[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 32, Number 41 (Monday, October 14, 1996)]
[Pages 2041-2042]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
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.

[[Page 2042]]

    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.