Eastern Shore Rural Health reps travel to D.C. to advocate for community health centers

Pictured: Rural Health representatives Board member Jay Davenport, staff member Jennifer Tyler, Lena Ben-Gideon and Nick Widmyer from the National Association of Community Health Centers, staff members Amy Bull, Dr. Joan Lingen and Jeannette Edwards, Sen. Tim Kaine, and Board members Dr. Betty Bibbins, Lisa Cuba and Ebony Brown on a visit to discuss Community Health Center priorities in D.C. Feb. 6.

Representatives from Eastern Shore Rural Health System, Inc. (ESRHS) traveled to the nation’s capital the week of February 3 to advocate for key Community Health Center (CHC) priorities. The delegation, which included Rural Health Board President Lisa Cuba, Immediate Past Board President Dr. Betty Bibbins, and Board members Ebony Brown and Jay Davenport, met with lawmakers alongside ESRHS leadership, including CEO Jeannette Edwards, Chief Medical Officer Dr. Joan Lingen, Chief Operations Clinical Officer Jennifer Tyler, and Director of Communications Amy Bull.

The group met with Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-VA), Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA), and a senior staffer for Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA), all of whom are recognized as CHC champions. During the visit, Rep. Kiggans agreed to serve as co-chair of the House Community Health Center Caucus, while Sens. Kaine and Warner submitted a letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services advocating for CHCs.

Discussions with lawmakers focused on four key priorities impacting CHCs nationwide. Workforce training was highlighted as a pressing issue, with a shortage of healthcare workers driven by underinvestment in primary care training. The group also addressed Medicaid reimbursement rates, noting that Virginia’s rates have remained stagnant for over 20 years, limiting CHC funding in low-income communities. Additionally, ESRHS called for an increase in base grant funding, pointing out that inflation has reduced the value of CHC funding by 27% since 2015.

Another major topic was the 340B Drug Pricing Program, which allows CHCs to purchase medications at discounted rates for low-income patients. ESRHS urged Congress to clarify vague language in the program’s statute and pass legislation ensuring continued access to discounted medications while protecting CHCs’ ability to use 340B proceeds for essential services, including health education and outreach programs.