FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
CONTACT: JULIE EDDY/KYLE VICTOR
(202) 225-7163
Congresswoman Matsui Announces New Access Points in the Region
Affordable Care Act helps expand community health centers’ reach
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congresswoman Doris O. Matsui (D-Sacramento) announced the award of new funding through the Affordable Care Act in the form of New Access Points (NAP) for two community health centers in the region, Midtown Medical Center for Children and Families’ West Sacramento clinic and The Effort’s Health Centers in Sacramento and Placer Counties. A NAP provides the highest certification of a health center and denotes it as a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC). The funding is intended to ensure comprehensive primary and preventive health care services are available to those in need.
Like other FQHCs, these clinics will get preferred Medicare and Medicaid payment rates, benefit from National Health Service Corps personnel, and have better access to discounted prescription drugs. Nationally, 219 health centers were awarded grants to expand access to care to over 1.25 million patients, which is estimated to create over 5,000 jobs. Currently 20 million people receive care in these health centers across the nation.
“The Affordable Care Act continues to provide benefits to our region’s health care clinics” said Congresswoman Matsui. “Establishing more access points in community will help mitigate the strain on all health systems. I have worked tirelessly with our health providers to improve the health care safety-net and today’s announcement is a step in the right direction to ensure that the Sacramento region’s residents have access to affordable high quality care.”
“This is wonderful news for Midtown Medical Clinic as we will be able to expand capacity and provide care for a larger number of patients,” said Elizabeth Cassin, CEO, Midtown Medical Center for Children and Families. “We are grateful to the Congresswoman for her continual support.”
“This funding strengthens our community health centers at their core,” said Dr. Jonathan Porteus, CEO, The Effort. “The Effort is grateful to the Congresswoman and proud to be in the vanguard of organizations that are trying to transition the region from having a safety-net to having a health system that is accessible to all people.”
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