Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and the Health Center Program – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and the Health Center Program.
Billing Requirements for Intensive Outpatient Program Services for Federally Qualified Health Centers & Rural Health Clinics
Provides an overview of Medicare coverage for intensive outpatient program (IOP) services and billing requirements for Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs).
Date: 01/2024
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Provides an overview of Medicare coverage for intensive outpatient program (IOP) services and billing requirements for Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs).
Date: 01/2024
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Capital Planning for Addressing Rural Health Needs
Recording of a June 2023 webinar discussing the connection between rural health topics and facility design. Profiles Desert Sage Health Center, a health center serving rural Idaho, and how it tailored the structure of its new facility to suit community needs. Outlines costs that should be considered when planning a capital project and how those costs may present unique challenges in rural areas. Free registration is required to access the webinar recording.
Date: 06/2023
Sponsoring organization: Capital Link
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Recording of a June 2023 webinar discussing the connection between rural health topics and facility design. Profiles Desert Sage Health Center, a health center serving rural Idaho, and how it tailored the structure of its new facility to suit community needs. Outlines costs that should be considered when planning a capital project and how those costs may present unique challenges in rural areas. Free registration is required to access the webinar recording.
Date: 06/2023
Sponsoring organization: Capital Link
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Training the Primary Care Workforce to Deliver Team-Based Care in Underserved Areas: The Teaching Health Center Program
Provides an overview of the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education (THCGME) program. Describes the THCGME program's outcomes in training primary care medical and dental providers, the practice settings of THCGME family medicine graduates, and services provided by program graduates. Profiles four THCGME programs, including three programs that serve tribal or rural areas. Discusses challenges facing Teaching Health Centers, proposed solutions, and key takeaways and recommendations for policymakers.
Author(s): Emily Hawes, Jacob Rains, Candice Chen, Erin Fraher
Date: 06/2023
Sponsoring organization: Milbank Memorial Fund
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Provides an overview of the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education (THCGME) program. Describes the THCGME program's outcomes in training primary care medical and dental providers, the practice settings of THCGME family medicine graduates, and services provided by program graduates. Profiles four THCGME programs, including three programs that serve tribal or rural areas. Discusses challenges facing Teaching Health Centers, proposed solutions, and key takeaways and recommendations for policymakers.
Author(s): Emily Hawes, Jacob Rains, Candice Chen, Erin Fraher
Date: 06/2023
Sponsoring organization: Milbank Memorial Fund
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Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs): CMS Flexibilities to Fight COVID-19
Outlines specific regulatory waivers and Medicare flexibilities for Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) issued in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Includes information on payments for telehealth services, COVID-19 vaccines, therapeutics, and more. Identifies whether each waiver or flexibility was terminated, ended at the conclusion of the public health emergency, was extended, or became permanent.
Date: 05/2023
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Outlines specific regulatory waivers and Medicare flexibilities for Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) issued in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Includes information on payments for telehealth services, COVID-19 vaccines, therapeutics, and more. Identifies whether each waiver or flexibility was terminated, ended at the conclusion of the public health emergency, was extended, or became permanent.
Date: 05/2023
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Community Health Centers Seek to Prepare Medicaid Beneficiaries, and Themselves, for the Risks Ahead
Explores how Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), including an FQHC serving rural North Carolina, are helping Medicaid beneficiaries stay enrolled or find alternate coverage during the post-COVID-19 redetermination process. Describes how operations of these FQHCs have been changed by funding from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and pandemic-related regulatory flexibilities.
Date: 05/2023
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
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Explores how Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), including an FQHC serving rural North Carolina, are helping Medicaid beneficiaries stay enrolled or find alternate coverage during the post-COVID-19 redetermination process. Describes how operations of these FQHCs have been changed by funding from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and pandemic-related regulatory flexibilities.
Date: 05/2023
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
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Patient Satisfaction with Rural Health Centers
Examines patient satisfaction with health centers in Illinois by patient demographics, including metro versus nonmetro home location. Utilizes 7,002 records from Health Center Patient Survey (HCPS) data gathered from October 2014 through April 2015 to analyze health status, perception of healthcare quality, and satisfaction of health center patients.
Author(s): Adee Athiyaman
Date: 05/2023
Sponsoring organization: Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs
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Examines patient satisfaction with health centers in Illinois by patient demographics, including metro versus nonmetro home location. Utilizes 7,002 records from Health Center Patient Survey (HCPS) data gathered from October 2014 through April 2015 to analyze health status, perception of healthcare quality, and satisfaction of health center patients.
Author(s): Adee Athiyaman
Date: 05/2023
Sponsoring organization: Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs
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Mental Health Visits via Telecommunications for Rural Health Clinics & Federally Qualified Health Centers
Details regulatory changes for Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) regarding mental health visits provided through real-time audio-video and audio-only technologies. Includes information on coding for RHC and FQHC claims, in-person mental health visit requirements, and exceptions to the in-person requirement.
Date: 05/2023
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Details regulatory changes for Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) regarding mental health visits provided through real-time audio-video and audio-only technologies. Includes information on coding for RHC and FQHC claims, in-person mental health visit requirements, and exceptions to the in-person requirement.
Date: 05/2023
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Community Health Centers And Medicaid: A Deeper Dive Into FQHC Alternative Payment Reform
An overview of the development of the Medicaid FQHC policy, since 1965, between Medicare and Medicaid, providing third-party financing, and CHCs, offering primary healthcare to underserved rural and urban areas. Discusses the discrepancies in Medicaid payment policies affecting CHCs, and federal legislative actions and amendments to reconcile budgets. Describes the alternative payment methodology (APM) and its effect on the prospective payment system.
Author(s): Sara Rosenbaum, Peter Shin, Jessica Sharac, Colleen Bedenbaugh
Citation: Health Affairs
Date: 01/2023
Sponsoring organization: Health Affairs
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An overview of the development of the Medicaid FQHC policy, since 1965, between Medicare and Medicaid, providing third-party financing, and CHCs, offering primary healthcare to underserved rural and urban areas. Discusses the discrepancies in Medicaid payment policies affecting CHCs, and federal legislative actions and amendments to reconcile budgets. Describes the alternative payment methodology (APM) and its effect on the prospective payment system.
Author(s): Sara Rosenbaum, Peter Shin, Jessica Sharac, Colleen Bedenbaugh
Citation: Health Affairs
Date: 01/2023
Sponsoring organization: Health Affairs
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School-Based Telehealth Playbook
Guides health centers through the design, implementation, and operation of a telehealth program that meets the needs of children and adolescents. Covers assessing needs and readiness, program models, business models, technology and equipment, program evaluation, partnerships, and implementation. Highlights examples from rural areas throughout.
Date: 2023
Sponsoring organization: School-Based Health Alliance
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Guides health centers through the design, implementation, and operation of a telehealth program that meets the needs of children and adolescents. Covers assessing needs and readiness, program models, business models, technology and equipment, program evaluation, partnerships, and implementation. Highlights examples from rural areas throughout.
Date: 2023
Sponsoring organization: School-Based Health Alliance
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Contraceptive Care Service Provision via Telehealth Early in the COVID-19 Pandemic at Rural and Urban Federally Qualified Health Centers in 2 Southeastern States
Explores a study on the use of telehealth by Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) to provide contraceptive services during the COVID-19 pandemic in Alabama and South Carolina. Breaks down data by clinic accessibility and services offered, type of contraceptives provided, and rural versus urban location, among other factors.
Author(s): Kate Beatty, Michael G. Smith, Amal J. Khoury, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 39(1), 160-171
Date: 12/2022
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Explores a study on the use of telehealth by Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) to provide contraceptive services during the COVID-19 pandemic in Alabama and South Carolina. Breaks down data by clinic accessibility and services offered, type of contraceptives provided, and rural versus urban location, among other factors.
Author(s): Kate Beatty, Michael G. Smith, Amal J. Khoury, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 39(1), 160-171
Date: 12/2022
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Last Updated: 7/2/2025