[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 132 (Thursday, October 19, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1873]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  INTRODUCTION OF SCHOOL BASED HEALTH CENTERS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ACT

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                       HON. CAROLYN C. KILPATRICK

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 19, 2000

  Ms. KILPATRICK. Mr. Speaker, Today I am introducing legislation 
designed to assist school-based health centers face the challenge of 
meeting their long-term financing needs and developing data gathering 
systems. This legislation recognizes that school based health care 
centers (SBHCs) are a fixture in the child health care delivery network 
and are effective in reaching out to a target under- and uninsured 
population.
  There are more than 1,100 SBHCs in the United States, more than 40 of 
which are located in my home state of Michigan. These clinics bring a 
wide array of health care services to children in a place where they 
spend a good amount of time--their school. Schools are a logical place 
to establish health services for children, and SBHCs should be assigned 
a greater role and responsibility in the child health care delivery 
system. As we search for solutions to improve access to health care for 
children, SBHCs can play an important part in the overall equation. 
They can provide health care when children want it and where they need 
it. SBHCs complement the community health system, and they screen to 
prevent and treat diseases and other health threats.
  SBHCs, like many community-based health programs, have to piece 
together funding for services from a multiple number of sources. The 
largest source of funding comes from states' Maternal and Child Health 
Care block grants and the Healthy Schools/Healthy Communities program. 
According to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the growth of state 
governments that have established Medicaid managed care plans has 
complicated reimbursement procedures and health care financing. SBHCs 
do not have the sophisticated mechanisms to deal effectively and 
efficiently with the new array of health care plans to ensure that the 
services they provide will be reimbursed. This bill is an attempt to 
address this issue.
  The legislation proposed under this bill would authorize funding of a 
demonstration program to promote the development of comprehensive, 
computerized management information systems designed for the following 
information purposes:
  Assess the performance of SBHCs;
  Obtain data on client characteristics;
  Denote service utilization and outcomes;
  Support financial functions (appropriate billing procedures);
  Identify reimbursable categories of service by major funding source;
  Handle patient tracking functions.
  This bill should be regarded as a first draft only. I introduced it 
with the hope that stakeholders like the National Assembly of School 
Based Health Care, health care providers and plans, the Health 
Resources and Services Administration, and other entities will work 
with me to improve the proposal. Our ultimate goal is to provide our 
children with the health care services they need to remain healthy, 
lead constructive lives and stay in school. I look forward to working 
with them and my colleagues to improve on this work.

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