By Colleen Meiman and Michaela Keller Last week, the Trump administration took two steps that have injected major uncertainty about the continuation and cost of coverage offered through the Marketplaces. On Thursday, President Trump signed an Executive Order (EO) instructing federal agencies to advance three policies that would make it easier for individuals to purchase …
Category: Health Center Federal Policy
Deadline Now Passed, House Committee Action Marks One Step Toward a Cliff Fix
As every health center director, staff member, board member and advocate knows well, the Community Health Centers Fund (CHCF), which accounts for more than 70% of all federal grant funding to America’s 1,400+ health center organizations, expired on October 1st. While each health center has until the beginning of their next budget period before the direct …
Despite Momentum, Cliff Fix Not Yet Atop Congressional Agenda
Thanks to the advocacy of thousands of health center leaders and supporters across the country, the last two weeks have shown a marked uptick in Congressional awareness of the need to fix the Health Center Funding Cliff, which, if left unaddressed, would have devastating consequences for the nation’s health centers and the people they serve. Yet, …
The Twists and Turns of the Senate Health Care Debate
Yesterday was a roller coaster of a day on Capitol Hill, as the Senate began debate on its version (or perhaps more accurately, versions) of health care legislation. So that advocates are able to remain up to speed, our team wanted to summarize what’s taken place so far and where we stand in the Senate. We’ll aim …
Senate Leaders Release a New Version of the BCRA
By Jennifer Taylor, Deputy Director, Federal Affairs Yesterday, Senate Republican Leadership released an updated version of the Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA), their proposal to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. We laid out the details of the original Senate draft in our previous analysis, so we won’t go through all of the bill’s provisions here. Instead we wanted to highlight key changes in the latest version, and give you an idea of what …
Health Center Highlights: House Energy and Commerce Committee Hearing
By Melissa Cairo, NACHC Federal Affairs Intern On June 23, the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Health held the hearing Examining the Extension of Safety Net Health Programs. In this hearing, the subcommittee focused on two specific programs: the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and the Community Health Center Fund. Both CHIP and the Health …
Additional Analysis of the Better Care Reconciliation Act
By Holly Ogzun, NACHC Federal Affairs Intern On June 22nd Senate Republican leaders proposed the Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017, legislation to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA). NACHC’s summary of the bill can be found here, and advocates can click here to weigh in with Senators and share concerns about the bill. On …
First Look and Analysis: Senate Health Care Legislation
This morning, just over six weeks since the House of Representatives passed the American Health Care Act (AHCA), Senate leaders unveiled their own proposal to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Text of the bill can be found here. The bill, which was crafted by a small group of Senators led by Majority …
With July 4th Deadline Looming, Senate ACA Repeal Debate Heats Up
Senate leaders, led by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), have set an ambitious timeline for consideration of that chamber’s version of health care legislation, after the House passed its version on May 4th. On June 30th, Congress leaves for a week-long recess and the July 4th holiday, and Leader McConnell’s goal is to pass a …
President Trump’s FY18 Budget: What Does It Mean for Health Centers?
By NACHC Federal Affairs Staff On Tuesday, President Trump released his FY18 budget proposal, which reflects the administration’s priorities for federal spending in the upcoming fiscal year. The President’s budget is a blueprint for national priorities, which is then submitted to Congress. Ultimately, it will be Congress that makes the final budget decisions during the …