SCHUMER: LOCAL COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS CAUGHT IN CROSSFIRE OF FUNDING FREEZE CHAOS; STANDING AT SCHENECTADY’S HOMETOWN HEALTH CENTER, SENATOR DEMANDS ANSWERS ON HHS BLACKOUTS TO PROTECT HEALTHCARE FOR 110,000+ CAPITAL REGION FAMILIES
Community Health Centers Across U.S. Are Facing Unexplained Payment Portal Shutdowns, In Other States Forcing Closures & Halting Treatment In Other States – And Healthcare Leaders Fear NY Could Be Next
Schumer Says NY-ers Need Answers, CHCs Cannot Operate On Uncertainty; And With CHC Funding Cliff Next Month If Congress Doesn’t Act 2.4+ Million NY-er’s Could Be Left High And Dry On Healthcare
Schumer: We Can’t Let Funding Freeze Chaos & Confusion Turn Into A Catastrophe For NY’s Community Health Centers
Standing at Schenectady’s Hometown Health Centers Dental Clinic, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer demanded immediate answers from the HHS amid funding delays and recurring portal shutdowns in the fallout of Trump’s funding freeze fiasco. Community Health Centers (CHCs), which uniquely rely on federal funding, are now closing and even laying off staff across the country as a result of these unexplained disruptions, and Schumer said we need these payment systems fixed now to ensure doctors can continue vital healthcare services.
The senator is also sounding the alarm on the looming expiration of CHC’s main federal funding program next month if Congress doesn’t act, which was set to be extended last year, until Elon Musk sunk the bipartisan spending agreement. Schumer said with DOGE and the Trump Administration's indiscriminate cutting, CHCs are at serious risk of the chopping block, but he is leading the charge to protect this lifeline for 110,000+ in the Capital Region and millions across America.
“Amid Trump’s funding freeze fiasco, Community Health Centers in the Capital Region have been caught in the crossfire. Repeated shutdowns of HHS websites, missed payments, and now we are seeing CHCs across the countries have to layoff staff or close because they are not getting the funding they need,” said Senator Schumer. “Community Health Centers are the backbone of healthcare for Upstate NY. That is especially true here in the Capital Region with Hometown Health Center in Schenectady, Whitney Young in Albany, and Hudson Headwaters in Glens Falls and throughout the Adirondacks. That’s why I’m calling on HHS to take immediate action to ensure CHCs receive the funds and answers they deserve. Doctors cannot provide healthcare with uncertainty and instability.”
Schumer added, “With CHCs facing a looming funding cliff next month, at a time when DOGE is cutting indiscriminately, there is serious concern that chaos and confusion could turn to catastrophe for NY’s Community Health Centers. We need to make protecting this lifeline for millions a top priority and immediate action to provide answers and fixes for the current problems. And I will be leading the charge to ensure DOGE keep their hands off our healthcare.”
Schumer explained CHCs like Hometown Health Centers in Schenectady, Whitney Young in Albany, and Hudson Headwaters in Warren County and throughout the Adirondacks uniquely rely on federal funding, but that if these blackouts continue it could result in disaster for NY like we are seeing in other parts of the country. Schenectady’s Hometown Health Center receives nearly $290,000 a month in federal funding; that’s over $3.5 million a year. Federal funding makes up 17% of its total operating budget, and delays or cuts would have serious impacts on their bottom line and care.
According to CHCANYS, CHCs provide healthcare to 110,000+ people in the Capital Region and over 2.4 million New Yorkers. Community Health Centers in New York and across the country are worried because, following the funding freeze fiasco, many CHCs cannot access federal funds. Trump signed an executive order cutting off funding for some healthcare services, and although that memo was later rescinded, CHCs are confused about what services they can provide without fear that their funding will be cut off.
Some Community Health Centers across the country have been forced to lay off staff or even halt operations, and NY healthcare leaders are worried NY could be next if the situation does not improve, and Schumer said that cannot happen.
Schumer said that if blackouts continue and federal funding is not renewed for CHCs next month in the government funding agreement it would leave many Americans with limited access to affordable healthcare. Last year, Schumer and colleagues negotiated a bipartisan healthcare deal that would reauthorize CHC funding, but Congressional Republicans walked away following pressure from Elon Musk. Schumer said he will be leading Senate Democrats to fight to protect funding for CHCs and Medicaid and called on his colleagues across the aisle to return to their bipartisan agreement to protect Community Health Centers across the country.
Schumer explained the HHS and Medicaid portal shutdowns are part of larger confusion surrounding President Trump’s executive order freezing all federal funding. Recurring portal shutdowns continue to jeopardize reimbursements and healthcare access for nearly 7 million New Yorkers on Medicaid, including 210,000+ people in the Capital Region. Last week, Elon Musk and his “DOGE” gained access to the payment system creating further uncertainty about the status of payments. CHCs are concerned about their ability to pay staff and rent without reliable access to the portal. Schumer is leading the charge for answers on the payment portal shutdowns and demanding reassurance from the administration that Community Health Centers will receive the payments they are owed and need to continue providing healthcare.
A copy of Schumer’s original letter with Senator Wyden to HHS can be found here.
###