Hhs Awards Nearly $11 Million To Help 19 Communities Extend Health Care To Low-Income, Uninsured Americans
Nearly $11 million for 19 grants to help communities provide comprehensive health care services to an estimated 150,000 people, including many without health insurance, has been announced by the Department of Health and Human Services.
Today’s grants continue A five-year initiative to expand health centers. Launched in 2002, the initiative will add 1,200 new and expanded health center sites and increase the number of people served annually from about 10 million to 16 million by 2006.
Health centers deliver preventive and primary care to patients regardless of their ability to pay. Almost half of the patients treated at health centers have no insurance coverage, and others have inadequate coverage. Charges for health care services are set according to income, and fees are not collected from the poorest clients.
HHS’ Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) manages the Consolidated Health Centers Program, which funds a national network of community health centers, migrant health centers, health care for the homeless centers and public housing primary care centers.