Staff Report

AUGUSTA — Maine Senate Republican lawmakers are calling on the Mills administration to take immediate action to help Penobscot Community Health Care and other federally qualified health centers facing significant financial pressures.

In a letter sent Thursday to Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Commissioner Sara Gagné-Holmes, members of the Senate Republican Caucus urged the department to dedicate a portion of Maine’s Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) funding to a new fund specifically supporting federally qualified and other rural health centers. 

Maine is receiving $190 million in first-year funding through the Rural Health Transformation Program, funding secured for the state by U.S. Sen. Susan Collins. Earlier this year, the Mills administration’s failure to meet federal milestones and deadlines put the funding at risk before the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services extended the deadline at Collins’ urging, which allowed Maine to access the funds.

PCHC, Maine’s largest federally qualified health organization, said it is in urgent need of additional capital to continue providing health care services at locations across rural Maine. The organization operates more than 20 locations across three counties, providing primary care as well as dental and behavioral health services to low-income and uninsured Mainers and patients who are enrolled in MaineCare, the state’s Medicaid program. 

The senators contrasted the situation facing federally qualified health centers with DHHS’ recent announcement that it is allocating $30 million of the RHTP funds to its Rural Hospital Efficiency Fund, which invited 11 rural hospitals to participate. They are asking the department to establish a similar funding mechanism for federally qualified and other rural health centers. 

The full letter can be viewed here.