The Paradoxical Politics of Community Health Centers from the Great Society to the COVID-19 Pandemic.
J Health Polit Policy Law
; 2022 Nov 23.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2326361
ABSTRACT
CONTEXT Though community health centers (CHCs) arose in the 1960s as part of a Democratic policy push committed to social justice, subsequent support has been shaped by a paradoxical politics wherein Republican and Democratic support for CHCs continually morphed in response to changes in the health policy landscape. METHODS:
Drawing on the CHC literature and empirical examples from first-hand accounts and reporting, we explain CHCs' curious historical development from 1965 to present.FINDINGS:
Since their inception, CHCs have received differing levels of support due to a paradoxical politics that tell us much about CHC policy history. Though the CHC program began as a Democratic vision, both Republicans and Democrats have calibrated their support for CHCs in response to a broader set of political considerations, from anti-welfare policy commitments to aspirations of establishing a national health care plan.CONCLUSIONS:
CHCs have proven to be a politically malleable policy tool within the broader context of American health care policy. While the COVID-19 pandemic raised new questions about CHCs' sustainability and future, CHCs will continue to play a critical role not only providing health care access to underserved populations, but as an attractive bipartisan policy option within the larger framework of U.S. health policy.
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Type of study:
Prognostic study
Language:
English
Year:
2022
Document Type:
Article
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