CONGRESSMAN BISHOP ANNOUNCES $504,414 IN FEDERAL FUNDS TO SUPPORT MIDDLE & SOUTHWEST GEORGIA HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS
ALBANY, Ga. – Today, Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. announced six federal awards to primary health care facilities in Middle & Southwest Georgia, totaling $504,414. The funds are part of the Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) Bridge Access Program and will be used to provide COVID-19 vaccines, testing, and treatments to individuals without health insurance. Though cases of COVID-19 have steadily declined and the public health emergency is ended, there has been an uptick in COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations this summer, according to data from the CDC.
“Having the ability to quickly provide free tests, treatment, and vaccines in response to the COVID-19 pandemic was crucial to containing and eventually ending the pandemic,” said Congressman Bishop. “Though the emergency health crisis is over, COVID-19 remains an illness with which we must contend and guard against, as seen with the recent spike in cases this summer. Our primary healthcare facilities are on the frontlines of this fight. These federal funds demonstrate Congress’s and the federal government’s commitment to our communities so that they have the resources needed to ensure that no Georgian is denied a vaccine or testing due to lack of health insurance or inability to pay.”
“This Bridge funding will support our efforts to make COVID testing, vaccines, and treatment available to anyone, regardless of their ability to pay,” said Katherine McLeod, CEO of First Choice Primary Care, Inc. in Macon. “Part of the grant will help us expand hours for our pharmacy in downtown Macon, where anyone can walk in and get a COVID test kit or COVID booster. We work with community partners to help educate the public about COVID, influenza, and RSV and how to protect yourself and your family.”
“This grant is vital to our Community Health Center as it means we can further our COVID vaccine outreach programs,” said Shelley Spires, CEO at Albany Area Primary Health Care. “With these funds we’ll ensure our community has access to these critically important COVID vaccines not only in our offices, but also with our Mobile Units. Our two Mobile Units, or MACUs as we call them, go directly into the community to deliver COVID vaccines to where our residents live - whether that’s their neighborhood, job, school, or church. We want to make sure our community members have easy access to these lifesaving COVID vaccines.”
“Valley Healthcare System is grateful to announce that we received the Bridge Access Program funding to continue providing equitable access to COVID-19 testing and vaccination to improve health outcomes in the greater Chattahoochee Valley,” said Valley Healthcare System Inc. CEO Asante' Hilts, DrPH, MPH. “Fighting COVID-19 remains a public health priority for our community health center. This funding will allow also us to use our mobile health units to ensure easy access to COVID-19 vaccinations regardless of insurance status in hard-to-reach neighborhood and rural communities.”
The Bridge Access Program awarded:
- $225,133 to CareConnect Health, Inc. in Richland, GA
- $132,478 to Albany Area Primary Health Care, Inc. in Albany, GA
- $52,102 to First Choice Primary Care, Inc. in Macon, GA
- $47,398 to Valley Healthcare System, Inc. in Columbus, GA
- $34,507 to Primary Care of Southwest Georgia, Inc. in Blakely, GA
- $12,796 to Southwest Georgia Healthcare Clinics, Inc. in Donalsonville, GA
While COVID-19 vaccines will still be free for most Americans through their health insurance plans, the CDC estimates that there are up to 30 million adults without insurance and additional adults whose insurance will not provide free COVID-19 vaccines once these products move to the commercial market.
Additionally, a CDC study from 2021 found that Georgia had the second highest uninsured rate in the nation at 19.2%, while the national average sits at 12.6%.
For more information about the Bridge Access Program, visit: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/programs/bridge/index.html
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