L.A. County clinics get $7 million just before healthcare ruling

Although the Supreme Court could overturn the Affordable Care Act, officials say money already awarded to clinics across California will not be at risk.

On the eve of a U.S. Supreme Court decision that could overturn President Obama's signature healthcare law, federal officials announced Thursday that nearly $7 million made available by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is being given to a dozen community clinics in Los Angeles County.

Thirteen other clinics across California, including in Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, will also receive $8 million.

Elected officials used the opportunity to express their support for the embattled act, the president's key domestic achievement. The high court is expected to announce its decision within a matter of days on the constitutionality of the healthcare reform act, which increases healthcare benefits to Americans, expands programs for the poor and will require citizens to have health insurance or face a tax penalty. Even if the law is overturned, one official noted, money that has already been awarded to the clinics will not be at risk.

"Los Angeles is grateful," said L.A. County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, a Democrat. "This administration of President Barack Obama has come forward and made things happen for this community and this nation in a way that we ought to be proud of."

"He accomplished more than what any other single president has done to advance healthcare for the American people," he said. "The Supreme Court, in my view, doesn't need to try to be the executive branch of government."

The comments came at a news conference in South Los Angeles, one of the region's most medically underserved areas. Officials said the money was part of $11 billion in Community Health Center Fund grants that Congress approved under the healthcare law and is distributing over five years to operate, expand and build health centers from coast to coast. So far, $3.5 billion has been spent.

The need is especially acute in South L.A., which ranks high in abnormal birth outcomes and infant mortality, and where 1 in 5 adults cannot afford to see a doctor. That's much worse than the L.A. County average, where 1 in 9 adults were unable to get their health problems checked, according to a county health survey.

"We, unfortunately, are surrounded by a community that leads the league in high blood pressure, heart disease … and leads the league in the lack of medical care," Los Angeles City Councilman Bernard C. Parks said.

The money will help create new clinics and expand existing ones, and provide more jobs for doctors, nurses, clinic support staff and construction workers, said Herb K. Schultz, regional director for the Department of Health and Human Services for the southwestern United States.

Doctors and other healthcare staff will be able to see 85,000 new L.A. County patients as a result of the grants, Schultz said.

"These clinics … do a phenomenal job at providing access to primary and preventive healthcare services to" patients in need, Schultz said.

Among the recipients awarded Thursday was the T.H.E. Clinic — which stands for "To Help Everyone." It won $483,333 to open a clinic at 2250 S. Western Ave. and expand use of a mobile van clinic at Dorsey and Crenshaw high schools. The funds could mean that 15,000 additional patients will be seen by T.H.E. Clinic over the next three years, said clinic Chief Executive Rise K. Phillips.

Two patients who spoke at the news conference thanked the clinic for providing critical prenatal care when they needed it.

Several weeks ago, federal officials disbursed $122 million in similar grants to construct and renovate clinics in California.

As for what could happen to the rest of the unspent money if the law is overturned, Schultz said only: "We're confident that the Supreme Court will uphold this law."

ron.lin@latimes.com


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Con los nuevos recursos se podrá atender a 85,000 nuevos pacientes de Los Ángeles

Doce clínicas comunitarias en el Condado de Los Ángeles recibirán 6.8 millones de dólares, lo cual les dará la capacidad para atender a unos 85,000 pacientes nuevos en áreas a donde residen familias con bajos ingresos, según las autoridades de salud federal.
Herb Schultz, director regional del Departamento de Servicios Humanos y de Salud (HSS), hizo el anuncio ayer desde T.H.E. Clinic, ubicada sobre la Avenida Western y la calle 38, una de las zonas de Los Ángeles con mayor incidencia de enfermedades cardiovasculares, diabetes y mortalidad infantil.

"Estos fondos incrementarán acceso a servicios primarios y preventivos, y creará trabajos", dijo Schultz.

A nivel nacional, 219 comunidades serán beneficiadas con 128.6 millones de dólares provenientes de la reforma de salud. Las autoridades estiman que estos fondos servirán para atender a 1.28 millones de pacientes nuevos en todo el país y crear más de 5,600 trabajos permanentes.

En California, las clínicas comunitarias recibirán 15 millones de dólares y se espera que atiendan a miles de pacientes nuevos en las comunidades más necesitadas.
"Los centros de salud son un recurso local integral que provee trabajo y ayuda al desarrollo económico en las comunidades necesitadas y de bajos ingresos", agregó Shcultz.

Louise McCarthy, directora ejecutiva de la Asociación de Clínicas Comunitarias del Condado de Los Ángeles, dijo que estos fondos servirán para cubrir servicios preventivos y primarios de los residentes a lo largo y ancho del condado. Desde el Valle de San Gabriel hasta Venice, y de Wilmington a Hollywood.

"Este es un paso más que se da en la dirección correcta gracias a la Ley de Salud Asequible (ACA). Todos las clínicas son sin fines de lucro y están para servir a la población independientemente de su habilidad para pagar", dijo McCarthy.

El Concejal Bernard Parks y el Supervisor del Condado Mark Ridley Thomas estuvieron presentes en la ceremonia para agradecer la disponibilidad de fondos y para recordar que aún hay mucho camino que recorrer antes de que la reforma de salud entre en efecto completamente el 1 de enero del 2014.

"En esta zona que yo represento hay altos índices de hipertensión, tabaquismo, enfermedades del corazón y enfermedades relacionadas con la nutrición? también somos líder en falta de acceso a servicios médicos y de prevención", recordó Parks.

La directora ejecutiva de T.H.E. Clinic, Rise K. Phillips, agregó que esta clínica está ubicada en un área con menos acceso a pediatras, ginecólogos, salud oral, educación de salud y de servicios médicos familiares.

"(Estos fondos) Servirán para abrir otra clínica en el 2252 S. Western Ave y expandir nuestros servicios en una comunidad conformada por 77,000 personas, en donde el 77% vive abajo del 100% del nivel de pobreza federal", dijo Phillips.

Una de las pacientes de esta clínica, Diane Sifuentes, quien frecuenta la clínica desde hace 4 años y quien ahora está embarazada, agradeció a la clínica y a todo su personal por la atención que recibe y dijo que la expansión servirá para atender a otras personas que como ella, no tienen otras opciones de cobertura de salud.

Estos fondos fueron otorgados mientras las autoridades de salud esperan la decisión de la Corte Suprema de Justicia sobre el futuro de la reforma de salud. El fallo podría darse el próximo lunes 25 o el jueves 28 de junio.

"La ley de la salud está haciendo que nuestras comunidades sean más fuertes y se asegura que los estadounidenses tengan los servicios que necesitan", declaró ayer la directora de HHS Kathleen Sebelius.
Las clínicas comunitarias sirven a más de 20 millones de personas a nivel nacional y son parte integral de la reforma de salud, ya que brindan servicios a los segmentos de la población más vulnerables y que posiblemente no se beneficien con las otras provisiones de la ley.

Yurina Melara Valiulis / Yurina.melara@laopinion.com |

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L.A. officials praise healthcare law as money flows to clinics

With the U.S. Supreme Court considering whether to overturn President Obama’s signature healthcare law, federal officials announced Thursday that nearly $7 million made available by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is being given to a dozen community clinics in Los Angeles County.

Another $8 million is also going to 13 other clinics across California, including Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino Counties.

Elected officials used the opportunity to express their support for the embattled act, the president’s key domestic achievement. The high court is expected to announce its decision within a matter of days on the constitutionality of the law, which increases healthcare benefits to Americans, expands programs for the poor, and will require citizens to have health insurance or face a tax penalty.

Even if the law is overturned, one official noted, money that has already been awarded the clinics will not be at risk.

“Los Angeles is grateful,” said County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, a Democrat. “This administration of President Barack Obama has come forward and made things happen for this community and this nation in a way that we ought to be proud of.”

“He accomplished more than what any other single president has done to advance healthcare for the American people,” he said. “The Supreme Court, in my view, doesn’t need to try to be the executive branch of government.”
The comments came at a news conference in South Los Angeles, one of the region’s most medically underserved areas. Officials said the money was part of $11 billion in Community Health Center Fund grants that Congress approved under the healthcare law and is distributing over five years to operate, expand and build health centers from coast to coast. So far, $3.5 billion has been spent.

The need is especially acute in South L.A., which ranks high in abnormal birth outcomes and infant mortality, and where 1 in 5 adults cannot afford to see a doctor.That’s much worse than the L.A. County average, where 1 in 9 adults were unable to get their health problem checked, according to a county health survey.

“We unfortunately are surrounded by a community that leads the league in high blood pressure, heart disease … and leads the league in the lack of medical care,” Los Angeles City Councilman Bernard C. Parks said.

The money will help create new clinics and expand existing ones, and provide more jobs for doctors, nurses, clinic support staff and construction workers, said Herb K. Schultz, regional director for the Department of Health and Human Services for the southwestern United States.

Schultz said 85,000 new L.A. County patients will be able to be seen by doctors and other healthcare staff as a result of the grants.

“These clinics … do a phenomenal job at providing access to primary and preventive healthcare services to” patients in need, Schultz said.

Among the recipients awarded Thursday was the T.H.E. Clinic -- which stands for “To Help Everyone.” It won $483,333 to open up a new clinic at 2250 S. Western Ave. and expand use of a mobile van clinic at Dorsey and Crenshaw high schools. The funds could mean that 15,000 additional patients will be seen by T.H.E. Clinic over the next three years, said clinic Chief Executive Rise K. Phillips.

Two patients who spoke at the news conference thanked the clinic for providing critical prenatal care when they needed it.

Several weeks ago, federal officials disbursed $122 million in similar grants to construct and renovate clinics in California.

As for what could happen to the rest of the unspent money if the law is overturned, Schultz said only, “We’re confident that the Supreme Court will uphold this law.”

-- Rong-Gong Lin II

Los Angeles TImes - Local

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