Recovery Act Assists Tennesseans With Primary Care
Two State-Run FQHCs to Receive more than $780,000
NASHVILLE – Uninsured and underinsured families in Tennessee are beginning to see real benefits of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. On Friday, March 27, U.S. Health and Human Services officials announced $6.5 million in Increased Demand for Services (IDS) grants for the 23 federally qualified health centers in Tennessee. With this funding, these health centers will be able to provide care to an additional 37,000 people in the state, more than half of whom – 20,000 – have no health insurance. The funds will be used over the next two years to create or retain 147 health center jobs.
“These Recovery Act grants will play an integral role in expanding primary and preventive health care services at a critical time for our state,” said Governor Phil Bredesen. “These funds greatly benefit families whose health care resources are fewer as a direct result of the economic downturn.”
Two state-run health centers are among the grant recipients. The Stewart County Community Medical Center will use its $147,000 to expand existing dental care for children, initiate an adult dental program and continue providing annual dilated retinal eye screenings for eligible diabetic patients. The Upper Cumberland Primary Care Project was awarded more than $639,000 to expand primary and dental care, and improve outcomes for diabetic and cardiovascular disease patients. Of patients currently being served in the area, which includes 14 of Tennessee’s most rural and geographically isolated counties, 54 percent are uninsured. Included are Cannon, Clay, Cumberland, DeKalb, Fentress, Jackson, Macon, Overton, Pickett, Putnam, Smith, Van Buren, Warren and White Counties.
“The health of Tennesseans must remain a priority, particularly in these difficult financial times,” said state Health Commissioner Susan R. Cooper, MSN, RN. “With the additional funds, these health centers will be able to expand services to provide for many more residents of Tennessee who have too little or no health care coverage.”
Nationally, IDS funds will be distributed to 1,128 federally qualified health center grantees. FQHCs served more than 16 million patients in the U.S. in 2007, about 40 percent of whom had no health insurance.
FQHCs are private, not-for-profit, consumer-directed health care corporations that provide high quality, cost-effective and comprehensive primary and preventive care to medically underserved and uninsured people. Charges for services are determined based on household income. This nationwide network is primarily comprised of health centers, which are supported by federal grants under the U.S. Public Health Service Act. These community-based providers are commonly referred to as FQHCs because they meet rigorous federal standards related to quality of care, services and cost, and they are qualified to receive cost-based reimbursement under Medicaid and Medicare law. More information about Tennessee’s FQHCs is available online at www.tnpca.org.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 will speed economic recovery, create and save jobs and provide needed services to Tennesseans. For more information, visit www.tnrecovery.gov, www.recovery.gov or the Department of Health’s Recovery Web page at http://health.state.tn.us/recovery/index.htm.