Feds Earmark $42M for FQHC Demo Project

The Federally Qualified Health Center Advanced Primary Care Practice demonstration project will pay an estimated $42 million over three years to as many as 500 FQHCs to coordinate care for Medicare patients, the Department of Health and Human Services announced on Monday.

The project, to be operated by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services in partnership with the Health Resources Services Administration, will test the effectiveness of doctors and other health professionals working in teams to improve care for up to 195,000 Medicare patients.

The initiative is part of the Affordable Care Act.

The purpose of FQHC-APCP demonstration is to show how the patient-centered medical home model can improve quality of care, promote better health, and lower costs. Participating FQHCs must implement electronic health records, help patients manage chronic conditions, and coordinate care for patients. FQHCs will agree to adopt care coordination practices recognized by the National Committee for Quality Assurance.