Davids Announces Federal Grant to Improve Health Care Access in Kansas’ Third District
Today, Representative Sharice Davids announced the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded $1.3 million to Health Partnership Clinic to help expand access to health care in the Greater Kansas City Area. Health Partnership Clinic, whose team provides high quality health care to low-income individuals in Kansas’ Third District, will use the funding for operational expenses that include staff salaries and translation services.
“Everyone should have access to quality and affordable health care, but many Kansans struggle to access the care they need due to skyrocketing costs. That's where community health centers, like Health Partnership Clinic, step in,” said Davids. “They play a vital role in providing health care services to Kansans, no matter their income level or background. I’ll continue supporting all health centers in our community because access to health care ensures folks in our community can live safe, healthy, and productive lives.”
“Health Partnership Clinic is grateful to our federal partners for the continued support of funding to provide quality, affordable and accessible health care to those who are uninsured and underinsured,” says Amy Falk, CEO, Health Partnership Clinic. “We appreciate Rep. Davids’ and others’ support of our funding and their continued advocacy for preventative and acute health care for both children and adults. This is key to creating a viable workforce and a healthy community.”
Since coming to Congress, Davids has worked to make health care more affordable and accessible to all Kansans. She helped pass legislation that, for the first time ever, empowers Medicare to begin negotiating for lower prescription drug prices. The law also caps the cost of insulin at $35 for Medicare beneficiaries, and following Davids’ support for an extension of this cap to all insulin users, the top three insulin producers, who make up about 90 percent of the insulin market in the U.S., announced they'll cut or cap the price of insulin.
Last year, Davids visited Health Partnership Clinic with Kansas Governor Laura Kelly to urge Medicaid expansion in Kansas. She also previously announced the clinic was awarded American Rescue Plan funding to expand their COVID-19 vaccine, testing, and treatment operations for vulnerable populations during the pandemic.
Health Partnership Clinic operates five clinics in the Kansas Third District, including in Olathe, Shawnee Mission, Merriam, Ottawa, and Paola, and has expanded their telemedicine program to reach wider audiences. They offer primary care, dental, and behavioral and mental health services, and have partnered with the Olathe and Shawnee Mission school districts to identify students who do not have a regular medical or dental provider.