American Hospital Association-backed legislation introduced recently would provide $75 million in grants to help integrated health systems expand access to primary and preventive services for the medically underserved. Sponsored by Reps. Michael Burgess, M.D. (R-TX) and Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI), the Patients and Public Health Partnership Act (H.R. 5544) would provide the funding through a three-year demonstration project.
“With nearly 47 million uninsured Americans and more than 56 million Americans lacking access to primary and preventive care, it is clear that Congress needs to explore additional ways to make cost-effective primary care much more available and accessible,” AHA said in a recent letter of support to the bill’s sponsors.