PRESS RELEASE

AAPCHO Urges Congress to Maintain Essential Medicaid Funding and Oppose Senate Health Care Repeal Bill

June 22, 2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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Beverly Quintana
Director of Development and Public Affairs
(510) 272-9536
bquintana[at]aapcho[dot]org

WASHINGTON – The Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations (AAPCHO) today released the following statement in response to the Senate health care repeal bill. Proposed cuts to Medicaid and the health care system, as a whole would severely impact millions of Americans, including Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (AA&NHPIs) and other vulnerable communities served at health centers:

“As an organization representing health centers and their patients, AAPCHO calls on Congress to maintain a stable and compassionate health care system for all Americans. We urge Congress to stand up for patients and health centers by maintaining funding for Medicaid and Medicaid expansion, keeping the health care exchanges stable, and opposing the Senate health care repeal bill.

Medicaid is essential for health centers, providing the largest source of revenue. Medicaid allows health centers to serve vulnerable communities, with culturally and linguistically appropriate care, and in an affordable and accessible manner. We stand with our members in urging the Senate to protect Medicaid and oppose efforts to dramatically cut federal funding and shift the costs to states. All children and families deserve access to effective and appropriate care regardless of where they live.

AAPCHO is a nonpartisan, national not-for-profit organization that represents health centers serving nearly 500,000 AA&NHPIs and other underserved communities. With our members, AAPCHO fights for a system of care that works for everyone and one that takes into account the diverse needs of all communities. AA&NHPIs are the fastest growing racial and ethnic group in the United States. AA&NHPI communities contribute to the economic well-being of their cities through small businesses, taxable revenue and employment opportunities, partly through the health center system. Medicaid allows AA&NHPIs to give back to their communities in tangible and meaningful ways. We urge the Senate to continue to support the crucial access for these and so many communities who would not be served otherwise.

A recent AAPCHO study found that AA&NHPI-serving health centers relied even more on Medicaid than other health centers. Because of Medicaid, health centers are able to provide care to around 3 million health center patients. Converting Medicaid funding into per-capita caps or block grants, and imposing large cuts in federal financing, would limit health centers’ ability to meet low-income health needs. We urge the Senate to maintain this critical funding source that is so important to the health and health care outcomes of AA&NHPI communities, and to oppose this bill.”

About AAPCHO
AAPCHO is a national association of community health organizations dedicated to promoting advocacy, collaboration and leadership that improves the health status and access of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders in the United States. For more information on AAPCHO, please visit www.aapcho.org.

Media Relations

Beverly Quintana
(510) 272-9536 x112
bquintana@aapcho.org

Kristine Cecile Alarcon
(510) 671-5054
kalarcon@aapcho.org

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