Funding comes from Affordable Care Act Program
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) today announced that six Iowa communities will be awarded funding totaling $7,582,021.00 from the Affordable Care Act Capital Development's Immediate Facility Improvement and Building Capacity grant programs. The funding will help build, expand, and improve community health centers in the state. As Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, Harkin played a pivotal role in passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). He is also Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education and Related Agencies.
"Particularly in these tough economic times, community health centers play a vital role in our state, providing health care for thousands of Iowans who lack adequate health insurance," said Harkin. "These Affordable Care Act funds will help health centers care for additional patients while also creating jobs in these communities. I applaud Secretary Sebelius for today's announcement and congratulate the Iowa communities that were awarded funding."
Today's awards are part of a series of investments that are made available to community health centers under the Affordable Care Act, which provides $9.5 billion to expand services nationally over five years and $1.5 billion to support major construction and renovation projects at community health centers. According to a new report released today by the Department of Health and Human Services, the ACA has already supported 190 construction and renovation projects at health centers and the creation of 67 new health center sites across the country, and will support more than 485 new health center construction and renovation projects and the creation of 245 new community health center sites nationwide over the next two years.
Details of the funding are as follows:
Immediate Facility Improvements Program:
Davenport-Community Health Care, Inc.-$38,750
Dubuque-Crescent Community Health Center-$260,053
Leon-Community Health Centers of Southern Iowa, Inc.-$483,500
Urbandale-Primary Health Care, Inc.-$499,718
Building Capacity Grant Program:
Ottumwa-River Hills Community Health Center-$5,000,000 for consolidation of facilities
Sioux City-Siouxland Community Health Center-$1,300,000 for expansion of current facilities
