HHS Announces FQHC Funds to Support Medicare Care Coordination - June 14, 2011

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on June 6 announced the availability of $42 million across 3 years for up to 500 federally-qualified health centers (FQHCs) to support care coordination for Medicare patients. The FQHC Advanced Primary Care Practice (APCP), authorized under the Affordable Care Act, will demonstrate the use of patient-centered medical homes to encourage quality care, improve health and lower costs. Under the program, teams of physicians and other practitioners will work together to improve care for an estimated 195,000 patients. FQHCs that have provided care to at least 200 Medicare beneficiaries in the previous year are eligible for participation. Applications for the FQHC APCP are due by Aug. 12, 2011, and the demonstration program will run from Sept. 1, 2011 through Aug. 31, 2014.