Developing Federally Qualified Health Centers into Community ...

that address women’s unique health care needs, and models that transition primary
care practices away from fee-for-service–based reimbursement and toward
comprehensive payment or salary-based payment.
• Supporting care coordination for chronically ill applicable individuals at high risk of
hospitalization through a health information technology–enabled provider network
that includes care coordinators, a chronic disease registry, and home telehealth
technology.
• Establishing community-based health teams to support small-practice medical homes
by assisting the primary care practitioner in chronic care management, including
patient self-management, activities.
• Promoting greater efficiencies and timely access to outpatient services (such as
outpatient physical therapy services) through models that do not require a physician
or other health professional to refer the service or be involved in establishing the plan
of care for the service, when such service is furnished by a health professional who
has the authority to furnish the service under existing state law.
Enhanced Funding for FQHCs
The Affordable Care Act, as amended by the Health Care and Education
Reconciliation Act of 2010, also includes funding ―for expanded and sustained national
investment in community health centers.‖ 30 The legislation appropriates $11 billion for
fiscal years 2011–15 to support expansion of the operations and infrastructure of
community health centers, and another $1.5 billion to support expansion of the National
Health Service Corps. With these new resources, FQHCs may be better positioned to
expand their roles.
Community Health Teams
The Affordable Care Act establishes a community health team program that will
offer key medical home services to primary care providers through interdisciplinary
teams. States, state-designated entities, and tribes will be eligible to receive grants under
this program. Conceivably, an FQHC, Primary Care Association, or FQHC network
could serve as a base for a community health team. The teams envisioned in the statute
appear to resemble networks similar to Community Health Partners of Community Care
of North Carolina. The statute specifies that community health teams will offer primary
care providers services such as:
• coordinat[ing] disease prevention, chronic disease management, transitioning
between health care providers and settings and case management for patients;
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