Delivery System

Delivery System

Delivery System will focus on expanding access to dentists, on telemedicine, and on loan repayment for rural health professionals.

Dick Brown with the Montana Healthcare Association is the workgroup leader.

If you wish to participate, please contact David Kendall, workgroups facilitator at 406-543-2265 or david “at” ekendalls dot net. (this address is spelled out to prevent web crawlers from recognizing it).

Document for Sept. 17, 2008 Meeting

Delivery Workgroup Recommendations

Documents for July 14, 2008 Meeting

2008CHCLegis Fact Sheet.pub
Mary Beth Frideres(email hidden; JavaScript is required).vcf
MT_Centers.jpg

RECOMMENDATION
To Governor Brian Schweitzer and the Montana Legislature

The members of the Montana Healthcare Forum recommend that Governor Schweitzer provide expanded healthcare services to low-income, uninsured and underserved Montanans by including $2 million per year for the Montana Community Health Center Support Act (M.C.A. 50-4-801 through 50-4-815) in his Executive Budget. The members recommend that the legislature include these funds in the proper Appropriations Act.

Rationale and Background
The 2007 legislature passed and Governor Schweitzer signed the Montana Community Health Center support act. The Act as originally written would have provided a $2 million annual appropriation to both incubate new Community Health Centers and to enable existing Community Health Centers to expand their service capacities. The proposed appropriation amount was amended to $650,000 per annum, and was categorized as one time only funding.

Community Health Centers (CHCs) are widely recognized as being a very effective way to serve low-income, uninsured, underserved, and rural Montanans – it is, in fact their mission. Many Montana communities need and want Health Centers, and those who currently have Health Centers recognize that those Centers cannot currently keep up with the demand for services.

By including an annual $2 million appropriation in the Budget, Governor Schweitzer would:
Provide primary care, mental health, and dental services to approximately 16,000 Montanans per year – including approximately 8400 uninsured Montanans and a similar number covered by Medicaid, Medicare, CHIP and private insurance.
Support the new Health Center in Kalispell funded this year through the existing Community Health Center Support Act funds until that center is successful in securing a Federal CHC Grant.
Establish new Community Health Centers and satellite Health Centers in communities across Montana, and provide expanded services at existing centers where the need is great.