Leading a coalition of 65 public health organizations, advocacy groups, and primary care associations, ACU has published a stakeholder letter to the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee requesting renewed and increased mandatory funding for the National Health Service Corps (NHSC). ALL funding for the NHSC ends on Sept. 30 (the end of Fiscal Year 2023), and the urgent need for Congress to act now to preserve this vital program connecting clinicians with patients in medically underserved and health professional shortage areas cannot be overstated.
The letter urges the Senate’s HELP Committee to unite behind the proposed bipartisan legislation, the Restoring America’s Health Care Workforce and Readiness Act. Co-authored by Senators Durbin (D-IL) and Rubio (R-FL), the bill would fund the NHSC for the next three years, averting a devastating funding cliff and keeping intact the vital capacity of the NHSC at current levels. Without immediate action to extend and increase funding for the NHSC millions of patients could face severe impacts in their access to care and the already strained clinician workforce serving these communities will face even deeper shortages in areas of highest need. Simply put, the time to act is now. We need your help to keep up the momentum: review the letter and NHSC resources and become an advocate. And to those who will be joining us on Capitol Hill to advocate in-person after #ACUConf, thank you! Together, we CAN #SavetheNHSC!
Remember:
Now is a critical time to support the effort to preserve and extend funding for the National Health Service Corps (NHSC)! We need your voice to urge legislators to support bipartisan initiatives to renew the NHSC’s funding. Become an ACU advocate today, keep up-to-date on what’s happening, take action, and ask your friends and colleagues to join us as well!
Jordan Marshall, Your ACU Advocacy Contact
Jordan Marshall is leading ACU’s grassroots advocacy to secure long-term funding for the National Health Service Corps (NHSC). Contact Jordan with any questions regarding policy analysis or if ACU can be of assistance with your own organizational or individual advocacy.
