    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1996, Book II)]
    [October 11, 1996]
    [Page 1816]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Statement on Signing the Health Centers Consolidation Act of 1996
    October 11, 1996

        Today I am pleased to sign into law S. 1044, the ``Health Centers
    Consolidation Act of 1996.'' This bill will ensure that millions of the
    Nation's most vulnerable citizens continue to have access to high-
    quality, affordable, community-based, and family-focused primary and
    preventive health care services.
        The bill reauthorizes and consolidates four Federal health primary
    care and prevention programs: community health centers, migrant health
    centers, health care for the homeless, and health care for residents of
    public housing programs. By empowering communities to design and develop
    their own local solutions to their health care access problems, this
    legislation will help to improve the health status of our Nation's
    medically underserved, low-income populations. The Nation's health
    centers, comprised of over 700 organizations and 2,100 service delivery
    sites, provides health care services to almost 8 million people
    annually. They act as the safety net for millions of people who are
    disproportionately poor and have inadequate or no health insurance.
        Another important feature of S. 1044 is the establishment of a new
    Federal loan guarantee program to support the development and operation
    of managed care networks. Health centers across the country have come to
    recognize the critical importance of forming or being a part of
    integrated, managed care health systems. As the delivery of health care
    moves toward managed care arrangements, particularly for the Medicaid
    population, health centers must be able to participate in these
    arrangements in order to continue to ensure access to health care
    services for medically underserved individuals. The new loan guarantee
    program will assist the health centers to function effectively in this
    changing environment.
        The bill will also reinforce the policies of this Administration to
    streamline Federal programs. It will consolidate grants without
    decreasing services, thereby easing the burden on communities applying
    for assistance and reducing the Federal cost of administering these
    programs.
        In signing this legislation today, I underscore this
    Administration's commitment to address the needs of medically
    underserved inner city and rural areas. The programs reauthorized by S.
    1044 will play a critical role in ensuring access to cost-effective,
    high-quality preventive and primary health care services and improving
    the health status of the Nation's most vulnerable populations.

                                                          William J. Clinton

    The White House,

    October 11, 1996.

    Note: S. 1044, approved October 11, was assigned Public Law No. 104-299.