DeGette Applauds Passage Of Community Health Center Bill

WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO), ViceChair of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, today praised thepassage of H.R. 1343, The Health Centers Renewal Act of 2008.

"The reauthorization of the Health Centers Renewal Act is much neededlegislation that supports a vital component of our health caresafety-net," said Rep. DeGette. "Community health centers providecomprehensive care to the low-income uninsured, and are the mostefficient and cost-effective models of health care."

Included in the final bill was language drafted by Reps. DeGette andthe late Paul Gilmore (R-OH) that facilitates the ability of CommunityHealth Center providers to volunteer outside their service areas in thecase of a public emergency and/or national disaster.

"Our provision facilitates coordination between community healthcenters and emergency medical response programs to enable rapid andefficient action of emergency health services when a public healthemergency or natural disaster occurs," concluded DeGette.

This provision is intended to address concerns that arose in the wakeof Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, during which gaps in health careservices occurred because licensed, but out-of-area, health careprofessionals were not afforded the same federal liability protectionsfor their services as local community health center workers and wereunable to provide their services.