STAT News recently reported on the newly issued federal Medicaid work requirements and the concerns they raise for patients and healthcare providers. The interim final rule, released by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, introduces new directives for implementing these requirements. Of particular concern are the additional hurdles for individuals with high medical needs […]
Advocates for Community Health committed to ensuring patient access to care Washington, D.C. (June 1, 2026) – Advocates for Community Health (ACH) CEO Amanda Pears Kelly issued the following statement in response to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ interim final rule issued June 1, 2026, implementing Medicaid work requirements: “Community health centers serve […]
ACH CEO Amanda Pears Kelly was interviewed by Public News Service for a story examining how the Rural Health Transformation Fund could impact rural hospitals and community health centers across California amid looming Medicaid restructuring. Read the full story on Public News Service
What if healthcare systems were unintentionally designed to exclude the very people who need them most? In this episode of Community Health Centers Unfiltered, ACH CEO Amanda Pears Kelly sits down with national disability policy expert and former White House advisor Rachel Patterson to explore why disability policy is primary care policy. From inaccessible equipment […]
In this episode of Community Health Centers Unfiltered, host Amanda Pears Kelly takes listeners behind the budget—where critical decisions about federal funding, Medicaid, and state spending priorities determine how community health centers (CHCs) operate every day. Joined by health policy expert Jessica Schubel, the conversation puts a clear lens on how budget policy—not just legislation—drives […]
Rural health care in America is at a turning point, and the decisions being made right now will shape access to care for millions of people. Community health centers (CHCs) have long been the backbone of care in rural communities, serving patients who often face higher rates of chronic illness, limited transportation, and fewer provider […]
ACH was sourced for this story featuring ACH Board Member Tory Starr: “Tory Starr is worried about the people who get medical care at Open Door Community Health Centers along California’s North Coast,” reports Sarah Jane Tribble for KFF News. “They’re the folks that work at restaurants. They’re the teacher’s aides,” said Starr, a registered […]
In this episode of Community Health Centers Unfiltered, host Amanda Pears Kelly marks the 60th anniversary of the Community Health Center Program by exploring the history, purpose, and enduring impact of America’s most vital safety-net program. Joined by Dr. Thomas Ward, professor, historian and author of Out in the Rural: A Mississippi Health Center and […]
A new KFF Health News article from Phil Galewitz spotlights Nebraska as an early test case for the impact of the newly enacted “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” following federal approval of the state’s Medicaid work requirement program. In Nebraska, the policy could affect roughly 72,000 Medicaid expansion enrollees. While state officials say they will […]
In this episode of Community Health Centers Unfiltered, Advocates for Community Health goes beyond the headlines to explore how federal health policy is actually made — and what that process means for the stability and sustainability of community health centers (CHCs). Co-Host Margaret French of Venn Strategies is joined by Debbie Curtis and Rodney Whitlock […]
