On March 8, 2024, the Senate passed a bipartisan spending package, providing Community Health Centers with their first substantial funding increase in nearly a decade. This measure, which was earlier approved by the House of Representatives, was swiftly signed by President Biden on March 9. The funding boost amounts to $4.4 billion annually and includes extensions and enhancements for key primary care workforce programs like the National Health Service Corps and the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education Program.
Dr. Kyu Rhee, President and CEO of the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC), expressed gratitude to Congress for their leadership in securing this funding. This support is deemed critical as health centers confront challenges such as workforce shortages, changes in Medicaid enrollment, and threats to the low-cost prescription drug program, 340B. The investment is expected to improve access to healthcare in various communities and nurture the next generation of primary care professionals.
According to findings from the Congressional Budget Office, investments in primary care yield taxpayer savings, with nine months of health center funding resulting in over $700 million in reduced federal spending on public health insurance programs.