There are important issues facing NCCHCA and our member health centers at the state and national levels. Your action on behalf of health centers is needed and valued.
Reauthorize Community Health Center funding for 5 years.
We are facing another funding cliff in 2019, like the one in 2017. Please remind your members of Congress often that Community Health Centers need stable, long term funding to do their work.
Close North Carolina’s Coverage Gap.
North Carolina has not closed the Health Insurance Coverage gap, and it shows. Community Health Centers served nearly 300,000 uninsured patients in 2017 alone. If many of those patients could gain health insurance coverage, CHCs could provide better and more comprehensive care to all patients, and target health challenges earlier.
Telehealth
Telehealth has the potential to improve access to service and enhance existing patient-provider relationships.
Only 14 of the 42 NC FQHCs utilize limited telehealth on a pilot basis because reimbursement isn’t available to enable them to provide the service to all patients.
Congress should pass legislation to enable FQHCs to bill Medicare for:
- Mobile health visits
- Remote patient monitoring
- Distant site provider services in live video conferencing
- Store and forward (electronic transmission of medical information)