Independent U.S. Sen. Angus King has called on the Senate to fund federally qualified health centers, a month after they lost 70 percent of their federal funding and amid talks about layoffs and cutbacks in services starting in January.
“If we leave at the end of the year and haven’t done this, it will be a tragedy for rural America, it will be a betrayal of rural America, it will be a betrayal of our constituents,” he says.
Maine’s 20 federally qualified health centers operate 70 health care facilities across the state, with over 200,000 Mainers depending on the centers for their health care.
“They provide $16 million worth of uncompensated care that goes to Maine people who need the help. They are efficient. They’ve saved Medicaid over $100 million in Maine,” he says.
King says the issue is not partisan, but nonetheless, Senate leaders have not brought legislation forward for a vote to make sure the centers keep operating at existing levels.
