CPCA Advocates uses various advocacy levers to seek the necessary policy changes necessary for our community health centers and clinics to provide quality and timely access to care for their patients.
Goal: Coverage and Access for All
Federal Affairs: Support federal efforts to maintain post-PHE telehealth flexibilities in Medicare.
State Budget and Legislation: Ensure that CHCs have access to adequate funding and resources to facilitate Medi-Cal redeterminations, help patients navigate the health plan changes in counties with new plans due to procurement, and prepare for enrollment of the adult Medi-Cal expansion population. Support policies and advocate for resources to preserve, protect, and expand equitable reproductive health access and abortion services for health center patients.
State Regulatory: Elevate the role of CHCs as a primary and critical healthcare stakeholder among state agencies, particularly within the Medi-Cal program.
Goal: Health Center Viability
Federal Affairs: Advocate for long-term mandatory 300 grant funding, and increases to 300 base grants to account for rising costs and inflationary pressures. Counter manufacturer and federal 340B program threats, including support of Protect 340B Act. Continue CMS engagement to express Medi-Cal Rx concerns.
State Budget and Legislation: Pursue options to secure CHC funding and reimbursement policies that guarantee the viability of community clinics and health centers; addresses the historic underfunding of CHC and safety net programs; and align efforts with whole person, value-based care. Explore legislative solutions to streamline health center licensing processes, including reducing barriers to infrastructure expansion efforts such as building code regulations. Seek legislative solutions to advance health center 340B interests and protections (i.e., SB 939 reintroduction or expansion). Ensure ongoing funding of Supplemental Payment Program (SPP)/non-hospital 340B payment pool funding; explore opportunities to increase this payment pool.
State Regulatory: Partner with DHCS to prepare for successful implementation of APM; ensure that the financial mechanisms of the APM are in alignment with and support care transformation goals. Continue to engage with DHCS and the Legislature on Medi-Cal Rx to resolve billing, data, and patient safety concerns. Partner with DHCS to explore the development of a Directed Payment program to distribute non-hospital 340B payment pool funds.
Goal: Strong Workforce
Federal Affairs: Secure long-term federal (and state) funding for health center training, loan repayment, and other innovations to recruit and retain diverse allied, primary care, dental, and behavioral health professionals, as well as non-profit program and administrative staff.
State Budget and Legislation: Continue to pursue the incorporation of same day billing of physical and behavioral health visits into the APM. Renew legislative efforts to increase access to behavioral health through allowing same day billing of physical and behavioral health visits. Consider legislative options to remove the change in scope requirement for LMFTs.
State Regulatory: Continue to pursue the incorporation of same day billing of physical and behavioral health visits into APM.
Goal: Emergency Preparedness-Equitable Response and Recovery to Emergent Public Health Issue
Federal Affairs: Strengthen partnerships with federal, state, and local agencies to promote and center community health centers as critical to emergency response efforts.
State and Budget Legislation: Advocate for state and federal investments in public health and climate change resiliency, including funding to prepare for future public health and declared emergencies. Seek opportunities to resolve issues with insurance non-renewals as a result of a CHCs potential wildfire risk.
State Regulatory: Pursue expedited administrative processes-including State Plan Amendments (SPAs), testing, treatment, reimbursement, licensing, and public health orders-during Public Health and Declared Emergencies.
Goal: Empowering Communities
Federal Affairs: Respond to administrative action that maintains racial inequities in health.
State and Budget Legislation: Support legislation that advances racial equity and addresses SDOH in health, education, environmental justice, food access, housing, income, and transportation.
State Regulatory: Work with partners to address racism as a public health crisis.
Download our 2024 Priorities here.