Give A Care Indy » health center funding

GO VOTE! Indiana Presidential Primary in 2 WEEKS!

giveacareindy — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 12:44:02 +0000

So, we had a post about voting a couple weeks ago. That post talked about what it means to voting in the long run. A quick summary – “Just because you feel like your voice isn’t being heard during elections, your voice becomes louder in the long run if you DO get out and vote.”

Today is another call out to GET OUT AND VOTE in the Indiana Primary in two weeks. Tuesday, May 8^th is the date. If you would like to add it to your Google Calendar, then click the “Google Calendar” button below!

Our health center staff have been spending the last month collecting signatures for our petition to show support for the Health Centers program! But, another way to make those voices even more effective would be if a congressional staff person is looking through the names and sees names of VOTERS!

flickr photo by KOMUnews

If they see voters’ names on a petition, then they know that there could be the potential to lose votes in the next election if they don’t support health centers!

A quick heads up…this won’t be our last reminder! But hey, voting is a RIGHT that should be expressed.

Invite a coworker to vote with you. Or a family member. Or a friend. Make it a good experience for everyone, so that it doesn’t feel like a chore!

Have a great Tuesday! See you at the polls in TWO WEEKS!

Ending 2011 on an Advocacy High-Note for ALL Community Health Centers!

giveacareindy — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 15:05:30 +0000

At a time when health centers are seeing ever increasing demand for their services in rural and urban communities across the country, we are grateful that Congress has responded with this bipartisan bill which begins to address that need!
– Tom Van Coverden, President & CEO of NACHC.

Congress passed the
2012 Omnibus Appropriations Act!

But what is even more exciting than them actually passing it, is that the Health Centers Program will be funded at $2.78 billion! Totaling an increase of $200 million.

With only 12 days left until 2012, this is great news to hear. Not only will all current federal funding be kept for current health centers, but the funding increase will allow greater access to health care for more than 1.5 million additional Americans.

Outside look of NEW Barrington... set to open - March 2012

An interesting tidbit from NACHC’s press release – An estimated 60 million Americans — many of whom have health insurance — do not have access to primary medical care because of a shortage of providers in their communities.

HealthNet has benefitted from federal funding in the past, as we have been able to open doors to a new Southwest Health & Dental Center, a new People’s Health & Dental Center, and our Eastside Health Center, as well as build a new Barrington set to open early in 2012.

This maintaining of federal funding ensures us the ability to continue to provide primary and preventative care to Hoosiers in Marion County and look to the future of possible expansion into areas where health care is still a need. As said above and in NACHC’s statement, many citizens HAVE health insurance but are simply UNABLE to access care.

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Grassroots advocacy DOES WORK, even with a down economy and political tension in the air.
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Enjoy your holiday season, but be sure to join us in picking up where we left off once we turn the corner into 2012 and an electoral year!

Advocating during an election year will be tough! So let’s get started…

giveacareindy — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 15:05:12 +0000

flickr photo by wilhei55

By the November 22^nddeadline, the Super Committee had not come to terms on a plan to cut the $1.2 trillion as proposed by the Budget Control Act of 2011.

Health center advocates have been hard at work expressing the importance of keeping health center funding, but with this deadline passing, there is still no clear view as to what will happen. If no deal happens, automatic cuts equaling the $1.2 trillion will occur to defense and domestic program funding.

President Obama has urged Congress to come up with a new way to carry out these budget cuts, but as everyone knows – 2012 is almost here, and 2012 is a campaign year. Signs of any bipartisan deal happening soon are just not there.

As health center advocates, we have an important role to not only push for a deal, but also a deal that includes full funding for health centers.

Our patients depend on it.

No deal has been agreed upon, which means our job is not over. Stay in touch with what you can do to advocate for Indiana’s health centers by
1) Signing up for our Advocacy eNewsletter; and
2) Contacting Indiana’s legislators on Capitol Hill.