Prince George's County work group presses for dedicated Health Assures funding, asks health department to report on administration risks

Prince George's County Health Assures work group members and representatives of local federally qualified health centers said at a virtual meeting Oct. 1 that immediate county funding and clearer administration are needed to prevent service cuts as federal and private programs scale back coverage.

The work group, tasked with recommending funding and administration for the county's Health Assures program and with advising on a broader Prince George's CARES primary-care initiative, heard from FQHC leaders who described growing urgency from federal and charitable cutbacks and a lack of transparency about county contract allocations and invoicing.

Members said the group should recommend a dedicated general-fund allocation to sustain FQHC capacity. Anya Makarova, advisor to the Prince George's County Board of Health, summarized the group's charge: "this particular work group... has a twofold assignment. One is really to provide recommendations with regards to funding and administration of the county's health insurance program," and the other is to advise on overall primary care services for county residents.

Why it matters: several participants said reduced federal support and shrinking charitable programs will push more uninsured people onto FQHCs. George Escobar, chief of programs and services at CASA, said the difference since…