HHS Announces Grants to Aid Uninsured

June 18, 2003
HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson today announced 19 new grants totaling nearly $11 million to help communities provide comprehensive health care services to an estimated 150,000 people, including many without health insurance.

"These grants will help to extend the health care safety net for Americans without health insurance," Secretary Thompson said. "President Bush and I are committed to expanding health centers in underserved rural and urban communities as part of our broader strategy to address the needs of Americans without health insurance."

Health centers deliver preventive and primary care to patients regardless of their ability to pay. Almost half of the patients treated at health centers have no insurance coverage, and others have inadequate coverage. Charges for health care services are set according to income, and fees are not collected from the poorest clients.

HHS' Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) manages the Consolidated Health Centers Program, which funds a national network of community health centers, migrant health centers, health care for the homeless centers and public housing primary care centers.

Today's grants continue President Bush's five-year initiative to expand health centers. Launched in 2002, the initiative will add 1,200 new and expanded health center sites and increase the number of people served annually from about 10 million to 16 million by 2006.

"Since the President's initiative started, we have created hundreds of new health center sites and expanded other sites," HRSA Administrator Elizabeth M. Duke said. "We are providing access to comprehensive health care to some 2 million additional Americans, including many uninsured Americans who otherwise might not get needed care and prevention services."

Expanding health centers in underserved communities is a key component of the Bush Administration's broad strategy for expanding access to health care for the more than 40 million Americans without health insurance. The President's fiscal year 2004 budget plan also would strengthen and modernize the Medicaid program, offer health tax credits to help individuals obtain insurance, and extend Medicaid and State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) coverage to more Americans who otherwise would go without coverage. More information about the President's initiatives to help the uninsured is available at www.hhs.gov/news/press/2003pres/20030211.html.

The list of today's grant recipients follows.