On the recordSeptember 20, 1996
I would also note that S. 1044 continues an authority in current law that permits the Secretary to designate a population as "medically underserved" if the chief executive officer of a State and local officials recommend that designation based on unusual local conditions which are a barrier to access to care. I would hope that this authority will also be used to address the unique needs of sparsely populated rural areas. I also wanted to assure the Senator from Wyoming that this bill incorporates your suggestion for improving the coordination of services in rural communities through collaborative relationships between community health centers and other rural providers in the center's service area. As a condition of eligibility for a health center planning or operating grant, the center must demonstrate its efforts to develop and maintain such relationships.
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