On September 20, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee approved, by voice vote, the Health Centers Renewal Act of 2006 (S. 3771). The House approved a similar measure (H.R. 5573) on June 21 (see The Source, 6/23/06).
The bill would authorize $1.963 billion for FY2007 and “such sums as may be necessary” for FY2008-2011.
Community health centers provide care to one of every eight uninsured Americans, one of every four Americans in poverty, and one of every nine rural Americans. They also serve the homeless, migrant farm workers, and reduce health disparities by providing cost-effective preventative care, such as mammograms and Pap smears.
In a press release, Chair Mike Enzi (R-WY) said, “Community health centers are a critical piece of the health care safety net and a vital piece of our health care system. Since the 1960s, health centers have been providing regular access to high quality health care to people living in rural and underserved areas, regardless of their ability to pay. It is my hope that this bill can be passed by the full Senate and sent to the House for final approval so that the president can sign it into law.”
