Advocates for Community Health

06/11/2026

NEW EPISODE LIVE! The Cato Institute's Michael Cannon joins Amanda Pears Kelly for an unvarnished debate on the future of healthcare.

From 340B to Medicare cash transfers, they examine the healthcare safety net through a market-driven lens.

👇 Read our breakdown and get the full extended episode:
https://hubs.li/Q04l4PYb0

06/11/2026

Thank you, U.S. Congressman Robert Aderholt, chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health & Human Services, and Education, and bipartisan members of the committee, for supporting the role of community health centers in America's critical healthcare infrastructure!

House Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Labor, Health an...

06/10/2026

What happens when you view the community health center model through a free market lens?

This week, The Cato Institute’s Michael Cannon joins us to challenge everything we think we know about federal subsidies and safety net regulation.

06/09/2026

From funding to delivery model changes, the “how” of healthcare is shifting.

But the “why” remains untouched.

LifeLong Medical Care CEO John Jenkins highlights the pragmatic willingness and commitment needed now to help solve the pressing issues facing community health centers today.

Catch the full conversation 👇

06/08/2026

The conversation around 340B reform is heating up—but the real question isn't about policy mechanics.

It's about patients.

Community health centers rely on 340B savings to provide affordable medications, behavioral health services, transportation assistance, pharmacy access, and primary care for millions of Americans. The wrong reforms could put those services at risk.

In our latest Substack, ACH outlines:
🔹 Four principles for meaningful 340B reform
🔹 Why the proposed rebate model threatens community health centers
🔹 The legislation we support—and the provisions that raise concern
🔹 How Congress can strengthen transparency while protecting patient access

The future of 340B should be measured by one simple question: Will it improve access to care for the patients who need it most?

Read the full analysis here: https://hubs.ly/Q04kwnMq0

06/05/2026

Protecting vulnerable patients is a top priority for health centers.

CHC leaders, now is the time to engage state Medicaid agencies to encourage implementation approaches that:

1️⃣ Minimize barriers to coverage
2️⃣ Reduce unnecessary administrative burden, and
3️⃣ Protect medically vulnerable patients.

👉 Learn more about why Medicaid matters:

ACH is committed to protecting Medicaid to enable health centers to care for vulnerable patients today and tomorrow.

06/05/2026

With CMS introducing sweeping new guidelines for Medicaid eligibility and work requirement exemptions, state health agencies and community health centers are preparing for major adjustments.

ACH CEO Amanda Pears Kelly is quoted in STAT News about what these changes mean for the millions of Medicaid beneficiaries at risk of losing coverage.

🔗 Read more:

ACH CEO Amanda Pears Kelly talked with STAT News about the unintended consequences of CMS' proposed Medicaid interim final rule.

06/02/2026

Yesterday, CMS finalized an interim rule implementing Medicaid work requirements, creating new administrative hurdles that could cause eligible patients to lose coverage, not because they no longer qualify, but because of complex reporting and documentation requirements.

For community health centers, the concern is simple: when coverage is lost, care is delayed. Preventive services are missed. Chronic conditions worsen. And providers are left struggling to help patients navigate an increasingly complicated system.

Adding to these concerns are proposed changes to Medicaid State Directed Payments, which could further reduce resources available to states and safety-net providers. Together, these policies threaten to weaken the healthcare safety net and increase strain on providers already operating on thin margins.

No matter what challenges lie ahead, Advocates for Community Health and our members remain committed to ensuring that patients do not fall through the cracks. Community health centers will continue doing what they have always done: providing accessible, affordable care to the communities that need it most.

Read a statement from our CEO Amanda Pears Kelly:
https://hubs.li/Q04jNKB50

ACH CEO Amanda Pears Kelly issued the following statement in response to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' interim final rule issued June 1, 2026, implementing Medicaid work requirements.

06/02/2026

Behind every community health center is a complex funding engine.

To serve more than 34 million patients, regardless of their ability to pay, health centers rely on a key ~70/30 split between mandatory and discretionary funding.

Why does it matter?
◼️Mandatory funding = long-term primary care providers, mobile clinics, and stability.
◼️Discretionary funding = Annual support for daily operations.
👉 But mandatory doesn't mean guaranteed.

Health center funding expires at the end of the year, and it's time to talk about what's at stake.

Check out our infographic to learn about key health center funding:

06/01/2026

How is the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) strengthening the healthcare workforce in your state?

Nearly 19.5M people in health professional shortage areas rely on NHSC clinicians nationwide.

Check out new NHSC State Snapshots from the Association of Clinicians for the Underserved (ACU) to see localized data on workforce gaps & projections through 2038.

See how the National Health Service Corps strengthens the healthcare workforce in your state or territory with ACU's NHSC state advocacy snapshots.