Community health centers play a critical role in the delivery of primary care to more than one million people covered under Medicare, the national health insurance program for older Americans.
To ensure access to a wide range of health services for seniors, Congress in 1990 created the Medicare Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) program. Recognizing the cost savings afforded through care at health centers, and the need to prevent health centers from subsidizing Medicare services, Congress required reasonable reimbursement for serving Medicare patients.
Concurrently for the last 15 years, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has imposed an arbitrary payment cap on health centers. More than 75% of all health centers feel its effects.
For that reason, the NACHC has been working with Congress and the CMS to modify that payment cap system. It hasn’t happened yet. The NACHC recently determined that the cap has cost health centers more than $50 million — money that could serve thousands more patients.
Other Resources
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
House Committee on Ways and Means
House Committee on Energy and Commerce
| NEW 07-17-2008 |
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Summary of FQHC Provision in H.R. 6331, The Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers
(37kb)
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| 06-16-2008 |
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Summary of FQHC Provision in S. 3101
(11kb)
The Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008 |
| 04-03-2008 |
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Medicare Access to Community Health Centers (MATCH) Act Summary
(124kb)
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LEGISLATION
| 04-03-2008 |
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CoSponsors of H.R. 2897
(5kb)
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| 04-03-2008 |
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Cosponsors of S.2188
(22kb)
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| 12-01-2007 |
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NACHC Endorsement of H.R. 2897
(41kb)
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| 12-01-2007 |
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NACHC Endorsement of S.2188
(26kb)
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| 12-01-2007 |
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Text of H.R. 2897, the Medicare Access to Community Health Centers (MATCH) Act of 2007
(48kb)
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| 12-01-2007 |
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Text of S.2188, the Medicare Access to Community Health Centers (MATCH) Act of 2007
(48kb)
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