THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT: THE ESSENTIAL ROLE OF COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS

August 11, 2016 • By HealthCare.gov
Cross-posted from HRSA Health Center Program Webpage

Editor’s Note: Learn more! Read about HHS’ new awards for health centers to improve care coordination and become patient-centered medical homes, and download a HRSA Health Center Program fact sheet [PDF 255 KB] on Health Centers and the ACA. Health centers have played an essential role in the implementation of the Affordable Care Act and continue to be a critical element of the nation’s health system. Health centers are a vital source of primary care for millions of insured and medically under-served patients seeking a quality source of care in every state, territory and in the District of Columbia.

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) established the Community Health Center Fund that provided $11 billion over a 5-year period for the operation, expansion, and construction of health centers throughout the Nation.

$9.5 billion was targeted to:
- Support ongoing health center operations.
- Create new health center sites in medically underserved areas.
- Expand preventive and primary health care services, including oral health, behavioral health, pharmacy, and/or enabling services, at existing health center sites.
$1.5 billion supported major construction and renovation projects at community health centers nationwide.

Over the last five years, Affordable Care Act funding has supported:

More than 950 new access points/health center service delivery sites,
Nearly 700 capital development and immediate facility improvement grants for the expansion and improvement of primary care service sites,
Quality improvement awards to more than 1,100 health centers to recognize health center achievements at the highest levels of clinical quality performance and improvement,
Awards to support more than 900 health centers recognized as Patient Centered Medical Homes and increasing team-based models of care,
More than 290 expanded HIV treatment and care grants,
Outreach and enrollment activities in over 1,200 health centers nationwide,
More than 40 health center controlled networks to promote health information technology and EHR adoption,
Ongoing health center operations in more than 1,300 health centers nationwide