Federally Qualified Health Center
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) is a reimbursement designation that refers to several health programs funded under Section 330 of the Public Health Service Act of the United States of America's Federal Government. These 330 grantees in the Health Center Program include:
- Community Health Centers which serve a variety of underserved populations and areas,
- Migrant Health Centers which serve migrant and seasonal agricultural workers,
- Health Care for the Homeless Programs which reach out to homeless individuals and families and provide primary and preventive care and substance abuse services, and
- Public Housing Primary Care Programs that serve residents of public housing and are located in or adjacent to the communities they serve.[1]
FQHC are community based organizations that provide comprehensive primary and preventive health, oral, and mental health/substance abuse services to persons in all stages of the life cycle, regardless of their ability to pay.
As an organization FQHC's operate under a consumer Board of Directors governance structure and function under the supervision of the Health Resources and Services Administration,which is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. FQHC's were originally meant to provide comprehensive health services to the medically underserved to reduce the patient load on hospital emergency rooms.
Their mission has changed since their founding. They now bring primary health care to the underserved, underinsured and non-insured people of the United States. These groups include migrant workers and non-citizen visitors and guests in the United States. FQHCs are located in or serve Federally designated Medically Underserved Area/Populations (MUA or MUP).
FQHCs provide their services to all persons regardless of ability to pay, and charge for services on a community board approved sliding-fee scale that is based on patients’ family income and size. FQHCs must comply with Section 330 program requirements.
FQHCs are also called Community/Migrant Health Centers (C/MHC), Community Health Centers (CHC), and 330 Funded Clinics.
President Bush launched the Health Centers Initiative to significantly increase access to primary health care services in 1,200 communities through new or expanded health center sites. Between 2001 and 2006, the number of patients treated at health centers has increased by over 4.7 million, representing a nearly 50 percent increase in just five years. In 2006 the number of patients served topped the 15 million mark for the first time.
Approximately two-thirds of health center patients are minorities, and 9 out of 10 have incomes below 200 percent of the federal poverty line. Four in 10 health center patients have no health insurance.
The health center program’s annual federal funding has grown from $1.16 billion in fiscal year 2001 to $1.99 billion in fiscal year 2007.
