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.
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. Click here to read Sanders’ announcement in its entirety.
Please contact your U.S. Senator today to ask him/her to vote yes on the Senate health reform bill by using the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) Advocacy Hotline at 1.866.456.3949, or sending an e-mail message through the NACHC Grassroots Action Center.
To learn more about the final version of the bill, visit NACHC's Health Reform Hub or read the Health Centers on the Hill blog for the latest health reform updates and how they impact Community Health Centers.