Glenn W. Thompson
09/16/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/16/2026 15:49
Thompson, Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Strengthen Medicare Payments for Community Health Centers
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Representatives Glenn "GT" Thompson (R-Pa.), Michael Rulli (R-Ohio), Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.), Dave Taylor (R-Ohio), Troy Carter (D-La.), Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.), Greg Landsman (D-Ohio), August Pfluger (R-Texas), Nanette Barragán (D-Calif.), Jill Tokuda (D-Hawaii) and Lori Trahan (D-MA) introduced the bipartisan Community Health Center Reforms Enabling Better Access for Seniors and Elders Act, or the CHC REBASE Act.
This legislation will modernize how Medicare pays for Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and ensures seniors and underserved patients can continue accessing the care they need close to home.
"Primary care today often includes telehealth visits, remote patient monitoring, and other advancements in healthcare that did not exist 12 years ago when this policy was last reviewed," Rep. Thompson said. "I am proud to support this bipartisan legislation that accounts for these updates, establishes Medicare payment parity for Federally Qualified Health Centers, and updates health centers' payment methodology. Seniors in rural areas should have access to comprehensive primary care regardless of where they reside."
"Community health centers are the backbone of rural healthcare in Ohio's 6th District," Rep. Rulli said. "In communities across Eastern Ohio, they are often the only option families and seniors have. The federal government should be making it easier to keep those doors open, not harder. This bill brings the payment system into the real world and establishes telehealth parity for services that our rural communities depend on. It is commonsense legislation that puts patients first."
"Community Health Centers are an invaluable resource for Medicare patients, providing low-cost and accessible primary care in underserved locations. This bipartisan bill will fill a growing gap in the Medicare reimbursement process to keep these centers both affordable and efficient. I believe every American has a right to quality healthcare, and this bill pushes us closer to that goal," Rep. Dingell said.
"LA-02's 18 Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) serve around 250,000 patients," Rep. Carter said. "As more seniors turn to Federally Qualified Health Centers for primary care, we must ensure that these centers are modernized, accessible, and do not face unnecessary burdens to providing care. This bill would take critical steps to strengthen and update the financial infrastructure of our FQHCs - which has not been updated in years - and provide these critical safety net providers with the support and resources they need to keep their doors open and continue connecting communities and seniors to care."
"Community Health Centers (CHCs) provide comprehensive primary care that improves outcomes and saves taxpayer dollars, serving over 4 million seniors in 2025 alone. Yet Medicare's reimbursement policy for CHCs has not kept pace with new innovations in care delivery. This makes it difficult for CHCs to serve the patients who rely on them, especially in rural areas where Medicare is an important payor. The CHC REBASE Act would modernize CHCs' Medicare reimbursement, reduce red tape so seniors can choose Medicare Advantage coverage while keeping their trusted CHC provider, and protect seniors' access to telehealth by providing payment parity. The National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) thanks Representatives Rulli, Dingell, and other bipartisan leaders for championing this important legislation," said Kyu Rhee, MD, MPP, President and CEO of NACHC.
"Our community health center members see every day how outdated Medicare payment policies make it harder for community health centers to meet the needs of a growing population of older adults," said Amanda Pears Kelly, CEO of Advocates for Community Health. "The CHC REBASE Act addresses the real challenges health centers face by modernizing Medicare reimbursement, protecting telehealth access and improving the Medicare Advantage wraparound payment process. These practical reforms will help our members continue providing seniors, especially those in rural and underserved communities, with the comprehensive, high-quality care they deserve."
Federally Qualified Health Centers are often the first and only point of care for millions of Americans, including seniors, rural residents, and low-income families. Yet the Medicare payment system that reimburses these centers has not kept pace with the real cost of delivering care. The CHC REBASE Act fixes that by outlining a process to update the Protective Payment System bundle of services, establishing telehealth parity, and closing gaps in Medicare Advantage coverage for patients at FQHCs.
This legislation will modernize how Medicare pays for Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and ensures seniors and underserved patients can continue accessing the care they need close to home.
"Primary care today often includes telehealth visits, remote patient monitoring, and other advancements in healthcare that did not exist 12 years ago when this policy was last reviewed," Rep. Thompson said. "I am proud to support this bipartisan legislation that accounts for these updates, establishes Medicare payment parity for Federally Qualified Health Centers, and updates health centers' payment methodology. Seniors in rural areas should have access to comprehensive primary care regardless of where they reside."
"Community health centers are the backbone of rural healthcare in Ohio's 6th District," Rep. Rulli said. "In communities across Eastern Ohio, they are often the only option families and seniors have. The federal government should be making it easier to keep those doors open, not harder. This bill brings the payment system into the real world and establishes telehealth parity for services that our rural communities depend on. It is commonsense legislation that puts patients first."
"Community Health Centers are an invaluable resource for Medicare patients, providing low-cost and accessible primary care in underserved locations. This bipartisan bill will fill a growing gap in the Medicare reimbursement process to keep these centers both affordable and efficient. I believe every American has a right to quality healthcare, and this bill pushes us closer to that goal," Rep. Dingell said.
"LA-02's 18 Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) serve around 250,000 patients," Rep. Carter said. "As more seniors turn to Federally Qualified Health Centers for primary care, we must ensure that these centers are modernized, accessible, and do not face unnecessary burdens to providing care. This bill would take critical steps to strengthen and update the financial infrastructure of our FQHCs - which has not been updated in years - and provide these critical safety net providers with the support and resources they need to keep their doors open and continue connecting communities and seniors to care."
"Community Health Centers (CHCs) provide comprehensive primary care that improves outcomes and saves taxpayer dollars, serving over 4 million seniors in 2025 alone. Yet Medicare's reimbursement policy for CHCs has not kept pace with new innovations in care delivery. This makes it difficult for CHCs to serve the patients who rely on them, especially in rural areas where Medicare is an important payor. The CHC REBASE Act would modernize CHCs' Medicare reimbursement, reduce red tape so seniors can choose Medicare Advantage coverage while keeping their trusted CHC provider, and protect seniors' access to telehealth by providing payment parity. The National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) thanks Representatives Rulli, Dingell, and other bipartisan leaders for championing this important legislation," said Kyu Rhee, MD, MPP, President and CEO of NACHC.
"Our community health center members see every day how outdated Medicare payment policies make it harder for community health centers to meet the needs of a growing population of older adults," said Amanda Pears Kelly, CEO of Advocates for Community Health. "The CHC REBASE Act addresses the real challenges health centers face by modernizing Medicare reimbursement, protecting telehealth access and improving the Medicare Advantage wraparound payment process. These practical reforms will help our members continue providing seniors, especially those in rural and underserved communities, with the comprehensive, high-quality care they deserve."
Federally Qualified Health Centers are often the first and only point of care for millions of Americans, including seniors, rural residents, and low-income families. Yet the Medicare payment system that reimburses these centers has not kept pace with the real cost of delivering care. The CHC REBASE Act fixes that by outlining a process to update the Protective Payment System bundle of services, establishing telehealth parity, and closing gaps in Medicare Advantage coverage for patients at FQHCs.
Glenn W. Thompson published this content on September 16, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on September 16, 2026 at 21:52 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]