Answers to Frequently Asked Questions About OPCA
Community Health Centers offer a ‘Health Care Home’ for
Oklahomans
·
Presidential Initiatives to
Expand Health Centers,
Since
FY 2001
-
Double the number of patients seen
in health centers
- Increase the number of CHCs
from 3,200 to 4,400 nationwide
- Initiatives has strong bipartisan support
- CHCs have received funding increases while
other programs were being cut
·
History of Community Health Centers (CHC)
- Began in1966 as part of President Lyndon
Johnson’s Great Society Program
(at same time as Head Start)
- In existence for over 35 years
·
Core Elements of Section 330
- Federal resources targeted to communities with highest
needs
- Services must be available for all
regardless of ability to pay particularly those with
major financial, social,
cultural, and language barriers
- Services must include comprehensive
preventive/primary care, enabling and health education
- CHCs directed by governing board of which
51% are patients of the center
·
CHCs…
- are Public-Private partnerships
- must meet local health needs as determined
by the community
- must meet national performance standards
for high quality care
- depend on outside funds from Medicare,
Medicaid, state and local governments, private
insurance, and
patient fees
- qualify to receive enhanced reimbursement
under Medicare and Medicaid with Federally Qualified
Health
Center (FQHC) status
·
How do communities receive CHC funding?
- Competitive grant process under Section 330
Public Health Service (PHS) Act
- Grant funds are not ‘seed money’
- Receive ongoing support based on
productivity
·
CHCs in Oklahoma prior to president’s 5
year initiative
4 grantees
2 homeless centers
·
CHCs in Oklahoma
-
Thirteen grantees in Oklahoma
-
Twenty-six total sites including two homeless centers
·
CHCs are economic engines for their
communities
- Nationally over $14 billion in economic activity is generated by health
centers
- Nationwide over 50,000 people are employed
For more information about the CHC
program and 330 grant funding, please call Oklahoma
Primary Care Association at (405) 424-2282. Ext. 104 or
113 or visit the website at www.okpca.org.
© 2005-2007 Oklahoma Primary Care Association
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