“Community Health Center centers play a critical role in the U.S. health system’s fight against the coronavirus, but advocates fear that without more government support, many could become casualties of the pandemic,” writes U.S. News & World Report staff writer Gaby Galvin in a feature article about health centers on the frontlines of COVID-19 in communities.   “The nation’s roughly 1,400 federally funded community health centers provide a range of primary care, behavioral health, dental care and other services for about 29 million primarily low-income and uninsured people in the U.S. every year. In the age of coronavirus, these clinics also are stepping up as “shock absorbers” for hospitals by screening patients, testing them when they can, and hoping to keep hospitals from becoming overrun as the outbreak worsens.”  To read the full article please visit this link.

 

 

 

For Immediate Release:  March 27, 2020  

Contact: Amy Simmons Farber: 202-309-0338 

Washington, D.C. — The most recent stimulus bill cleared by Congress today contains $1.32 billion in funding to aid the Community Health Center response to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), but this funding will not be sufficient to sustain health center capacity if the pandemic continues at its current pace for more than 6-8 weeks and the numbers of patients infected with the virus soars. The final measure also extends mandatory funding for health centers, the National Health Service Corps, and the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education Program, but only through November.

“As frontline providers, Community Health Centers commend Congress for moving quickly on the most recent stimulus bill during the COVID-19 crisis and for recognizing the critical role health centers play, serving nearly 30 million people in 12,000 vulnerable communities nationwide,” said Tom Van Coverden, President and CEO of the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC). “However, the funding falls short and we will be working with Congress to request their assistance and partnership to meet ongoing vital needs. First and foremost, for the COVID-19 crisis, Congressional action resulted in $1.9 billion less than the $3.2 billion requested and health centers need that additional emergency funding right away.”

Health centers are best positioned to help take the load from hospitals which are destabilizing due to the surges in the demand for care. Health centers are adapting and transforming their practices in a matter of days or weeks—starting testing sites, converting their facilities, transitioning to virtual visits, and developing clinical staffing protocols to adapt to a fluid public health crisis. However, health centers must have access to critical supplies that are equitably distributed, such as personal protective equipment and testing kits, the absence of which has placed health center workers at great risk.

Next, the combined effect of statewide and countywide lockdowns has triggered a wave of canceled primary, dental, and vision services and caused massive financial losses for health centers and other providers over the last two weeks. Health centers are the health care homes to millions of vulnerable patients, often with multiple complex, chronic conditions, and also serve one in nine children. It is critical that health centers can maintain operations and retain their workforce during this crisis so that they may resume the business of caring for their vulnerable communities when COVID-19 subsides.

Van Coverden added, “Even prior to COVID-19, health centers were facing a devastating funding cliff as their latest mandatory funding extension was set to expire May 22. While House and Senate committees voted last year on a bipartisan basis to extend this funding for four and five years, respectively, today’s stimulus package extended this funding only through November 30, putting financial stability of the health safety net at risk.”

“While we all hope that the next 6-8 weeks allows sufficient time for our country to turn the corner in its fight against COVID-19, health centers, along with many other essential health care providers, will need another infusion of resources very soon,” said Van Coverden. “At the same time, it would be reckless and irresponsible if we did not heed the lessons of recent and more frequent natural disasters, such as Zika and Ebola, and do all that we could to help build our system of care to adequately prepare for the next emergency.”

“Health centers have always been about serving people and communities across this nation,” said Van Coverden, “and they stand ready to play a significant role in this current crisis. As their national association, NACHC will continue to advocate for the resources to enable health centers to accomplish their critical mission.”

NACHC is working in partnership with the Department of Health and Human Services, the Bureau of Primary Health Care and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and a host of relief organizations to help health centers navigate the rapidly escalating global pandemic of COVID-19.

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Established in 1971, the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) serves as the national voice for America’s Health Centers and as an advocate for health care access for the medically underserved and uninsured.

After a thorough examination of the widespread health risks posed by the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) to the American public, the NACHC 2020 Conference for Agricultural Worker Health in Clearwater, Florida has been cancelled. All registration fees will be refunded.

The health and safety of our members, staff, vendors, partners and all frontline providers who provide health care in our communities is a top priority and thus we have taken this proactive step. It is in that spirit we wish everyone well going forward as we do our part in addressing the country’s major public health crisis.

Below, for your information is a FAQ sheet to address some of the basic questions you may have regarding the cancellation of the conference. If you have additional questions, please email conferences@nachc.org.

Will the Conference for Agricultural Worker Health be rescheduled to take place later this year?

No, the Conference for Agricultural Worker Health will not be rescheduled to take place later this year. NACHC does have additional national conference opportunities throughout the year. Please review our calendar of NACHC events here.

Will paid attendee and exhibitor registrations be refunded?

Yes, all attendees and exhibitors will be refunded for their registration fees. Please allow for up to 3-4 weeks for these refunds to be processed to your original form of payment.

Will attendees and exhibitors be refunded for airline tickets?

NACHC is not responsible for attendee air travel accommodations. We encourage you to consult directly with your air carrier for information. Many airlines have relaxed cancellation policies and you may be able to change your ticket for a later date. Additional information can be found online here.

Will attendees and exhibitors be refunded for hotel costs?

NACHC is currently working with the Wyndham Grand Clearwater Hotel to cancel all reservations within NACHC’s official housing block. You may also contact the hotel directly to cancel your reservation if you prefer. You will not be subject to a cancellation fee and will be refunded any deposit(s) paid within 2 weeks. Please note that the hotel is currently closed until May 1, 2020. There is a small number of staff available at the hotel to assist, please be patient as they work through these cancellations. Contact information for the hotel can be found here.

If you made a hotel reservation via a third-party website such as Orbitz, Kayak or Hotels.com, you are responsible for cancelling your reservation. NACHC is not responsible for any fees paid or owed by these vendors and is unable to assist in any disputes as they are arranged outside the official NACHC housing block.

 

 

 

For Immediate Release: March 20, 2020

Contact:  Amy Simmons Farber 202/309-0338

Washington, D.C.- Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell just released his latest draft legislation on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) response, commonly referred to as Stimulus Bill #3. While it includes some funding for Community Health Centers, $1.32 billion, it does not include the level of funding needed to address health centers’ immediate needs on the frontlines of COVID-19, nor does the measure contain a long-term mandatory funding fix.  Without emergency funding, health centers, which serve 29 million patients in 12,000 local rural and urban communities nationwide, may have no choice but to halt operations in the middle of a global pandemic, leaving them unable to relieve pressure on hospital emergency rooms and ultimately save lives.

“Time is running out for Community Health Centers as they are being called upon to address this crisis and prevent hospitals from being overwhelmed by patients over the coming weeks,” said Tom Van Coverden, President and CEO of the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC).  “Health center staff are working under dire conditions, converting their facilities for urgent operations, coping with shortages of protective equipment (PPE), limited testing kits, and staff putting themselves at risk for exposure. The COVID-19 crisis demands health centers stay on the front lines, but their mandatory funding runs out on May 22 and not a single dollar of emergency funds has reached them yet.”

Health centers have been operating for months under a temporary mandatory funding measure, which has made it difficult to hire providers, plan services or expand capacity. This need is especially acute as the COVID-19 crisis has compounded their challenges.  Without resources, it is estimated that within three months over a quarter of health centers will have exhausted funds to pay operating expenses, and another 25 percent will have less than one month’s worth of cash on hand. Health centers are already initiating staff layoffs and consolidating operations as cost-cutting measures. Many health centers have shut down their dental operations. In other states, health centers are employing telehealth to safely screen patients without reimbursement.

NACHC and its 208,000 advocates have appealed to Congressional leaders for $3.2 billion in funding to sustain health center operations during the pandemic and for a stable, long-term reauthorization of health centers and essential workforce programs, such as the National Health Service Corps and Teaching Health Centers Graduate Medical Education Program. As America grapples with today’s serious pandemic, all of these programs remain critically important to the nation’s health care infrastructure

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Established in 1971, the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) serves as the national voice for America’s Health Centers and as an advocate for health care access for the medically underserved and uninsured.

 

 

 

Amy Simmons Farber  301 347 0400

Washington —  The National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) has announced it is cancelling its 2020 Policy and Issues Forum (March 16-19^th) after mounting public health concerns about the spread of novel coronavirus or COVID-19.  The annual conference is the largest gathering of Community Health Center professionals and draws thousands of attendees from across the nation. However, the rapidly developing situation with COVID-19 and reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention made the decision necessary.

“The health and safety of our health center communities, patients, staff, boards and partners are our first priority,” said Tom Van Coverden, President and Chief Executive Officer of NACHC.  “We also recognize that as frontline responders to this rapidly developing public health crisis, health centers need to be where they are most needed – at home in their communities, helping to contain the spread of COVID-19.”

Earlier this week the House and Senate approved, and the president signed, a funding package that includes $100 million to help health centers battle COVID-19 and deal with an upsurge of patient visits and calls, as well as reported shortages of protective gear (PPE) among other problems.

The supplemental COVID-19 resources are helpful, but health centers, which care for 29 million people, are also operating under a temporary funding measure that expires on May 22.  The uncertainty about a long term funding fix, has made it difficult for health centers to recruit and hire staff, plan services or build capacity.

“As we address this impending pandemic, it is more critical than ever for Congress to shore up long term and stable funding for critical programs like the Community Health Center Fund, Teaching Health Centers, and the National Health Service Corps,” said Van Coverden.

NACHC has posted information about the conference and refunds here.

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Established in 1971, the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) serves as the national voice for America’s Health Centers and as an advocate for health care access for the medically underserved and uninsured.

 

NACHC Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Ronald Yee, spoke with C-SPAN Washington Journal host John McArdle about the role of Community Health Centers as frontline responders to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). Watch it here.