Washington, D.C. - Today, the Lower Costs More Transparency Act which included the Strengthening Community Care Act Congresswoman Elise Stefanik helped introduce passed the House with broad bipartisan support. This bill will extend the Community Health Center Fund through 2025 at $4.4 billion annually and the National Health Service Corps through 2025 at $350 million annually, ensuring communities across the district have access to low-cost, high-quality care.
“I am proud that the House passed legislation which included a bill I introduced earlier this year to extend the Community Health Center Fund and the National Health Service Corps through 2025 providing Community Health Centers (CHCs) with critically needed resources to meet NY21’s healthcare needs. CHCs provide necessary healthcare and preventative services for families across Upstate New York and the North Country. Extending this funding is imperative for NY21’s CHCs to equip them with resources to serve over 250,000 patients in my district,” said Congresswoman Elise Stefanik. “Since my first day in office, I have been a tireless advocate for delivering high-quality rural healthcare to our Upstate New York and North Country families, and as a proud Co-Chair of the Community Health Center Caucus in Congress, I have fought hard for long-term funding for our nation’s CHCs. This critical funding will give health centers a more stable financial foundation, which allows for even more expansion of services and locations.”
“Investing in community health centers and their staff has never been more important than right now, and the Lower Costs, More Transparency Act does both: doubling Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education funding, increasing National Health Service Corps funding, and guaranteeing $4.4 billion per year in health center funding through the end of 2025,” said Community Health Care Association of NY President and CEO Rose Duhan. “Passing HR 5378 helps ensure health centers will have the funding and the providers they need to give their patients the high-quality, comprehensive care they deserve. Thank you, Congresswoman Stefanik, for your continued support of community health centers in New York State.”
“Throughout her work in Congress, U.S. Rep. Stefanik has demonstrated unwavering support for the mission and accomplishments of Community Health Centers, which serve 31.5 million people nationwide,” said Joe Dunn, Senior Vice President for Policy and Advocacy at the National Association of Community Health Centers. “Her leadership in advancing bipartisan legislation that provides increased funding for health centers through the Lower Costs, More Transparency Act ensures millions of Americans in small towns and rural communities can access essential and affordable preventive primary care. As a longtime champion, Rep. Stefanik understands the value and efficiencies that Community Health Centers bring to the U.S. healthcare system, and we are incredibly grateful for her support.”
“As a nonprofit, community health center, our mission is to provide high-quality primary and preventive health care throughout Upstate New York,” said Hudson Headwaters CEO Tucker Slingerland, M.D. “Now more than ever, our efforts to expand vital access relies on our partnerships with hospitals, public health and other health care organizations, along with bipartisan support from Congress so that collectively, our health care system meets the needs of medically underserved communities. We appreciate the efforts of Congresswoman Stefanik and our other federal and state representatives for the ongoing support and resources to provide high-quality, community-based health care.”
“As a Community Health Center serving the North Country region of New York State we witness every day the extraordinary role Health Centers play in improving access to high quality preventive and primary healthcare services to our patients,” said North Country Family Health Center CEO Joey Marie Horton. “The Lower Costs, More Transparency Act ensures that our Health Center and the thousands more within the United States have the resources we need to continue to provide high quality services which are provided in an accessible, affordable, and patient-centered manner. We value Congresswomen Stefanik’s continued support of this important model of healthcare delivery.”
“The passage of the Lower Costs, More Transparency Act is welcome news for those of us providing care in the 21st District, and indeed the entire country. The provision Congresswoman Stefanik authored to extend the Community Health Center Fund through calendar year 2025 at $4.4 billion per year, obviously hits close to home for those of us at Community Health Centers (CHCs). The positive impact on Teaching Health Centers and the National Health Service Corp must not be overlooked either. For almost sixty years we have been fortunate to have bi-partisan support for CHCs across this country, but we never take that tax payer funded support for granted. It has dramatically improved access to care for millions of Americans, including just over a quarter of a million who receive equitable access to care at the 35 CHCs across the 21st District. We truly appreciate everyone involved with this legislation, and for Congresswoman Stefanik’s unwavering support,” said Raymond Babowicz, Director of Communications and Strategic Partnerships at the Community Health Center of the North Country.
In April 2023, Congresswoman Stefanik helped introduce the Strengthening Community Care Act of 2023 which reauthorizes funding for Community Health Centers through 2028 and provides continued access to care for over 30 million Americans in rural and underserved communities, including over 250,000 patients in New York’s 21st District.
New York’s 21st District is home to numerous Community Health Centers: Hudson Headwaters Health Network, Community Health Center of the North Country, Mosaic Health, North Country Family Health Center, Inc., Schenectady Family Health, and United Cerebral Palsy Association of the North Country, Inc.