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04 LC 99 0076
House Resolution
1039
By: Representatives Watson of the 60th, Post 2, Coleman of the 118th, Childers of the 13th, Post 1, Birdsong of the 104th, Smith of the 13th, Post 2, and others
By: Representatives Watson of the 60th, Post 2, Coleman of the 118th, Childers of the 13th, Post 1, Birdsong of the 104th, Smith of the 13th, Post 2, and others
A RESOLUTION
Recognizing "Community Health Centers Day" and inviting
designated representatives of the community health centers to appear before the
House of Representatives; and for other
purposes.
WHEREAS, a large portion of the state´s residents reside in federally designated medically underserved areas and do not have access to affordable, quality health care services; and
WHEREAS, nearly 1.4 million people in this state are currently uninsured, most of whom are the working poor who cannot pay the high cost of health care, and numerous others are underinsured; and
WHEREAS, Georgia has significant disparities in health care outcomes in racial and ethnic minority groups, including wide differences in average life span, infant mortality, cancer screening and management, cardiovascular disease, asthma, diabetes, HIV infection/AIDS, and immunizations; and
WHEREAS, access to comprehensive primary health care services without regard to income, cultural or ethnic heritage, or disease conditions has been shown to be most effective in improving the health of all people; and
WHEREAS, federally funded community health centers are located in 75 of the state´s underserved communities and provide primary and preventive health care for over 190,000 persons, including the working poor, uninsured, underinsured, elderly, homeless, immigrants, and other vulnerable populations; and
WHEREAS, the health centers, which bring over 24 million federal dollars per year to Georgia communities, serve as major safety net providers, offering access to a wide range of cost effective primary and preventive medical and dental services and prescription medicines as well as health education, nutrition counseling, translation, community outreach, transportation, and support programs without regard to the patient's ability to pay; and
WHEREAS, the health centers have a track record of over three decades of controlling costs, providing quality care, recruiting and retaining excellent health professionals where they are most needed, and empowering communities to develop long-range solutions to their health care needs while removing economic, cultural, geographic, and other barriers to adequate health care; and
WHEREAS, the cost effectiveness of community health centers has been documented in several studies that show that rates of emergency room visits and hospitalization are much lower among health care patients than patients of other providers, and studies that show that community health centers cost Georgia´s Medicaid program at least $14.4 million per year for care provided to medicare patients; and
WHEREAS, the community health centers work in partnership with other health providers, local hospitals, health departments, social service agencies, and health related supportive services to maximize resources and assure that services are coordinated to improve the health status of the community; and
WHEREAS, President George Bush has made expansion of community health centers to 1,200 new communities nationwide a hallmark of his health care agenda and has proposed doubling the federal investment in health centers over a five-year period, providing the opportunity for expansion of health center services in Georgia; and
WHEREAS, Georgia´s community health centers and their state organization, the Georgia Association for Primary Health Care, support the President´s expansion goals and have taken a leadership role in helping to resolve the state´s health care access problems, assure continuous quality improvement, and reduce health care disparities among the underserved through participation in the national health disparity collaboratives; and
WHEREAS, the community health centers deserve commendation for their outstanding record of service and dedication to improving the health care and health status of all Georgians.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that the members of this body recognize February 5, 2004, as "Community Health Centers Day".
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that designated representatives of the community health centers are invited to appear before the House of Representatives at a date and time to be designated by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized and directed to transmit an appropriate copy of this resolution to the Georgia Association for Primary Health Care.
WHEREAS, a large portion of the state´s residents reside in federally designated medically underserved areas and do not have access to affordable, quality health care services; and
WHEREAS, nearly 1.4 million people in this state are currently uninsured, most of whom are the working poor who cannot pay the high cost of health care, and numerous others are underinsured; and
WHEREAS, Georgia has significant disparities in health care outcomes in racial and ethnic minority groups, including wide differences in average life span, infant mortality, cancer screening and management, cardiovascular disease, asthma, diabetes, HIV infection/AIDS, and immunizations; and
WHEREAS, access to comprehensive primary health care services without regard to income, cultural or ethnic heritage, or disease conditions has been shown to be most effective in improving the health of all people; and
WHEREAS, federally funded community health centers are located in 75 of the state´s underserved communities and provide primary and preventive health care for over 190,000 persons, including the working poor, uninsured, underinsured, elderly, homeless, immigrants, and other vulnerable populations; and
WHEREAS, the health centers, which bring over 24 million federal dollars per year to Georgia communities, serve as major safety net providers, offering access to a wide range of cost effective primary and preventive medical and dental services and prescription medicines as well as health education, nutrition counseling, translation, community outreach, transportation, and support programs without regard to the patient's ability to pay; and
WHEREAS, the health centers have a track record of over three decades of controlling costs, providing quality care, recruiting and retaining excellent health professionals where they are most needed, and empowering communities to develop long-range solutions to their health care needs while removing economic, cultural, geographic, and other barriers to adequate health care; and
WHEREAS, the cost effectiveness of community health centers has been documented in several studies that show that rates of emergency room visits and hospitalization are much lower among health care patients than patients of other providers, and studies that show that community health centers cost Georgia´s Medicaid program at least $14.4 million per year for care provided to medicare patients; and
WHEREAS, the community health centers work in partnership with other health providers, local hospitals, health departments, social service agencies, and health related supportive services to maximize resources and assure that services are coordinated to improve the health status of the community; and
WHEREAS, President George Bush has made expansion of community health centers to 1,200 new communities nationwide a hallmark of his health care agenda and has proposed doubling the federal investment in health centers over a five-year period, providing the opportunity for expansion of health center services in Georgia; and
WHEREAS, Georgia´s community health centers and their state organization, the Georgia Association for Primary Health Care, support the President´s expansion goals and have taken a leadership role in helping to resolve the state´s health care access problems, assure continuous quality improvement, and reduce health care disparities among the underserved through participation in the national health disparity collaboratives; and
WHEREAS, the community health centers deserve commendation for their outstanding record of service and dedication to improving the health care and health status of all Georgians.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that the members of this body recognize February 5, 2004, as "Community Health Centers Day".
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that designated representatives of the community health centers are invited to appear before the House of Representatives at a date and time to be designated by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized and directed to transmit an appropriate copy of this resolution to the Georgia Association for Primary Health Care.