House Bill hb0615er
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2002 Legislature HB 615, Second Engrossed
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2 An act relating to federally qualified health
3 centers; creating the "Federally Qualified
4 Health Center Access Program Act"; providing
5 legislative findings and intent; providing for
6 expansion of federally qualified health centers
7 to provide comprehensive primary and preventive
8 health care services; providing for financial
9 assistance to centers that meet specified
10 criteria; specifying that funds must be used
11 for certain operating costs or capital
12 improvement projects; providing contract
13 requirements; providing for appointment of a
14 panel to review applications for financial
15 assistance; providing responsibilities of the
16 Department of Health and the Florida
17 Association of Community Health Centers, Inc.;
18 providing for administration of the program and
19 technical assistance to centers selected to
20 receive financial assistance; providing an
21 effective date.
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23 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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25 Section 1. Federally qualified health center access
26 program.--
27 (1) SHORT TITLE.--This section may be cited as the
28 "Community Health Center Access Program Act."
29 (2) LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT.--
30 (a) The Legislature finds that, despite significant
31 investments in health care programs, more than 2 million
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2002 Legislature HB 615, Second Engrossed
1 low-income Floridians, primarily the working poor and minority
2 populations, continue to lack access to basic health care
3 services. Further, the Legislature recognizes that federally
4 qualified health centers have a proven record of providing
5 cost-effective, comprehensive primary and preventive health
6 care and are uniquely qualified to address the lack of
7 adequate health care services for the uninsured.
8 (b) It is the intent of the Legislature to recognize
9 the significance of increased federal investments in federally
10 qualified health centers and to leverage that investment
11 through the creation of a program to provide for the expansion
12 of the primary and preventive health care services offered by
13 federally qualified health centers. Further, such a program
14 will support the coordination of federal, state, and local
15 resources to assist such health centers in developing an
16 expanded community-based primary care delivery system.
17 (3) ASSISTANCE TO FEDERALLY QUALIFIED HEALTH
18 CENTERS.--The Department of Health shall develop a program for
19 the expansion of federally qualified health centers for the
20 purpose of providing comprehensive primary and preventive
21 health care services, including services that may reduce the
22 morbidity, mortality, and cost of care among the uninsured
23 population of the state. The program shall provide for
24 distribution of financial assistance to federally qualified
25 health centers that apply and demonstrate a need for such
26 assistance in order to sustain or expand the delivery of
27 primary and preventive health care services. In selecting
28 centers to receive this financial assistance, the program:
29 (a) Shall give preference to communities that have few
30 or no community-based primary care services or in which the
31 current services are unable to meet the community's needs.
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2002 Legislature HB 615, Second Engrossed
1 (b) Shall require that primary care services be
2 provided to the medically indigent using a sliding fee
3 schedule based on income.
4 (c) Shall allow innovative and creative uses of
5 federal, state, and local health care resources.
6 (d) Shall require that the funds provided be used to
7 pay for operating costs of a projected expansion in patient
8 caseloads or services or for capital improvement projects.
9 Capital improvement projects may include renovations to
10 existing facilities or construction of new facilities,
11 provided that an expansion in patient caseloads or services to
12 a new patient population will occur as a result of the capital
13 expenditures. The department shall include in its standard
14 contract document a requirement that any state funds provided
15 for the purchase of or improvements to real property are
16 contingent upon the contractor granting to the state a
17 security interest in the property at least to the amount of
18 the state funds provided for at least 5 years from the date of
19 purchase or the completion of the improvements or as further
20 required by law. The contract must include a provision that,
21 as a condition of receipt of state funding for this purpose,
22 the contractor agrees that, if it disposes of the property
23 before the department's interest is vacated, the contractor
24 will refund the proportionate share of the state's initial
25 investment, as adjusted by depreciation.
26 (e) May require in-kind support from other sources.
27 (f) May encourage coordination among federally
28 qualified health centers, other private-sector providers, and
29 publicly supported programs.
30 (4) EVALUATION OF APPLICATIONS.--A review panel shall
31 be established, consisting of four persons appointed by the
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2002 Legislature HB 615, Second Engrossed
1 Secretary of Health and three persons appointed by the chief
2 executive officer of the Florida Association of Community
3 Health Centers, Inc., to review all applications for financial
4 assistance under the program. Applicants shall specify in the
5 application whether the program funds will be used for the
6 expansion of patient caseloads or services or for capital
7 improvement projects to expand and improve patient facilities.
8 The panel shall use the following elements in reviewing
9 application proposals and shall determine the relative weight
10 for scoring and evaluating these elements:
11 (a) The target population to be served.
12 (b) The health benefits to be provided.
13 (c) The methods that will be used to measure
14 cost-effectiveness.
15 (d) How patient satisfaction will be measured.
16 (e) The proposed internal quality assurance process.
17 (f) Projected health status outcomes.
18 (g) How data will be collected to measure
19 cost-effectiveness, health status outcomes, and overall
20 achievement of the goals of the proposal.
21 (h) All resources, including cash, in-kind, voluntary,
22 or other resources that will be dedicated to the proposal.
23 (5) ADMINISTRATION AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.--The
24 Department of Health may contract with the Florida Association
25 of Community Health Centers, Inc., to administer the program
26 and provide technical assistance to the federally qualified
27 health centers selected to receive financial assistance.
28 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2002.
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