Doyle Praises One Health Care Grant for North Side Christian Health Center, Announces Another

Washington, DC – March 2, 2009– Today, U.S. Representative Mike Doyle (PA-14) welcomed news that the Obama Administration would be awarding a $1.3 million grant to the North Side Christian Health Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

“This is outstanding news for an institution that is providing essential health care services to an especially underserved low-income community in Pittsburgh,” Congressman Doyle said today.  “We’re all feeling the impact of the current recession, but no one more than some of the communities on the North Side." 

“The funding for health centers in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act enacted by Congress with my support last month will help provide much-needed health care for low-income families across the country, including those here in southwestern Pennsylvania,” Congressman Doyle added.  “I’m pleased that the Administration awarded more than $1 million dollars of the available funding to Pittsburgh.”

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act – a massive $787 billion passed by Congress at President Obama’s request to create and preserve jobs and help get our economy back on track – included $155 million in grants for 126 health centers across the country to help provide health care to an estimated 750,000 low-income people.  

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Resources and Services Administration’s network of 1,100 health center grantees across the nation provide health care at more than 7,000 sites, ranging from large medical facilities to clinics and mobile vans.  In 2007, health centers served 16.1 million patients, regardless of their ability to pay.  Charges for services are set according to income, and only nominal fees are collected from the poorest patients.  Nationally, about 39 percent of health center patients have no health insurance.  Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) grants typically account for about 19 percent of a health center’s total revenue. Medicare, Medicaid and other federal grants and payments total about 46 percent of revenue; remaining operating funds come from state and local grants, foundations and patient payments.

The grants announced today are expected to create 5,500 jobs at the new health centers across the country.

“I’m pleased that I, too, was able to provide federal assistance for the North Side Christian Health Center recently,” Congressman Doyle added.

The federal Fiscal Year 2009 Omnibus Appropriations bill approved by Congress last week included $95,000 requested by Congressman Doyle to enable the North Side Christian Health Center to complete renovations of its facility at 816 Middle Street.  The North Side Christian Health Center served almost 4400 patients in 2007, mostly from the city’s largest public housing complex, Northview Heights.  

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