Eastern Shore Rural Health Reps Travel to D.C. to Advocate for Community Health Centers

Rural Health representatives Board member Jay Davenport, staff member Jennifer Tyler, Lena Ben-Gideon and Nick Widmyer from the National Association of Community Health Centers, staff members Amy Bull, Dr. Joan Lingen and Jeannette Edwards, Sen. Tim Kaine, and Board members Dr. Betty Bibbins, Lisa Cuba and Ebony Brown on a visit to discuss Community Health Center priorities in D.C. Feb. 6.

Eastern Shore Rural Health System, Inc. representatives were in Washington D.C. the week of Feb. 3 to discuss Community Health Center (CHC) priorities. Rural Health Board President Lisa Cuba, Immediate Past Board President Dr. Betty Bibbins, and Board members Ebony Brown and Jay Davenport traveled to Capitol Hill along with Rural Health CEO Jeannette Edwards, Chief Medical Officer Dr. Joan Lingen, Chief Operations Clinical Officer Jennifer Tyler and Director of Communications Amy Bull.

The group met with two U.S. Congress members - Rep. Jen Kiggans and Sen. Tim Kaine - and a senior staffer for Sen. Mark Warner. All three U.S. Congress members representing the Eastern Shore of Virginia are Community Health Center champions. During that week Rep. Kiggans agreed to serve as a co-chair of the House Community Health Center Caucus and Sens. Kaine and Warner delivered a letter of support for CHCs to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

During the meetings the following CHC priorities were discussed.

Workforce training – Under investment in primary care is driving a significant shortage of health care workers. Congressional action is needed to invest in community-based training for a range of health care professions at CHCs.
Medicaid reimbursement rates – Adequate reimbursement is essential for CHCs to continue to offer care in low-income communities. Virginia has not raised its reimbursement rates in over 20 years. State Medicaid rates are tied to funding decisions made at the national (federal) level by Congress.
Base grant funding – CHCs care for all, regardless of ability to pay, supported by funding allocated by Congress. CHC funding has remained steady since 2015 while costs continue to rise. When the effects of inflation are considered, the value of funding received has decreased by 27%. Given CHC’s innovative way to reduce costs and keep people healthy, Congress is asked to increase CHC base funding and to do it long-term to allow CHCs to better plan.
340B Drug Pricing Program – this government program, developed in 1992, allows CHCs to buy medications at a discounted cost for safety net patients who cannot otherwise afford them. Additionally, CHCs generate income from the program. ESRHS uses its proceeds to support patient services that are not reimbursable like health education and outreach services critical to its mission. The 340B statue has vague language. CHCs are asking Congress to correct vague language in the 340B statute and pass legislation protecting the program from further harm to include addressing how CHCs use 340B funds to support the safety net.