Thank you to state Primary Care Associations (PCAs), Health Center Controlled Networks (HCCNs), and health center advocates for your continuous outreach in seeking support for Community Health Center funding. Negotiations with Congress are ongoing. Now is the time to elevate funding requests and we need your help! Please use the resources below to reach out to your Members of Congress to support extending and increasing Community Health Center (CHC) Funding.
Health Center Funding Resources
Health Center Appropriations Resources
Community Health Centers are nonprofit, patient-governed organizations that provide high-quality, comprehensive primary care, dental, behavioral health, and enabling services.
In 2024, CHCs served at least 34 million, and up to 52 million patients in urban, suburban, rural, frontier, and island communities in every state and territory. This translates to at least 1 in 10 (and up to 1 in 7) Americans across over 1,500 CHCs at over 17,000 locations.
CHCs provide care to at least 1 in 5 rural residents, and up to 1 in 3 rural residents, 9.8 million children, 4.1 million seniors, 1 million agricultural workers & families, and nearly 429,000 veterans.
Working Americans need affordable primary care to prevent illness and stay healthy. Federal funding that allows millions of Americans to have access to CHC services will run out by the end of the year.
Community Health Centers Save Billions and Contribute to Local Economies
CHCs are focused on patients, not profits, but they are also good for the economy.
The Congressional Budget Office recently found that CHC funding leads to more cost-effective care and lower Medicaid and Medicare spending by reducing unnecessary procedures, hospital stays, and ER visits.
Spending per Medicaid patient is 24% lower & per Medicare patient is 30% lower at CHCs compared to other outpatient clinics. An economic analysis estimated the annual savings to the health system at $24 billion.
CHCs are job creators, supporting over half a million jobs, generating more than $37 billion in labor income, and contributing nearly $85 billion to the U.S. economy.
CHCs care for over 10 million rural Americans who typically face challenges getting the primary care they need due to provider shortages, long travel distances, and hospital closures.
CHCs are also major economic engines in rural areas, generating at least 129,000 rural health center jobs and sustaining local economies by generating $13.3 billion in spending.
CHCs provide high-quality and affordable primary care services to the blue-collar workforce who power American industries.