Today, Congresswoman Nanette Diaz Barragán sent a letter to congressional leadership advocating for robust funding for federally qualified look-alike health centers in any upcoming stimulus package. These “Look-alikes” were established to increase access to care for medically underserved communities, regardless of an individual’s ability to pay, and are currently on the frontlines of the battle against COVID-19.
However, while look-alikes meet the requirements of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Health Center Program, they do not receive program funding, even while operating at a similar capacity to those that do. In order to address the health disparities in underserved communities, both during and after this crisis, she argued that we must fund these on-the-ground health providers.
The Congresswoman writes, “As we continue to face COVID-19, we must stabilize our healthcare system — especially in low-income communities or communities of color. We can no longer overlook the thousands of providers and professionals nationwide that are facing this pandemic alone and undersupplied. Americans count on these community-based healthcare providers, and now these look-alikes are looking to us for action. During this time of crisis, Congress must be there for these clinics.”