relationships with your state legislators through one-on-one visits - they need to hear from you! Click the Read More button below to access the registration packet, which includes the agenda and registration forms.
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Senate Health Reform Bill Clears Another Hurdle
In today's early hours, the U.S. Senate approved a procedural motion by a vote of 60-40 setting the stage for passage of its health care bill later this week. Please contact your U.S. Senator today to ask him/her to vote yes on the Senate health reform bill - click the Read More button below for contact information. Included in this version of the Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act is a $10 billion investment in Community Health Centers, thanks to Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT). In a statement posted on his web site, Sen. Sanders said the additional resources "will help bring about a revolution in primary health care in America and create new or expanded Health Centers in an additional 10,000 communities." It will also provide loan repayments and scholarships through the National Health Service Corps to create an additional 20,000 primary care doctors, dentists, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and mental health professionals.
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President Obama Announces Funding to Support Construction, Renovation of Community Health Centers Nationwide
On December 9, President Obama announced nearly $600 million in Facility Investment Program awards funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to support major construction and renovation projects at 85 Community Health Centers nationwide. Among the grant recipients are two Michigan Community Health Centers - InterCare Community Health Network and Baldwin Family Health Care. The goal of the two-year Facility Investment Program funding is to address the pressing needs of Health Center facilities by enabling the construction of new facilities and modernization of current sites, and creating employment opportunities in underserved communities. As a result, Health Centers across the country will be able to serve an additional 500,000 patients, and new construction and health care jobs will be created."The Facility Investment Program funding is a real boost to Health Centers, which haven't received U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration funding for major capital projects since 1996. We know there are many more Health Centers with major capital needs, but this is a great down payment," said Kim Sibilsky, Executive Director, Michigan Primary Care Association. This is the fourth set of Health Center awards to be funded through ARRA appropriations. Community Health Centers were among the first recipients of ARRA funding released earlier this year. In March, President Obama announced grants to establish 126 new Health Center sites, with Western Wayne Family Health Centers and Ingham County Community Health Centers receiving a total of $2.6 million to provide care for an additional 13,890 patients and protect 105 jobs in Michigan.
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