Crescent Community Health Center_Letters of SupportTHE CITY OF
DUB
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Support Letters for Community Health Centers
DATE: May 13, 2014
Dubuque
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AI -America City
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2007 • 2012 • 2013
Federally Qualified Health Centers are facing a 70% decline in federal funding in
October 2015. Without the federal funding, Crescent Community Health Center will not
be able to survive and serve the over 6,000 individuals they typically see each year.
Public Health Specialist Mary Rose Corrigan recommends City Council approval for the
City Manager to sign letters of support for Crescent Community Health Center and
Federally Qualified Health Centers funding.
I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council
approval.
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Mic ael C. Van Milligen
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Attachment
cc: Barry Lindahl, City Attorney
Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager
Teri Goodmann, Assistant City Manager
Mary Rose Corrigan, Public Health Specialist
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
TO: Mike Van Milligen, City Manager
FROM: Mary Rose Corrigan, Public Health Specialist
SUBJECT: Support Letters for Community Health Centers
DATE: May 12, 2014
Dubuque
bard
All -America City
1
2007 • 2012 • 2013
INTRODUCTION
Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) are facing a significant (70%) decline in
federal funding in FY2016 (October 2015), only 17 months away. The National
Association of Community Health Centers and locally, Crescent Community Health
Center, are urging supporters to send a letter to our members of congress asking them
to support health centers by not cutting funding.
DISCUSSION
Although the Affordable Care Act is underway, there are still many citizens who have
not enrolled or find it difficult to pay for their health and dental needs under the new
system. Without the federal funding, Crescent Community Health Center will not be
able to survive and serve the over 6,000 individuals they typically see each year.
RECOMMENDATION
I recommend letters of support for not cutting FQHC funding be sent to Senators
Charles Grassley and Tom Harkin and Congressman Bruce Braley.
CITY COUNCIL ACTION
Authorize the City Manager to sign letters of support for Crescent Community Health
Center and FQHC funding.
1
May 5, 2014
Senator Chuck Grassley
Hart Senate Office Building, Room 135
120 Constitution Ave, NE
Washington DC 20510-1501
Dear Senator Grassley:
As City Manager of the City of Dubuque, I am writing to express my support for the
Community Health Center program and to highlight the critical role Crescent Community
Health Center plays in Dubuque, Iowa. The City of Dubuque is a collaborating partner
with Crescent Community Health Center, and recognizes the invaluable service this
organization provides to our community. Not only does Crescent contribute to the
overall health and wellbeing of the community's residents, it serves as a powerful
economic engine, and job creator. I am writing you to urge you to help preserve Health
Centers like Crescent Community Health Center.
Crescent Community Health Center is doing its part to reduce costs to our local health
care system by effectively managing chronic conditions, coordinating care, and keeping
people out of costlier care settings like the emergency room. Nationally, this savings
amounts to $1,200 per patient per year — a total annual savings of $24 billion to the
entire health care system. In addition to reducing costs, Crescent Community Health
Center provides high-quality primary and preventive health and dental care to the
people who need it most. Crescent Community Health Center is the health care home
for over 5,700 patients and provides primary care, dental, behavioral health, pharmacy,
and a variety of support services. Moreover, Crescent Community Health Center is also
an employer and job creator. Because it is locally -owned and directed by a patient
majority board, a mandatory and uniquely valuable part of its governance, Crescent
Community Health Center must be, and quite frankly has proven itself to be, truly
responsive to our community's needs.
I have witnessed the contributions Crescent Community Health Center has made to
Dubuque's Washington Neighborhood revitalization and the community's health care
needs. I am asking for your help now to preserve Health Centers so they can continue
their vital role in our health care system. My request is urgent, because Health Centers
like Crescent Community Health Center are currently facing a significant Toss of federal
funding in the years ahead. Such a Toss of funding would immediately reduce access to
care for many in our community and damage our local vitality, something we cannot
afford and I know you do not want to see happen.
I know our community can count on your future support as we work to meet the
persistent demand for affordable primary care in the Dubuque area while at the same
time responsibly addressing our budgetary needs.
Sincerely,
Michael Van Milligen
City Manager, City of Dubuque
May 5, 2014
Senator Tom Harkin
Hart Senate Office Building, Room 731
120 Constitution Ave, NE
Washington DC 20510-1502
Dear Senator Harkin:
As City Manager of the City of Dubuque, I am writing to express my support for the
Community Health Center program and to highlight the critical role Crescent Community
Health Center plays in Dubuque, Iowa. The City of Dubuque is a collaborating partner
with Crescent Community Health Center, and recognizes the invaluable service this
organization provides to our community. Not only does Crescent contribute to the
overall health and wellbeing of the community's residents, it serves as a powerful
economic engine, and job creator. I am writing you to urge you to help preserve Health
Centers like Crescent Community Health Center.
Crescent Community Health Center is doing its part to reduce costs to our local health
care system by effectively managing chronic conditions, coordinating care, and keeping
people out of costlier care settings like the emergency room. Nationally, this savings
amounts to $1,200 per patient per year — a total annual savings of $24 billion to the
entire health care system. In addition to reducing costs, Crescent Community Health
Center provides high-quality primary and preventive health and dental care to the
people who need it most. Crescent Community Health Center is the health care home
for over 5,700 patients and provides primary care, dental, behavioral health, pharmacy,
and a variety of support services. Moreover, Crescent Community Health Center is also
an employer and job creator. Because it is locally -owned and directed by a patient
majority board, a mandatory and uniquely valuable part of its governance, Crescent
Community Health Center must be, and quite frankly has proven itself to be, truly
responsive to our community's needs.
I have witnessed the contributions Crescent Community Health Center has made to
Dubuque's Washington Neighborhood revitalization and the community's health care
needs. I am asking for your help now to preserve Health Centers so they can continue
their vital role in our health care system. My request is urgent, because Health Centers
like Crescent Community Health Center are currently facing a significant Toss of federal
funding in the years ahead. Such a Toss of funding would immediately reduce access to
care for many in our community and damage our local vitality, something we cannot
afford and I know you do not want to see happen.
I know our community can count on your future support as we work to meet the
persistent demand for affordable primary care in the Dubuque area while at the same
time responsibly addressing our budgetary needs.
Sincerely,
Michael Van Milligen
City Manager, City of Dubuque
May 5, 2014
Representative Bruce Braley
Rayburn House Office Building, Room 2263
50 Independence Ave, SW
Washington DC 20515-1501
Dear Representative Braley:
As City Manager of the City of Dubuque, I am writing to express my support for the
Community Health Center program and to highlight the critical role Crescent Community
Health Center plays in Dubuque, Iowa. The City of Dubuque is a collaborating partner
with Crescent Community Health Center, and recognizes the invaluable service this
organization provides to our community. Not only does Crescent contribute to the
overall health and wellbeing of the community's residents, it serves as a powerful
economic engine, and job creator. I am writing you to urge you to help preserve Health
Centers like Crescent Community Health Center.
Crescent Community Health Center is doing its part to reduce costs to our local health
care system by effectively managing chronic conditions, coordinating care, and keeping
people out of costlier care settings like the emergency room. Nationally, this savings
amounts to $1,200 per patient per year — a total annual savings of $24 billion to the
entire health care system. In addition to reducing costs, Crescent Community Health
Center provides high-quality primary and preventive health and dental care to the
people who need it most. Crescent Community Health Center is the health care home
for over 5,700 patients and provides primary care, dental, behavioral health, pharmacy,
and a variety of support services. Moreover, Crescent Community Health Center is also
an employer and job creator. Because it is locally -owned and directed by a patient
majority board, a mandatory and uniquely valuable part of its governance, Crescent
Community Health Center must be, and quite frankly has proven itself to be, truly
responsive to our community's needs.
I have witnessed the contributions Crescent Community Health Center has made to
Dubuque's Washington Neighborhood revitalization and the community's health care
needs. I am asking for your help now to preserve Health Centers so they can continue
their vital role in our health care system. My request is urgent, because Health Centers
like Crescent Community Health Center are currently facing a significant loss of federal
funding in the years ahead. Such a loss of funding would immediately reduce access to
care for many in our community and damage our local vitality, something we cannot
afford and I know you do not want to see happen.
I know our community can count on your future support as we work to meet the
persistent demand for affordable primary care in the Dubuque area while at the same
time responsibly addressing our budgetary needs.
Sincerely,
Michael Van Milligen
City Manager, City of Dubuque