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Showing posts with label grants. Show all posts
Showing posts with label grants. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Fla. health centers getting $21M in fed grants
MIAMI (AP) — Community health centers around Florida will receive $21 million in federal grants under the Affordable Care Act, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said Tuesday.
The announcement comes after Gov. Rick Scott and state leaders have turned down more than $100 million in grants tied to the federal health care law, which Florida is challenging in court.
Community leaders estimate the money will help them serve more than 41,000 new patients, according to the health department statement.
Borinquen Health Care Center, Inc., which was awarded more than $4.2 million, serves 27,000 patients in Miami every year, up from 13,000 four years ago. The majority of patients don't have health insurance. Another large amount, $5 million, went to the Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners.
"It doesn't matter to me (where the money is coming from)," said Borinquen CEO Bob Linder. "We're there for those who need to be served. These moneys are tremendous opportunities for us that we can expand our services."
Linder says the demand for health care services has increased in the downturned economy as the unemployed and underemployed struggle to find health insurance. The organization has 13 locations, including five schools centers, and serves about 3,000 Haitians a month. The grant money will allow the center to expand from 18 to 32 exam rooms, modernize its x-ray machines, add more dental chairs and add hurricane impact windows.
The medical home model, where patients go to one location for regular health care, can better coordinate care for the patients they know and are monitoring over time, in theory. Proponents say it also saves money by diverting patients from making emergency room visits for less-serious issues. Borinquen has a state-funded ER diversion program with three local hospitals.
Scott's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment about Tuesday's $21 million grant announcement.
Scott and the Republican-led Legislature have rejected or declined to pursue more than $106 million in federal grant money and returned another $4.5 million for programs linked to federal health care initiatives, including cancer prevention. Critics to say he is putting his conservative agenda ahead of residents' needs.
Scott has ordered state agencies to reject any money tied to President Barack Obama's health care plan. The figures, which are totals of funds that could have been obtained over five years, were provided by the governor's office last fall.
"Hundreds of millions of dollars are going to other states that rightly should be going to Florida because we deserve to have our fair share of what our taxpayers send up to Washington," said Democratic Sen. Nan Rich.
"One after the other, we either don't apply or turn back grant money that rightfully belongs to the taxpayers of Florida."
$21M in federal grants for 5 Kansas health centers
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Five community health centers in Kansas will receive about $21 million in federal grants for expansion projects, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said Tuesday.
The grants are from the Affordable Care Act, which provides about $9.5 billion to expand services over five years and $1.5 billion to support construction and renovation projects at community health centers, the department said in a release.
The number of patients being served by community health centers is expected to grow by about 1.3 million patients nationwide during the next two years, the department said.
"For many Americans, community health centers are the major source of care that ranges from prevention to treatment of chronic diseases," Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said in the release.
The grants nationwide are from two capital programs for community health centers. One program provides about $629 million to 171 health centers for longer-term projects to expand their facilities. The second group of awards provides about $99 million to 227 health centers to take care of more urgent facility and equipment needs.
The Kansas centers receiving money for long term expansion plans are Prairiestar Health Center in Hutchinson, which will get $5 million; Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas, $4.7 million; the Hunter Health Clinic in Wichita, $4.6 million; Konza Prairie Community Health Center in Junction City, $4.5 million; and the Salina Health Education Foundation, which will receive about $2.7 million.
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