REP. STARK ANNOUNCES FUNDING FOR THE ALAMEDA COUNTY MEDICAL CENTER TO EXPAND HEALTH CARE COVERAGE TO THE UNINSURED

December 18, 2000

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representative Pete Stark (D-CA) today announced the inclusion of $765,000 in funding he requested for the Alameda County Medical Center (ACMC) in the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services and Education appropriations bill passed by Congress on December 15, 2000. This money, from the Office of Minority Health, will provide first year funding for a projected multi-year effort to expand access to health care for uninsured individuals and families in Alameda County, California, a large percentage of whom are minorities.

"Alameda County has over 200,000 people who lack health insurance, most of whom are poor minorities. There is clear evidence that people of color disproportionately lack access to health care, vital treatments, and preventive screening measures. For example, in 1996, people of color comprised only one quarter of the non-elderly population, yet they represented 41% of the uninsured. This is a problem that needs to be addressed, so I made getting ACMC the necessary funding an immediate priority of my Congressional agenda," said Congressman Stark.

The ACMC proposes to link hospitals, specialty clinics, and ambulatory facilities with eight community-based non-profit clinics, thus providing a seamless and comprehensive safety net for uninsured Alameda County residents. The proposed Alameda County Community Access Program would allow for more effective collaboration among these providers. The increased cooperation should help eliminate many duplicative functions in service delivery and administrative systems, which would reduce costs and all reinvestment in the countywide system for uninsured care.

Rep. Stark stated, "Congress has recently passed important legislative initiatives aimed at increasing research to reduce health disparities among racial and ethnic minorities. And, we were able to include new demonstrations in Medicare to address health disparity concerns in that program as well. This ACMC project is an extension of those efforts right here in our own community. These funds can and should make a real difference in the access to quality health care that all of our county residents need and deserve. This program will not solve the problem, but it will go a long way to relieve some of the inequities in our community."

"I was pleased to be able to assist ACMC in obtaining these needed funds. I look forward to continuing to work closely with the county health providers and advocates for the uninsured to take much bigger steps toward providing affordable health care for all our residents," concluded Rep. Stark.

Alameda County is the 5th most ethnically diverse county in the nation, and one in seven county residents is uninsured. ACMC offers interpreter services in 26 languages to meet the needs of our ethnically diverse patient base. During FY 1999-2000, the ACMC served 32% African-Americans, 37% Hispanics, 8% Asian/ Pacific Islanders, 15% whites, and 8% others.

CONTACT: Sean McCluskie (202) 225-5065

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