U.S. Rep. Tom Rice (R-SC) on Dec. 9 signed on as a cosponsor of a bipartisan bill that would increase flexibility for federal grants awarded to community health centers, allowing them to localize the funding for expansions or mobile medical clinics.
The Maximizing Outcomes through Better Investments in Lifesaving Equipment for (MOBILE) Health Care Act, H.R. 5141, which was introduced in August by U.S. Rep. Susie Lee (D-NV), currently has 116 cosponsors. H.R. 5141 is the identical bill to S. 958, introduced in March by U.S. Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Jacky Rosen (D-NV) to expand and modify the allowable uses of New Access Point (NAP) grant funds, which help health centers establish new delivery sites to provide comprehensive primary care to medically underserved populations.
“I’m pleased to support the MOBILE Health Care Act so grant funding can continue helping folks in these rural, medically underserved areas into the future,” said Rep. Rice.
If enacted, the measure would permit health centers to use funds to construct or renovate buildings or to set up mobile medical clinics, which could qualify for grant funding as a new delivery site regardless of whether it is associated with a permanent, full-time site, according to the text of the bill.
“We’ve seen great success in allowing Federally Qualified Health Centers [FQHCs] to administer services through mobile units and other flexible options under temporary provisions enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic,” Rep. Rice said. “The majority of my district in South Carolina is rural and my constituents face limited healthcare options without these flexibilities.”
Currently, the NAP grant program, which is run by the Health Resources and Services Administration, restricts existing FQHCs from using their NAP grants for construction costs or expanding their services via mobile clinics, according to information provided by Rep. Rice’s office.
The proposed bill would expand the allowable use criteria in the NAP program to include part-time mobile clinics and renovation, leasing, acquisition, and new construction of health centers within the program, the information says.