America’s Health Centers To Convene in San Diego

Areas of Focus to Include Preserving Medicaid and Expanding Access to Primary Care for Millions

BETHESDA, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The 2011 Community Health Institute (CHI) and EXPO, hosted by the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC), is taking place in San Diego, CA, this week (August 26-30th). The conference brings together thousands of health center leaders, opinion-makers, policy experts, clinicians and consumers to exchange ideas on expanding the reach of affordable and accessible health care for more Americans.

A key area of focus of the national conference will be continuing the expansion of health centers in a tight fiscal climate. Longstanding domestic programs that have served as the safety net – including the Federal Health Centers program, Medicaid and Medicare – are now threatened. Yet, health centers have a plan to expand care to 40 million people and create more primary care options for working families who are struggling in the current economy.

Health centers have been the family doctor for over 45 years in medically underserved rural and urban communities all over America. They are local, nonprofit, community-directed and federally-supported organizations that provide health care to more than 20 million people in 8,000 communities and save 24 billion annually by preventing disease and lowering health care costs. President Barack Obama recently praised the mission and accomplishments of health centers in a Presidential Proclamation issued as part of 2011 National Health Center Week.

Highlights of the NACHC conference include remarks by the Surgeon General of the United States, Regina Benjamin, MD. (Tuesday, August 30th, 10 am PT).

The NACHC CHI conference will take place at the Manchester Grand Hyatt, One Market Place, San Diego, CA 92101. For a more detailed schedule of events and information, please visit http://www.nachc.org.

You can also follow the NACHC CHI on Twitter at www.twitter.com/nachc. Look for the conference #chi11 hashtag.



CONTACT:

National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC)
Amy Simmons
or
Micah Clemens
301-347-0400

KEYWORDS:   United States  North America  California

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS:   Health  Public Policy/Government  Healthcare Reform  Public Policy  State/Local  White House/Federal Government  Professional Services  Insurance  General Health

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