FQHCs Are Infrastructure: What HR1 Means for Health System Leaders

Join us for this episode of Digital Health Talks, where Megan Antonelli, CEO of Health Impact Live, sits down with Dr. Adam Aponte, CEO of East Harlem Council for Human Services and Neighborhood Health Center. A board-certified pediatrician with 25 years of experience, Dr. Aponte was born and raised in East Harlem and has dedicated his career to serving one of America's most underserved communities. In this conversation, he makes a compelling case for why the fight to protect federally qualified health centers is not just a community health story. It is a health system leadership story.

In this episode:

• How FQHCs serve over 35 million Americans and why they are the backbone of primary care for underserved communities
• The real impact of HR1 on Medicaid recipients, including $300 million in projected funding losses for New York FQHCs alone
• Why continuous pediatric coverage matters and what is at stake when children lose access to early care
• The role of trust in health care delivery and how policy changes compound existing distrust in marginalized communities
• Telehealth adoption challenges in East Harlem and the reimbursement barriers that limit its potential for FQHCs
• Why investing in early childhood health care is the most effective strategy for reducing long-term health care costs

Adam Aponte, MD, MSc, FAAP, CEO, East Harlem Council for Human Services

Megan Antonelli, Founder & CEO, HealthIMPACT Live

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