Health centers face risks due to low government financing

More than 1500 health centers funded by federal funds – which provide services to millions of low people – face major financial challenges, according to their leaders, because the partial closure of the government adds to other discounts in their income.

Some of these community health centers can be forced to reduce medical and administrative employees, and even services. Some can close. Defenders warn that this may increase the pressure on the emergency rooms in hospitals, which already saturate the patients.

Jim Mangia, President and CEO of Saint John Health HealthNetwork from 28 clinics Which serves more than 144,000 patients in Los Angeles provinces, Riferside and San Bernardino, in California. “We are facing federal discounts and extremist reduction at the state level that will affect services.”

ST. John’s and other qualified health centers at the federal level of primary care and a wide range of other services without costs or the rates of adjusting them to the income of each patient. On the national level, they serve near 34 million people In the country most monitoring in the country.

Federal funds come from two main sources, both of whom are currently under pressure: the subsidies are partially granted through Community Health Center FundFederality, payment of care provided to patients through programs such as medicaid, which provides guilt or low disabilities.

Medical aid joints and federal government.

Recently, Congress has agreed to this money with Droppers. In March, legislators expanded the support until September 30. This money did not end after the expiration of the Republican Congress, the law of financing, which caused a partial closure of the government.

Centers defenders emphasize that long -term financing is necessary to be able to plan with more certainty, perfectly through a multi -year background.

Health centers received $ 4.4 billion of subsidies at the beginning of 2024. The National Association of Community Health Centers is pressing at least so that they are set at least at least 5.8 billion dollars annually For two years, in order to maintain the entire operating centers.

Fusharia Kez, deputy head of policies and organizational affairs of the association, said that the security network, which represents health centers “faces multiple layers of challenges.”

the New General spending law Republicans call the “Great Big Law Law” means major discounts in Medicaid, which imposes another important threat to these centers.

En 2023, medicaid It represents 43 % Of 46.7 billion dollars in total health centers revenue.

Defensores warns that the dancer payments for Medicaid will exacerbate the gap between the financing costs and the available operating costs.

He said that financing is also necessary for employee development programs to support the provision of health services, because the centers face difficulties in employing and preserving workers. Feygele JacobsDirector of the Jejir Gibson Program in Community Health at George Washington University.

Los First places Of this type they opened in places like Massachusetts in the 1960s. Historically, Congress funded them with the support of the two parties, with some minor obstacles.

The current crisis started when the Trump administration National aid freezes Through a note issued in January, which prevented some centers from receiving already approved benefits. As a result, some centers Closed In states like Virginia.

The following discounts will also reach when patients face new demands and challenges. Among the changes in Medicaid included in the Malian President’s Law and the Law of Expenses, Donald Trump, provided that the beneficiaries report their working hours or other community activities to be able to maintain their coverage.

At the same time, and More generous benefits The Biden and Congress administration has agreed to help consumers pay the medical plans gained in the insurance markets under the low -price health care law (ACA) is scheduled to end at the end of the year.

If Congress is not renewed, some consumer costs will significantly increase.

One of the reasons for the closure of the government is that Democrats want to extend these benefits, which protect consumers from increasing insurance costs. The Republican Finance Bill did not include the extension; Republican leaders in Congress says this issue should be discussed separately.

“Consumers will need more support than ever.”

90 % of patients from community health centers have income from Weak level of federal poverty Or less, and 40 % are Spanish origin.

“We receive 300 calls to patients who are concerned about covering them,” said Mangia from St. Jones.

Republicans are not attacked directly, although they supported Medicaid scraps that will affect their financial resources. Many argue that the expenses in Medicaid have sparked and that reducing its growth will make the program more sustainable.

Government and local support

While calling for more federal funding, the centers are also looking for their communities and local governments.

Some countries have already taken measures at the end of their annual budgets. Connecticut, Minnesota, Illinois Y Massachusetts They assigned money to the centers. Marylandand Oregon Y Weskonsen They also provided support.

A million question is the period when this money will continue.

While some states have increased their support for centers, others take the opposite direction. Expect the effect of discounts on medicaid, states like California made Your discounts To the program.

The California Governor’s office, Gavin Newsom, as well as federal health resources and services, did not respond to the comments requests.

In Los Angeles, the manga said that the potential solution is to work with allies at the boycott level, and indicated that Los Angeles province has about 10 million people.

“We can impose a tax to increase the financing of health services,” he said.

Centers leaders are an alliance “expectation”, and includes the main actors of the province’s health system: community centers, clinics, hospitals, doctors, health plans, and unions. The goal: starting the operation to present a citizen initiative that allows voters to determine whether they want to agree to a tax dedicated to financing health centers.

“We are learning that the federal government and the state government are not reliable when it comes to providing continuous financing for health services,” said Mangia.