III

106TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION S. RES. 260

To express the sense of the Senate that the Federal investment in programs

that provide health care services to uninsured and low-income individuals

in medically underserved areas be increased in order to double access

to care over the next 5 years.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

FEBRUARY 24, 2000

Mr. BOND (for himself, Mr. HOLLINGS, Mr. COCHRAN, Mr. DASCHLE, Mr.

HATCH, Mr. KENNEDY, Mr. HUTCHINSON, Mr. BREAUX, Mr. DEWINE,

Mrs. LINCOLN, Mrs. MURRAY, and Mr. INOUYE) submitted the following

resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Appropriations

RESOLUTION

To express the sense of the Senate that the Federal investment in programs that provide health care services to

uninsured and low-income individuals in medically underserved areas be increased in order to double access to

care over the next 5 years.

Whereas the uninsured population in the United States continues to grow at over 100,000 individuals per month,

and is estimated to reach over 53,000,000 people by

2007;

Whereas the growth in the uninsured population continues

despite public and private efforts to increase health insurance coverage;
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•SRES 260 IS

Whereas nearly 80 percent of the uninsured population are

members of working families who cannot afford health insurance or cannot access employer-provided health insurance plans;

Whereas minority populations, rural residents, and singleparent families represent a disproportionate number of

the uninsured population;

Whereas the problem of health care access for the uninsured

population is compounded in many urban and rural communities by a lack of providers who are available to serve

both insured and uninsured populations;

Whereas community, migrant, homeless, and public housing

health centers have proven uniquely qualified to address

the lack of adequate health care services for uninsured

populations, serving over 4,500,000 uninsured patients in

1999, including over 1,000,000 new uninsured patients

who have sought care from such centers in the last 3

years;

Whereas health centers care for nearly 7,000,000 minorities,

nearly 600,000 farmworkers, and more than 500,000

homeless individuals each year;

Whereas health centers provide cost-effective comprehensive

primary and preventive care to uninsured individuals for

less than $1.00 per day, or $350 annually, and help to

reduce the inappropriate use of costly emergency rooms

and inpatient hospital care;

Whereas current resources only allow health centers to serve

10 percent of the Nation’s 44,000,000 uninsured individuals;

Whereas past investments to increase health center access

have resulted in better health, an improved quality of life
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•SRES 260 IS

for all Americans, and a reduction in national health care

expenditures; and

Whereas Congress can act now to increase access to health

care services for uninsured and low-income people together with or in advance of health care coverage proposals by expanding the availability of services at community, migrant, homeless, and public housing health centers: Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved,

2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

3 This resolution may be cited as the ‘‘Resolution to

4 Expand Access to Community Health Centers (REACH)

5 Initiative’’.

6 SEC. 2. SENSE OF THE SENATE.

7 It is the sense of the Senate that appropriations for

8 consolidated health centers under section 330 of the Pub9 lic Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254b) should be in10 creased by 100 percent over the next 5 fiscal years in

11 order to double the number of individuals who receive

12 health care services at community, migrant, homeless, and

13 public housing health centers.

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