[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 231 Introduced in House (IH)]







109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 231

 Recognizing the benefits and importance of Federally-qualified health 
 centers and the Medicaid prospective payment system for such centers.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 28, 2005

  Mr. Pickering (for himself, Mr. Towns, Mr. Hall, Mr. Sessions, Mr. 
 Goode, Mrs. Myrick, Mr. Burgess, Mr. Whitfield, Mr. Moran of Kansas, 
 Mr. Olver, Mr. Cardoza, Mr. Cuellar, Mr. Payne, Mr. Baird, Mr. Lynch, 
Mr. Evans, Ms. Herseth, Mr. Case, Mr. McDermott, Mrs. Christensen, Mr. 
Sanders, Mr. Capuano, Mr. Inslee, Mr. Waxman, Mr. Norwood, Mrs. Cubin, 
 Mr. Brown of Ohio, Mr. Terry, Mr. Al Green of Texas, Mr. Conyers, Ms. 
Norton, Mr. Putnam, and Mr. Filner) submitted the following concurrent 
 resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
 Recognizing the benefits and importance of Federally-qualified health 
 centers and the Medicaid prospective payment system for such centers.

Whereas Federally-qualified health centers--community, migrant, public housing, 
        and homeless health centers--form the back bone of the Nation's health 
        care safety net, providing care to nearly 6 million of the 53 million 
        people enrolled in the Medicaid program nationwide;
Whereas to protect the valuable resources intended to assist community, migrant, 
        public housing, and homeless health centers in caring for the uninsured, 
        the Congress in 1989 created the concept of ``Federally-qualified health 
        centers'' and required that the services of such centers be covered as 
        guaranteed benefits under Medicaid;
Whereas the number of uninsured people served by Federally-qualified health 
        centers (``FQHCs'') has doubled since 1989, a growth rate more than 
        twice that of the Nation's uninsured population;
Whereas FQHC patients are more likely than the general population to be enrolled 
        in Medicaid, with 36 percent of all FQHC patients enrolled in the 
        program compared to 12 percent nationally;
Whereas FQHCs provided 17 percent of all Medicaid and State Health Insurance 
        Program office visits in 2001;
Whereas Medicaid on average contributes 36 percent of an FQHC's budget, with the 
        remainder provided by Federal grants, State and local governments, 
        Medicare, private contributions, private insurance, and patient fees;
Whereas the cost of treating Medicaid patients at FQHCs is 30 to 34 percent less 
        than the cost for those receiving care elsewhere, and 26 to 40 percent 
        lower for prescription drug costs;
Whereas such cost is 35 percent lower for diabetics and 20 percent lower for 
        asthmatics, and diabetes and asthma are two of the most commonly treated 
        diseases at FQHCs;
Whereas FQHC Medicaid patients are 22 percent less likely to be hospitalized for 
        potentially avoidable conditions than those obtaining care elsewhere;
Whereas in 2000 a bipartisan majority of the Congress established a prospective 
        payment system (``PPS'') to ensure that FQHCs receive sufficient 
        Medicaid funding, thereby striking a balance between protecting the 
        Federal investment in such health centers and State flexibility in 
        designing the payment system for these centers;
Whereas the PPS has allowed States to appropriately predict and budget the cost 
        of FQHC Medicaid expenditures;
Whereas the PPS has allowed FQHCs to provide and expand primary care services to 
        more people in need, while promoting efficient operation of and ensuring 
        adequate Medicaid reimbursement for these centers;
Whereas without the assurance of sufficient Medicaid funding under the PPS, 
        FQHCs would likely be forced to cross-subsidize Medicaid underpayments 
        with Federal grant dollars intended to care for the uninsured;
Whereas if the PPS were eliminated or changed communities could be left without 
        access to primary and preventive health care services, thus undoing 
        decades of investment by the Congress in the health care safety net; and
Whereas FQHCs provide cost-effective, high-quality health care to the Nation's 
        poor and medically underserved (including the working poor, the 
        uninsured, and many high-risk and vulnerable populations), acting as a 
        vital safety net in the Nation's health delivery system, meeting 
        escalating health needs, and reducing health disparities: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That--
            (1) it is the sense of the Congress that the Medicaid 
        prospective payment system for Federally-qualified health 
        centers is critical to ensuring that both Medicaid recipients 
        and the Nation's uninsured population have access to quality 
        affordable primary and preventive care services; and
            (2) the Congress recognizes the critical role of such 
        health centers as an essential source of care for millions of 
        Medicaid recipients and uninsured Americans and supports 
        continuation of the prospective payment system in helping to 
        maintain this system of care.
                                 <all>