Federal Dollars Will Help Provide Primary And Preventive Care For More Patients - Michael C. Burgess, M.D., United States Congressman

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 10 Mar 2008 - 4:00 PDT

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U.S. Rep. Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-TX) and Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI) introduced a bill that creates a $75-million grant program to expand primary and preventive care for patients in medically underserved areas. The bi-partisan legislation, the Patients and Public Health Partnership Act of 2008, will improve the access and affordability of health care for some of the most vulnerable populations.

"While the demand for primary and preventative care is growing, the supply of this care is not, particularly in medically underserved areas. Providing federal money to expand this critical care will help close this gap," said Rep. Burgess.

Medically Underserved Areas and Medically Underserved Populations have shortages of primary medical care, dental, or mental health providers and may be geographic (a county or service area) or demographic (low income, Medicaid-eligible populations, cultural and/or linguistic access barriers to primary medical care services).

Primary care ranges from preventive and diagnostic services, to patient counseling and education, and managing and coordinating patient care. Lack of access to this kind of care is not just confined to the nation's uninsured. A recent report on the medically underserved found that 1 in 5-or 56 million-Americans do not have access to basic medical care. In Texas, this problem is critical, with 60 percent of adults lacking a usual source of care. In Michigan, it has been estimated that almost 40 percent of all adults fall into this same category.

"Expanding access to primary and preventative health services is vital to reducing health care costs for everyone," Stupak said. "This bill encourages integrated community health clinics to expand their services in underserved communities across the country."

The new funding program has garnered support from some of the nation's largest health care organizations, including the American Hospital Association, which said the new dollars will be "critical to helping maintain and expand access to cost-effective primary and preventive care."

Ascension Health, the nation's largest Catholic and largest nonprofit health system, also supports the proposed grant program. "We are grateful for this proposed legislation, which would authorize funding for a new public-private partnership between the federal government and nonprofit safety net providers. The integrated model of care supported by the proposed legislation will help reduce duplicative testing, reduce the use of the ER for non-emergent conditions, and assure access to specialty care services -- an especially critical problem for people without health insurance," remarked Anthony R. Tersigni, EdD, FACHE, Ascension's President and Chief Executive Officer.

"Primary care plays a crucial role in effective patient care. This money will serve as a down payment for expanding primary care to hire primary care doctors, let patients know these doctors are available, and allow for the coordination of continuous care," commented Burgess.

The new grants are authorized for $25 million for each of the fiscal years 2009, 2010, and 2011.

Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (TX-26)