Arizona Health Centers Get Funding Bump

July 10, 2013

Community health centers in Arizona were awarded more than $2 million Wednesday by the Obama administration.

Sebelius Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius answered questions from the media. (Photo by Sarah Beckman-KJZZ)

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius was in Phoenix to explain the role the centers will play in ObamaCare. Sebelius said that federally funded community health centers will continue to treat underserved communities and educate the public on the Affordable Care Act. Open enrollment for healthcare available through the act begins in October.

Sebelius spoke from Mountain Park Health Center in Phoenix, which was awarded more than two hundred thousand dollars in grants.

“Mountain Park and other centers across the state – and across the country – will have the resources and opportunity to do even more,” Sebelius said.

Jeanne Michie described her experience with a community health center in Eloy. She and her husband moved to Arizona because of health issues but arrived with no health insurance. Michie said they received good care at their local health center and learned about health insurance options they would never have known about otherwise.

“I think there’s a great need in our communities now for this kind of service I’m only one person in the community that has these issues. There are seniors, there are children, there are people who work for minimum wage, there are disabled people, who can benefit from these services," Michie said.

Michie said people should not stereotype who might use a community health center. As she put it, many people need guidance through the “choppy waters of health care.”