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Alliance for Healthcare Access

Alliance for Healthcare Access. What Does the Alliance for Healthcare Access Do?. Seeks to identify community solutions to address growing health needs of the uninsured and underinsured. Meets monthly Made up of 20 organizations Represents both Grand Forks and Polk Counties.

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Alliance for Healthcare Access

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  1. Alliance for Healthcare Access

  2. What Does the Alliance for Healthcare Access Do? • Seeks to identify community solutions to address growing health needs of the uninsured and underinsured • Meets monthly • Made up of 20 organizations • Represents both Grand Forks and Polk Counties

  3. Goals of Alliance for Healthcare Access (AHA) • Improve the accessibility for comprehensive primary care services in Grand Forks and Polk Counties • Establish better collaboration between community agencies • Identify ways in which to improve access to primary healthcare services

  4. Background

  5. Snapshot of Health in GF / EGF • Total population (2010) • Grand Forks County = 66,861 (GF) = 52,838 • Polk County = 31,600 (EGF) = 8,601 • Free and reduced lunch = 2,523 • (37% of all elementary children in GF) • Percent below poverty levels (2010) • Grand Forks County = 17.5% / (GF) = 20.6% • Polk County = 13.0% / (EGF) = 14.5% • National rate = 13.8% • # of homeless • New Americans / refugees = 91 (GF) • # w/o health insurance

  6. Insurance Status

  7. Northlands Rescue Mission • 1999: 30 people/night • 2010: 130 people/night • Must be 18 years of age or older • Many have medical problems • 80% have health conditions • Less than 5% have health insurance

  8. (Northlands Rescue Mission, 2010)

  9. Refugee / New American Arrivals

  10. Strategies for Improving Health in Grand Forks & Polk Counties • Improve collaboration between community agencies • Identify solutions specific to the Upper Red River Valley • Through the AHA, and stakeholder interviews, it was identified that a COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER is a viable and sustainable option

  11. Community Health Center

  12. What is a Community Health Center? • Otherwise known as a Federally Qualified Community Health Center (FQHC) • Provides comprehensive primary & preventative care regardless of insurance status • Requires strong community collaboration

  13. Benefits of a Community Health Center • Enhanced reimbursement rates from Medicare and Medicaid for services • Free malpractice coverage for all required services of a CHC • Ability to participate the 330 drug program • Provides comprehensive preventative care that minimizes cost to emergency care services. Saves a community millions of dollars

  14. Challenges to Establishing / Maintaining a CHC • Must provide multiple required services • Must have strong community collaborations • Must develop sound business model that incorporates proper mix of enhanced reimbursement rates, private pay and donor funds. • Provider recruitment

  15. CHC Requirements

  16. CHC Requirements • Located in an area of high unmet needs • Provide primary & preventative services • Obtain referral arrangements with specialist / hospitals for required services • Offer sliding fee discounts adjusted on patient’s ability to pay • Operate as a public or non-profit entity governed by majority of CHC patients

  17. CHC Requirements LOCATED IN AN AREA OF HIGH UNMET NEEDS • Downtown Grand Forks – multiple social service agencies, good public transport • Greatly reduces barrier to care

  18. CHC Requirements PRIMARY & PREVENTATIVE SERVICES • CHC offers continuity of care. Proactive rather than reactive healthcare • Multiple agencies providing services, but lack ability to provide case management – costing the community of Grand Forks / EGF millions each year • CHC’s save communities BLANK dollars per year

  19. CHC Requirements WRITTEN REFERRAL ARRANGEMENTS • Established written referrals provide better continuity of care and reduces duplication of services • Referral agreements for services (lab, x-ray, etc)

  20. CHC Requirements OFFER SLIDING FEE DISCOUNTS • Each CHC establishes its unique, community-specific budget. • A CHC is nota free clinic. Built on business principles to remain sustainable – while also providing primary care to those who fall between the cracks. Business model based on enhanced reimbursement set by federal guidelines, private pay, donated services and private donations.

  21. CHC Requirements BOARD GOVERNANCE • A CHC is a non-profit or public entity governed by a board of directors • Board must reflect at least 50% representation by patients of the community health center.

  22. What is Happening Now?

  23. Federally Qualified Health Centers in North Dakota • Northland Community Health Center • Coal Country Community Health Center • Valley Community Health Centers • Family HealthCare Center (HRSA, 2010)

  24. Community Health Center Planning in Grand Forks • $80,000 planning grant awarded to the City of Grand Forks to help coordinate CHC planning (only 127 grants awarded nationally) • Alliance members developing financial and operational needs for CHC in Grand Forks • Valley Community Health Centers of Northwood and Larimore expected to operate CHC & Dental Clinic in Grand Forks

  25. Interested in Learning More?

  26. Resources AHA WEBSITE: www.allianceforhealthcare.org ADDITIONAL WEBSITES: • National Association of Community Health Centers: http://www.nachc.org/ • Community Health Care Association of the Dakotas: http://www.communityhealthcare.net/ • Health Resources and Services Administration: http://www.hrsa.gov/index.html

  27. Questions? CONTACT: Mara Jiran Project Coordinator (email) mjiran@grandforksgov.com (direct) 701-787-8115

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