HHS Awards $2.5 Million to Expand Health Center Services for Low-Income and Uninsured Individuals

HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt today announced grants worth more than $2.5 million to help seven health centers in five states increase access to health care for low-income and uninsured Americans.

“These funds will help the seven centers expand services to 19,000 more patients than they currently treat,” Secretary Leavitt said. “Health centers provide vital medical services to millions of Americans who really need care, and the grants we’re making today will help expand and strengthen the nation’s health care safety net.”

Health centers deliver primary and preventive care to patients regardless of their ability to pay. Charges for health care services are set according to income, and fees are not collected from the poorest patients. In a typical year, about 40 percent of health center patients have no insurance coverage.

Today’s awards support President Bush’s multi-year initiative to expand the health center system. Launched in 2002, the initiative will significantly increase access to primary health care services in 1,200 communities by supporting new or expanded health center sites. With these grants, HHS will have funded more than 870 new or expanded health centers and increased the number of patients served to an estimated 14.6 million individuals in 2006, up from 10.3 million in 2001.

HHS’ Health Resources and Services Administration manages the Consolidated Health Center Program, which funds a national network of more than 3,800 clinics comprised of community health centers, migrant health centers, health care for the homeless centers and public housing primary care centers.

The list of grant recipients follows:

Consolidated Health Center Program
Expanded Medical Capacity, FY 2006

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