The National Academy for State Health Policy has released a brief offering strategies to connect Medicaid beneficiaries with needed services through connections between federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) and other private primary care providers.  The authors assert that FQHCs can improve care quality and efficiency through collaborative relationships with primary care providers.  The brief suggests that this will be important in light of the Medicaid expansion under the national health care reform law.

From the report:

Across the nation, states are seeking to bolster the performance of Medicaid primary care providers in order to hold down costs while improving beneficiaries’ health. In particular, more than 37 states are developing or implementing strategies that seek to improve primary care delivery through the creation of medical homes. A majority of U.S. physicians work in small to medium-sized practices, which often do not have the resources to provide complex care coordination, behavioral health care, extended hours, and other services needed to function as medical homes. As a result, such practices are frequently left out of medical home reform efforts. Connecting such practices to federally qualified health centers (FQHCs)—which provide comprehensive primary care services—could help improve the health of vulnerable populations and potentially reduce costs by achieving efficiencies and sharing scarce resources.

Full report: Developing Federally Qualified Health Centers into Community Networks to Improve State Primary Care Delivery Systems (PDF | 400.23 kb)

National Academy for State Health Policy.  (2011).  Developing federally qualified health centers into community networks to improve state primary care delivery systems.  Takach, M. and Buxbaum, J.