Federally qualified health center (fqhc)

Health centers that have been approved by the government for a program to give low cost health care.

Medicare

Medicare pays for some health services in fqhcs that are not usually covered, like preventive care.

Types

Fqhcs include community health centers, tribal health clinics, migrant health services, and health centers for the homeless.

Funding

Federally Qualified Health Centers are community-based health care providers that receive funds from the HRSA Health Center Program to provide primary care services in underserved areas. Most health centers receive Health Center Program federal grant funding to improve the health of underserved and vulnerable populations. Some health centers receive funding to focus on special populations including individuals and families experiencing homelessness, migratory and seasonal agricultural workers, and residents of public housing. The majority of health center operating funds come from Medicaid, Medicare, private insurance, patient fees, and other resources. Some health centers that meet all Health Center Program requirements do not receive Federal award funding. These are called Health Center Program look-alikes.

Requirements

They must meet a stringent set of requirements, including providing care on a sliding fee scale based on ability to pay and operating under a governing board that includes patients.

Populations served

Federally Qualified Health Centers may be Community Health Centers, Migrant Health Centers, Health Care for the Homeless, and Health Centers for Residents of Public Housing.

Legislation

The defining legislation for Federally Qualified Health Centers (under the Consolidated Health Center Program) is Section 1905(l)(2)(B) of the Social Security Act.

Health Center Program fundamentals

• Deliver high quality, culturally competent, comprehensive primary care, as well as supportive services such as health education, translation, and transportation that promote access to health care.
• Provide services regardless of patients’ ability to pay and charge for services on a sliding fee scale.
• Operate under the direction of patient-majority governing boards of autonomous community-based organizations. These include public and private non-profit organizations and tribal and faith-based organizations.
• Develop systems of patient-centered and integrated care that respond to the unique needs of diverse medically underserved areas and populations.
• Meet requirements regarding administrative, clinical, and financial operations.

How Health Centers Work

Health centers overcome geographic, cultural, linguistic, and other barriers to care by delivering coordinated and comprehensive primary and preventive services. This care reduces health disparities by emphasizing care management of patients with multiple health care needs and the use of key quality improvement practices, including health information technology.

Health centers leverage a variety of other related programs. Health centers that receive federal grant funding may gain access to medical malpractice coverage under Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA), and some receive federal loan guarantees for capital improvements.

All health centers, including look-alikes, gain access to:

• Federally Qualified Health Center Prospective Payment System reimbursement for services to Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries;

• 340B Drug Pricing Program discounts for pharmaceutical products;

• Free vaccines for uninsured and underinsured children through the Vaccines for Children Program; and,

• Assistance in the recruitment and retention of primary care providers through the National Health Service Corps.

Impact of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

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. The passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) in March 2010 resulted in provisions that increased federal funding to FQHCs to help them meet the anticipated health care demand of millions of Americans who will gain health care coverage as result of the health reform law.

Total centers by location

FQHCs in 2016

State or Territory	FQHCs
Alabama	14
Alaska	28
American Samoa	1
Arizona	21
Arkansas	12
California	176
Colorado	20
Connecticut	16
Delaware	3
District of Columbia	8
Fed. States of Micronesia	3
Florida	48
Georgia	35
Guam	1
Hawaii	14
Idaho	14
Illinois	45
Indiana	25
Iowa	14
Kansas	18
Kentucky	23
Louisiana	34
Maine	18
Marshall Islands	1
Maryland	17
Massachusetts	39
Michigan	39
Minnesota	16
Mississippi	21
Missouri	28
Montana	17
Nebraska	7
Nevada	5
New Hampshire	11
New Jersey	23
New Mexico	17
New York	65
Northern Marianas	1
North Carolina	38
North Dakota	4
Ohio	45
Oklahoma	20
Oregon	31
Pennsylvania	44
Puerto Rico	20
Republic of Palau	1
Rhode Island	8
South Carolina	22
South Dakota	5
Tennessee	29
Texas	73
Utah	13
Vermont	11
Virgin Islands	2
Virginia	26
Washington	27
West Virginia	27
Wisconsin	17
Wyoming	6
Total	1,367

External links

• Bureau of Primary Health Care
• Center for Medicare and Medicaid Advocacy
• National Association of Community Health Centers
• General information Texas Association of Community Health Centers
• Community Health Center Association of Connecticut
• Community Health Center of Central Florida

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