Costello Visits Community Health & Dental Care in Advance of National Health Center Week

Pottstown, PA -- Congressman Ryan Costello (PA-06) recently visited Community Health and Dental Care to thank the medical providers and staff for delivering high-quality preventive and primary medical and dental care to more than 16,000 Tri-County area residents each year.

Costello’s visit came in advance of National Health Center Week, which begins on Monday. This year marks 50 years since the first community health centers opened their doors. Today, more than 9,000 community health centers across the United States serve more than 23 million patients who are uninsured or cannot afford services, including nearly 7 million children and almost 300,000 veterans.  Our region is fortunate to have a number of Community Health Centers in addition to Community Health and Dental Care, including Berks Community Health Center, ChesPenn Health Services, Welsh Mountain Health Center, and Delaware Valley Community Health.

Earlier this year, Congressman Costello voted in favor of H.R. 2, the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act, which provided two additional years of funding for the Community Health Centers program. President Obama signed H.R. 2 into law in April.  In addition, Congressman Costello is working in Congress to ensure the continued sustainability and viability of the program in order to preserve ongoing operations and increase capacity at existing health centers through expansion of services as well as the creation of new centers.

“The outstanding care available at federally-qualified health centers is critical to controlling healthcare costs,” Costello said. “If patients have access to medical care at Community Health and Dental Care, that means they don’t have to make more expensive visits to hospital emergency rooms. In addition, patients do not have to put off routine medical visits and risk developing more serious health problems down the road. The medical providers and staff at Community Health and Dental Care have done a tremendous job creating a caring atmosphere where patients can feel comfortable and confident that they are receiving high-quality service.”

Paula Kamp, Outreach Director for Community Health and Dental Care, emphasized that the facility is not a free clinic. Patients pay for service on a sliding fee scale.

The facility recently expanded its services to include obstetrics and gynecological care and prenatal services. A free shuttle helps patients without transportation get to appointments.

“We are thrilled that Congressman Costello took the time to learn about the services we offer and meet with our team of dedicated providers and support staff,” Kamp said. “The support of health centers and raising awareness that we are not just a free clinic certainly helps fulfill our mission to identify gaps in health services and ensure access to the appropriate levels of care for all people regardless of their ability to pay.” 

###