According to their leaders, about 1,500 medical centers financed in the federal budget, which serve millions of people with low income, are faced with significant financial problems, since the government closes other reductions in their income.
Some of these public medical centers may have to reduce medical and administrative personnel or reduce services. Some may ultimately close. As a result, their defenders warn that pressure on the already crowded departments of the emergency care of hospitals can be added.
“This is the worst time for all the years when I worked in the field of healthcare,” said Jim ManjiaPresident and Chief Executive Director Community of St. John Healthnet 28 clinics This serves more than 144,000 patients in the districts of Los -angel, Riverside and San Bernardino in California. “We are faced with federal abbreviations and extreme state reductions that will affect services.”
Saint -Jones and other federal medical centers offer primary medical care and a wide range of other services for free or on a sliding scale. Throughout the country, they see almost 34 million patients In the most insufficiently served areas of the country.
Federal funds pass two primary routes, both of which are faced with problems: grants partially paid through Fund of the Federal Public Center for Health And compensation for patient care with the help of programs such as Medicaid, which provide medical insurance for people with low income and people with disabilities. Medicaid is jointly funded by the States and the federal government.
Congress recently approved grants in Drists and Drabs. In March, lawmakers extended funds until September 30. This money expired after the Congress controlled by the Republicans did not adopt the law on financing, which led to the closure of the government.
Lawyers say that medical centers need long -term financing to help them plan with greater confidence, ideally through a long -term fund.
Centers received grants of $ 4.4 billion. USA in early 2024. The National Association of Public Medical Centers is for at least 5.8 billion dollars In grants annually for two years, so that the centers are completely functional.
The protective health center is faced with “several levels of problems”, said Vacheria keysVice -President for political and normative issues for association.
New Law on Expenses The fact that the Republicans call “one large act of Beautiful Ball” will significantly reduce Medicaid, which raised a second set of threats for medical centers.
Medicaid amounted to 43% Of the 46.7 billion dollars. The income of the medical center in 2023.
Lawyers said the lower payments of Medicaid will aggravate the gap between financing and operating costs.
Funding of labor programs is also necessary to support the provision of medical services, since the centers are trying to hire and hold workers, it is said Feigel JacobsDirector of the Geiger Gibson program for public health at George Washington University.
A The first clinics This type opened in places such as Massachusetts in the 1960s. Congress, as a rule, financed them with two -party support, with minor fluctuations.
The struggle this year began when the administration of Trump Frozen homework Through the January memo, which did not allow some centers to get already approved grant money. As a result, some medical centers in the States such as Virginia closed or combined operationsField
The upcoming reductions should also arrive at a time when patients are faced with new requirements and problems. Changes to Medicaid in the law of President Donald Trump about tax and trains include requirements for those enrolled in Medicaid to report their work or other service hours in order to maintain their benefits.
Meanwhile, more generous tax benefits The Biden administration and Congress provided consumers with assistance in paying for medical insurance of the law on affordable medical care. The costs of some consumers will erupt if the congress does not extend them.
One of the reasons why the government closed is that the Democrats want to extend tax benefits that protect consumers from higher insurance costs. The bill on the financing of the Republicans did not include extension; Republican leaders of the Congress say that this issue should be resolved separately.
Consumers “need greater support than when,” Jacobs said, noting that the reduction of Medicaid and the expiration of higher tax benefits will “potentially throw people out of the coating”.
Ninety percent of patients of centers have income that is twice as Federal poverty level Or less, and 40% – Latin AmericanField
“We also get 300 calls per day from patients concerned with their coating,” said Mandjia from Saint -Jones.
Republicans are not aimed directly at the centers, although they supported Medicaid reductions, which will affect the finances of the clinic. Many Republicans say that the costs of Medicaid have grown, and that the reduction in the growth of the program will make it more stable.
State and local support
Speaking for long -term federal financing, centers also apply for their community and local authorities to support.
Some states have already taken measures when completing their annual budgets. Connecticut, Minnesota, IllinoisAnd Massachusetts Allocated money for centers. MarylandIN OregonAnd Wisconsin He also provided support to medical centers.
The question is how long the money will last.
While some states increased their support for centers, others go in the opposite direction. Foresighting the influence of Medicaid abbreviations, states such as California their own reductions In the program.
The office of the Governor of California Gavin Newsoma, the Federal Department of Health and Social Services, as well as the Federal Administration of Medical Resources and Services, did not respond to requests about comments.
According to Mandjia, one potential solution in Los -Angeles is to work with partners at the district level, noting that the La Los -angles district has about 10 million inhabitants.
“We can be taxed in order to increase the financing of health services,” he said.
The leaders of medical centers are building a coalition, which, I hope, will include the main stakeholders in the district healthcare system – public medical centers, clinics, hospitals, doctors, healthcare plans, trade unions – to start a process about voting, said Manjia. Purpose: Ask a question about taxes for medical centers in the ballot and allow voters to decide.
“We learn that the federal government and the state government are not reliable when it comes to continuing health funding,” said Mandjia.
KFF Health News This is the national news department that creates deep journalism on health care and is one of the main operating programs in the KFF-dependent source of research, surveys and journalism. Find out more about KFFField
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