FY 11-12 Primary Care Fund Update

As reported in earlier posts, the Joint Budget Committee was considering significant cuts to Primary Care Funds, including eliminating the Special Distribution Fund that assisted 16 community-funded safety net clinics and rural health clinics. CRHC, ClinicNET, and many affected clinics worked diligently in recent days to educate JBC members about Colorado's diverse healthcare safety net and the need to support these clinics. Earlier this week, the JBC voted to restore funding for the Special Distribution Fund by $1.7 million and add additional monies to the Health Care Services Fund (for community health centers and other indigent care clinics) for a total of $21.5 million in federal and state funds. While these amounts still represent cuts, the funds provide some relief for these clinics. Please contact Sara for more information and we will post additional updates as the FY11-12 budget negotiations unfold.