What HRSA Got Right with COVID-19 FQHC Emergency Funding 2021
The last 18 months have been a blur for everyone working at Community Health Centers (CHCs). CHCs have experienced supply shortages, anxious patients (and hesitant ones), and ever-changing testing and vaccination protocols. While the supply issue appears to be resolved, the rest continues well into 2021 as COVID-19 variants continue to spread.
There has been no shortage of tragedy, particularly in under-served communities. From economic and employment shocks to heightened anxiety and other mental health concerns, this pandemic is not over. The sobering amount of illness and death from COVID-19 continues to impact us all.
While all hope that the worst is behind us, the work is not done. We will keep working—in many states assuming more duties—until our communities are vaccinated and receiving all the medical, dental, and behavioral health care services they need.
But it’s worth taking a moment to note some overwhelmingly positive developments in the community health center world as a direct result of the pandemic. So many in the healthcare industry expected the worst. But it turns out that during one of the most chaotic times in our recent history that the quick mobilization and response — from Congress to the CHC employee dealing with PPE shortages — was one of our collective best.
Here are 3 positive developments in regards to CHCs and HRSA emergency funding:
Telehealth Coverage
Much has been made of the accelerated transition to telehealth – and the encouraging signs that payors will cover the costs of these services not just during the pandemic but looking ahead as well.
Here’s what Kristin Stearns, CEO at Lakeshore Community Health Care in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, recently had to say about the COVID-19 FQHC Emergency Funding:
“As a leader of a Federally Qualified Community Health Center, I was so impressed with HRSA and Federal Government’s heavy lift to get funding quickly to our organization to help us focus on solutions to the pandemic and being able to continue to serve our patient population with additional support through changes in telehealth policy.
Being able to pivot to telehealth allowed us to serve our medical, behavioral health, and dental patient population on an ongoing basis. Due to this, we were able to support our local health systems who could refer community members to us when most appropriate and keep our staff employed.”
Positive Media Attention
CHCs have received an unprecedented amount of public attention as well, as they have performed vital roles in testing and vaccination. Often, local business and government leaders – some unaware of a CHC’s existence – have received their shots or tests at CHCs.
The media’s coverage of the critical role CHCs play in responding to the pandemic has encouraged community leaders — and residents — to expand support, not limit it.
It’s a trend that will, hopefully, continue as communities learn more about the important role CHCs play.
But there’s a third — much less told — bit of good news:
Quick Congressional Funding and HRSA Action
Congressional action to pass stimulus was swift and large. But, what really stood out was HRSA’s even quicker action at turning Congressional legislation into real dollars to cover real-time needs during the pandemic
And no one’s really talking about it.
“When the pandemic hit, there was a lot of fear and anxiety about our health center’s immediate future. I was so thankful and relieved that HRSA responded so quickly – within a couple weeks – to provide our health center with substantial supplemental funding through the CARES Act. When we received that Notice of Award I knew everything would be alright.”
Marty Schaller, COO/CFO at Lakeshore Community Health Care in Sheboygan, Wisconsin
The initial response, followed by the FQHC emergency funding 2021 capital expense grants and more, made all the difference to community health centers’ response time. Quick action saved the lives of both healthcare workers and their community-at-large.
For example, one solution with quick implementation was the Special Provider Relief Fund that was combined with the Payroll Protection Program. It was key to ensuring staff salaries were covered and the facilities remained staffed.
FQHC Emergency Funding 2021 began in 2020 but continues to be relevant today.
FQHC Emergency Funding Success Stories
So much has been written about all the challenges the healthcare industry faced when battling the pandemic.
CHCs everywhere were scrambling to understand:
the evolving science of the COVID-19 pandemic
the role of CHCs in the local community response
how to test and treat patients
how to deal with reductions inpatient volumes and revenue loss
how to manage large staffs and their real-world / non-work concerns
All of the above have been great challenges to overcome.
But it’s worth noting — and celebrating — the speed with which the funding moved from Congressional appropriation to the health centers that so desperately needed assistance and funding. It’s a little talked about success story.
Think about it. HRSA was distributing grants in as little as 5 days, a welcome decrease in a turnaround time that normally hovers in the 90-120 day range. You can read more about the pivot here.
The COVID-19 pandemic tested our nation’s health system, and one of the best performers was the network of CHCs. Because they suffered financial losses early in the pandemic, CHCs needed help to maintain operations - and they got it.
Quick Congressional legislation – and even quicker action by HRSA, turning legislation into real dollars to cover the real-time needs of CHCs – was critical to CHCs ability to provide COVID testing and vaccinations, in addition to their everyday role of providing primary medical, dental, and behavioral health care to underserved populations.
From the patients CHCs serve to the community’s leaders and residents who didn’t realize how important they were, the heightened awareness of the critical role CHCs play in communities everywhere is a move in the right direction - and one everyone hopes to see continue.
Plus, it’s nice to read a little bit of good news, isn’t it?!
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