In response to today’s announcement from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) rescinding a 1998 policy that granted undocumented immigrants access to certain federal health benefits—including the Health Center Program—Advocates for Community Health (ACH) has issued the following statement:
“Today’s announcement from HHS imposes new administrative hurdles on the Health Center Program at a time when communities need support, not red tape.
Health centers keep communities safe and healthy through chronic disease management and consistent access to affordable care. The Congressional Budget Office has found that community health centers’ high-quality, cost-effective care reduces federal spending and eases the burden on emergency departments and hospitals. The policy announced today will drive people away from health care, make people and communities sicker, and strain costlier parts of the health care system.
As health centers work to deliver quality care under increasingly difficult circumstances, ACH remains steadfast in our mission to support access to high-quality health care for all communities so that they may thrive.”
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About Advocates for Community Health
Established in 2021, Advocates for Community Health (ACH) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit membership organization of community health centers dedicated to forward-thinking and ambitious federal policy and advocacy on behalf of health centers, their patients, and their communities. To learn more, visit advocatesforcommunityhealth.org.