Health clinics grapple with US funding squeeze

[UpInArms]

Feb 9 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump's executive orders have begun to disrupt patient care in the United States, as some providers cannot access essential federal funding, according to interviews with a dozen healthcare providers and policy advocates.

Facilities in Virginia and West Virginia told Reuters they were forced to shutter primary care clinics or lay off staff. Other community health clinics in California and Virginia said they received notices of termination for federal grants that support HIV prevention care.

Some of the funding was canceled following Trump administration orders for the federal government to scrap diversity, gender and inclusion programs and to recognize only two sexes – male and female. Others appear related to a freeze on federal funding that was rescinded last week.

A Reuters analysis found that tens of billions of dollars in congressionally approved spending for programs across industries, such as clean energy, remain frozen under various Trump administration orders.

"There is mass confusion. We expect that interruption will grow if there is not clarity from federal agencies in the coming hours and days," said David C. Harvey, executive director of the National Coalition of STD Directors, an organization representing providers of sexually transmitted disease prevention programs and services. "This is money that pays for staff payroll, rent and healthcare supplies."

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https://archive.ph/Liqge

[tulipsandroses]

1. trump voters are going to be the ones most affected. Many federally funded clinics are in rural areas.

They offer student loan forgiveness as an incentive to move to these areas. I relocated to FL to work for one in 2019, did not stay for several reasons, Covid hit, wanted to return to GA to be with my family, it was severely understaffed. One of my most memorable memories from the early days of Covid when we started doing telehealth, a client had a an extra large confederate flag in the background when he logged on for his call.

FQHCs tend to be understaffed. Cutting funds further will only make it worse. Providers will not stay when they are overwhelmed with too many patients than they can safely care for. Good luck recruiting new grads without incentivizing working hard cases, being understaffed and all the challenges that come with working for these clinics.
It's amazing that these folks really thought that only libs and minorities were going to be hurt.