Message to Capitol Hill: Investing in Primary Care Will Save Lives

Overview

Close to 300 health center advocates will be traveling to the Nation’s Capital on December 3-4, 2024, to make a difference in the lives of millions of people who are waiting for a Community Health Center. Health centers serve one in ten people nationwide, but we know that 100 million Americans struggle to access primary care today. That’s nearly one-third of the U.S. population who may not be getting the routine and preventive care they need to stay healthy. Investing in primary care not only saves lives, it also saves money. 

NACHC, a leader in responding to the growing demand for primary care across the country, is organizing a National Fly-In Day with health center advocates from across the country. Congress will have some big decisions in the lame-duck session coming out of the November election. Your voice is needed as we push for increased funding and policies to ensure sustainability for health centers and the 32.5 million patients you serve. 

National Fly-in Day 

Registration for the National Fly-in Day closed on November 15. NACHC is coordinating with PCAs and their respective delegations to provide the information and resources needed for in-person legislative meetings.  

NACHC hosted fly-in prep webinar for Friday, November 15, 2024. Watch the recording here. 

Important Resources and Tools to Get You Ready

To help prepare for the Fly-In Day, below are helpful items for your visit to Washington, D.C. Folders containing these materials have been prepared for legislative meetings and will be available for state leads to pick up at the reception/prep event on December 3.

Policy Papers

• Health Center Funding Policy Paper
• Telehealth Policy Paper
• Workforce Policy Paper
• 340B Policy Paper

Additional Supporting Documents

• America’s Health Center Fact Sheet
• Rural Residents Fact Sheet
• NACHC Priorities Letter to Congressional Leadership

Communications Resources

• Op Ed Template
• Talking Points
• Press Release Template

Virtual Call-in Days 

Every voice throughout the health center movement is needed to let legislators know how vital health centers are to the health and well-being of 32.5 million patients across the country. For health center advocates that cannot travel to DC, NACHC is inviting you to contact your members of Congress through our email and call-in campaigns. We will be hosting a webinar on Monday, December 2 at 2:00pm ET to provide information and resources for contacting your legislators. Register for the webinar.   

Our message to Congress is clear: 

1. Fund health centers 

2. Expand telehealth access 

3. Support primary care workforce pipeline programs 

4. Pass bipartisan legislation to protect 340B for health centers and patients 

Policy papers will be published on this website once they are finalized.  

If you have other questions about the fly-in, please email grassroots@nachc.org. 

Hotel Information 

NACHC’s hotel room block is sold out.  Please use our trusted partner, aRes Travel, to search for hotel availability near the headquarters hotel. 

aRes Travel is a third-party travel planner. Rates, deposits, and cancellation policies may vary and are the responsibility of the guest. Questions on hotel policies or payments made on aRes website should be directed to the aRes Reservation Center or to the hotel directly. 

If you need additional information or assistance, please reach out to us at eventlogistics@nachc.com 

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