Congressman Bishop announces $3.3 million federal funds to support healthcare centers in middle & southwest Georgia

MACON, Ga. – Congressman Sanford D. Bishop Jr. (GA-02) announced two federal awards from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) totaling $3.3 million to Primary Care of Southwest Georgia, Inc. ($1,859,632) and First Choice Primary Care, Inc. ($1,525,301). These awards will help to improve and expand healthcare services for the people of Blakely and Macon, Georgia, as well as the surrounding areas.

“With record numbers of Americans being able to afford and getting health insurance coverage because of the Affordable Care Act, Congress must also ensure that Americans also have access to healthcare in or near the communities in which they live. Not only is having nearby access to care vital in emergency situations, but also it helps improve preventive care and the likelihood of patients being able to stick to their treatment,” said Congressman Bishop. “Federal support for our rural, smaller, and underserved communities helps ensure that – no matter the ZIP code – Georgians should be able to get the health care they need close to home.”

“This funding from HRSA is critically important – it allows us to provide high quality primary care to over 11,000 Central Georgia residents, regardless of their ability to pay,” said Katherine McLeod, CEO of First Choice Primary Care in Macon, Georgia. “We are grateful for Congressman Bishop’s unwavering support for the health center program and look forward to Congressional action to renew and expand the nationwide health center program that serves over 30 million people.”

Primary Care of Southwest Georgia, Inc. and First Choice Primary Care, Inc. are previous recipients of HRSA awards. In 2023, they were awarded, along with Albany Area Primary Health Care, Inc., a total of $7.2 million.

These federal awards were made possible by the Health Center Cluster Program. The Health Center Cluster Program is one of the numerous programs that allocate Affordable Care Act funding to Health Centers so they can maintain their work in providing extensive services to underserved communities. The Health Center Cluster Program supports free vaccines for uninsured and underinsured children through the Vaccines for Children program, HRSA-supported training and technical assistance, HRSA’s 340B Drug Pricing Program for discounted drugs, and more.

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