Iowa Reps. urge Biden admin. to include Iowa community health centers in vaccine distribution partnership
WASHINGTON, D.C. (KWWL) -- Iowa's Representatives are urging the Biden Administration to include Iowa's federally qualified community health centers (FQHC) in a COVID-19 vaccine pilot-program.
1st District Rep. Ashley Hinson, 2nd District Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, 4th District Rep. Randy Feenstra, and 3rd District Democratic Rep. Cindy Axne sent a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary-Designate Xavier Beccera and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky making the request.
FQHCs are community-based health care providers that receive funds from the Health Resources & Services Administration Health Center Program to provide primary care services in underserved areas. FQHCs also provide maternal and infant care, dental hygiene, eye exams, as well as mental and behavioral health care.
In the letter, the lawmakers say the "grave oversight" of omitting Iowa’s FQHCs from the first 25 selected to receive direct vaccination support from the federal government can be fixed by including them in the next round of support to 250 FQHCs. The letter comes after Hinson visited the Crescent Community Health Center in Dubuque Wednesday.
"As Iowa lags behind in COVID-19 vaccinations it is critical that Iowa community health centers be included when the Biden Administration sends additional doses to federally qualified health centers across the country," Hinson said in a tweet.
"FQHCs are a critical part of Iowa’s health care network, such as the Crescent Community Health Center in Dubuque, which serves a disproportionate share of Marshallese speaking constituents," the lawmakers say in their letter.
The lawmakers say Iowa's FQHCs are ready to administer COVID-19 vaccines quickly and efficiently to Iowa's most vulnerable populations, noting many have already served as COVID-19 testing locations.
"FQHCs are already positioned as the best potential vaccination sites with which the federal government could partner," the letter says. "Iowa, in particular, has a strong FQHC network that is well-integrated into their local communities, including the rural and lowest-income areas in the state."
The full letter can be found here: