Over the weekend, Congressional leadership released text of bills that includes an increase in health center funding through the end of December.
Community health centers receive federal funding through the Community Health Center Fund and through the annual appropriations process. The Community Health Center Fund, which is multi-year base funding for health centers, accounts for about 70% of federal funding and was last reauthorized three years ago. Health centers also receive about 30% of their federal funding through the annual appropriations process.
September 30, 2023, marked the end of the fiscal year, the date on which both forms of health center funding were set to expire. Congress has since passed multiple short-term continuing resolutions to fund the government and health centers for a few months at a time.
What is the status of Community Health Center Funding?
To avert a government shutdown on March 1, when part of federal funding was set to expire, Congress passed another continuing resolution (CR) to fund some government agencies through March 8 and others through March 22. Community health center funding is still set to expire before March 8. By that deadline, Congress must pass at least half of the 12 annual appropriations bills.
On Sunday, Congress released the draft text of these 6 bills, which includes funding for health centers through December 21, 2024. Health centers would see an increase in funding for the Community Health Center Fund, National Health Service Corps (NHSC), and Teaching Health Centers Graduate Medical Education (THCGME) program under this proposal.
View NACHC's statement on the agreement >>>
We need Congress to act before this Friday on this critical legislation. Please reach out to your Members of Congress and urge them to support health center funding!
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