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The Florida Association of Community Health Centers says its membership can have hassle making ends meet if lawmakers don’t enhance the Medicaid potential cost price for Florida’s federally certified well being facilities.
Within the leadup to the 2024 Legislative Session, FACHC shared knowledge with lawmakers exhibiting that the possible cost price for Florida FQHCs falls wanting masking precise affected person care prices, with a $106.00 reimbursement hole for each Medicaid affected person go to. If the speed shouldn’t be elevated, FACHC mentioned the shortfall may cut back well being care entry for among the state’s poorest and most susceptible populations.
“Florida’s well being facilities are lifelines for our communities, delivering essential healthcare companies. Nonetheless, the present Medicaid reimbursement charges in our state fail to replicate the true price of offering care, inserting an unsustainable burden on these very important facilities,” mentioned Healthcare Community CEO and Chair of the FACHC Legislative Affairs Committee Jamie Ulmer.
“It’s crucial that Florida prioritize a Medicaid reimbursement adjustment to make sure Florida’s well being facilities can proceed their mission of offering high-quality care to all, no matter revenue or circumstance,” Ulmer continued. “We recognize the efforts of our legislators, particularly Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, for her work on the Reside Wholesome invoice to assist handle the complexities of delivering important care to our communities.”
FACHC mentioned the present shortfall is being exacerbated by Medicaid “unwinding”— the method of eligibility redeterminations for the well being care security web program following the expiry of a federal emergency declaration that prevented states from eradicating Medicaid enrollees throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. As many as a million Floridians might be disenrolled throughout the unwinding course of.
Group well being facilities present important main care companies to people and households, together with preventive care, persistent illness administration, and behavioral well being companies. Additionally they function a crucial security web for susceptible populations who might not have entry to different well being care choices.
Florida’s FQHCs embrace 54 group well being facilities with over 800 places. Yearly, they supply main and preventative care companies to 1.8 million sufferers, 51% of whom are lined by Medicare or Medicaid and 28% of whom are uninsured. In 2023, Florida group well being facilities served greater than 627,800 kids, 14,400 veterans and 77,500 sufferers scuffling with housing instability. Greater than 87% of sufferers served by group well being facilities reside under the federal poverty stage.
However FACHC says if Medicaid potential cost charges don’t enhance, these facilities will be unable to maintain their companies, and lots of of them might have to cut back the companies they supply or restrict the variety of sufferers they serve.
“After an intensive evaluation to find out the typical price of care, we’re calling on state lawmakers to extend Medicaid potential cost charges to make sure these suppliers’ continued sustainability, so all Floridians have entry to the well being care they want,” mentioned Jonathan Chapman, President and CEO of FACHC. “By investing in our group well being facilities, we’re investing in our communities by way of improved well being outcomes and lowered well being care prices in the long term.”
FACHC Board Chair and Suncoast Group Well being Facilities CEO Brad Herremans added, “Florida deserves a wholesome and strong healthcare system of which the FQHCs are a key part. Our state Medicaid reimbursement charges have historically lagged behind many different states for years. A rise on this price would go an extended strategy to guarantee a rising and wholesome system. One desperately wanted to assist with our ever-growing inhabitants.”
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