Press Release

Big Cities Health Coalition Denounces Latest Effort by U.S. House to Dismantle Public Health Fund in Affordable Care Act

November 2017

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 1, 2017               

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Big Cities Health Coalition today denounced latest efforts by the U.S. House of Representatives to make draconian cuts to the Prevention and Public Health Fund in a vote on the CHAMPIONING HEALTHY KIDS (Continuing Community Health and Medical Professional Programs to Improve Our Nation, Increase National Gains, and Help Ensure Access for Little Ones, Toddlers, and Hopeful Youth by Keeping Insurance Delivery Stable) Act (H.R. 3922) likely occurring this week. The bill would cut $10.5 billion (or 75%) of the Fund and do away with it entirely from FY 2020-2026.

“When Congress passed the ACA in 2010, policy makers recognized that creating a healthier, stronger America meant more than just expanding insurance coverage,” said Chrissie Juliano, Director of the Big Cities Health Coalition. “They believed that significant dollars should also support prevention related to the chronic and infectious diseases that drive up our health care costs and cause so much suffering. They said the law should also make the country safer by strengthening our nation’s emergency preparedness, such as through the ability to track diseases that surface in our communities, and provide for necessary immunizations. 

“Lawmakers took a huge step towards accomplishing such goals by creating the Prevention and Public Health Fund. The House is voting this week to cut the fund by 75% before phasing it out entirely in 2020. Doing so would create unnecessary setbacks for the health of all Americans and is simply not smart policymaking.”

The CHAMPIONING HEALTHY KIDS Act includes important funding for both Community Health Centers and the Children Health Insurance Program, but uses the Prevention and Public Health Fund as an offset. The Prevention and Public Health Fund makes up 12% of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) funding. Among the CDC programs at risk are the 317 Immunization Program, Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity, Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program, Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention, and Diabetes Prevention.

CONTACT: Max Mays mays@bigcitieshealth.org or 913-233-6830 

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About the Big Cities Health Coalition

The Big Cities Health Coalition (BCHC) is a forum for the leaders of America’s largest metropolitan health departments to exchange strategies and jointly address issues to promote and protect the health and safety of their residents. Collectively, BCHC member jurisdictions directly impact nearly 62 million people, or one in five Americans. For more information, visit https://www.bigcitieshealth.org.

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