By Jerry Stockfisch, published by The Tampa Tribune on May 5, 2015

Three Tampa Bay area clinics are among 10 across the state and 164 nationwide to receive Affordable Care Act funding to provide additional primary health care in underserved areas.

Tampa Family Health Centers received $510,583 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Community Health Centers of Pinellas received $691,667; and Premier Community Health Group of Dade City received $382,601, the department said.

Charlie Bottoms, chief executive of the Tampa chain of clinics, said the money will help open another location, its 16th, at Florida Hospital.

“We’re very, very happy to be able to expand services for a very needy population, especially kids and underserved residents up on that northeast side of town,” Bottoms said.

The money is part of a $101 million federal investment to increase access to health care services for nearly 650,000 patients. In Florida, the 10 centers received $5 million, which is projected to increase access for more than 46,000 patients.

“This area is a national leader in expanding access to neighborhood-based health centers,” U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor said.

“Our local community health centers provide vital primary and dental care services. They furnish community-based preventive care with a sensitivity to our diverse neighborhoods,” said Castor, a Democrat from Tampa who has been one of the area’s biggest champions of the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare.

In 2014, Tampa Family Health Centers provided more than 230,000 medical and dental visits to 77,000 patients.

Health and Human Services said the new investment will add to the more than 550 new health center sites that have opened in the last four years as a result of the Affordable Care Act.