Bill > H1000

This bill aims to improve primary care by ensuring that community health centers, which are facilities providing comprehensive primary care services to underserved populations, receive adequate reimbursement for the services they provide to patients covered by Medicaid, the government health insurance program for low-income individuals. Specifically, it mandates that these centers be reimbursed at least 100% of the Medicare rate for federally qualified health centers for medical services, and 100% of reasonable costs for other services like dental and behavioral health, regardless of whether payment comes directly from Medicaid or through managed care vendors. The bill also requires annual reimbursement increases that match Medicare's, provides for additional payments for case management of chronic diseases, graduate medical education costs, social services, smoking cessation, and all costs associated with diabetes care. Furthermore, it includes a "hold harmless" provision for participating health centers in global payment demonstration projects, guaranteeing they receive at least 125% of what they would have received without participating, and mandates reimbursement for customer service, interpreter, and cultural competency training. Finally, it requires health maintenance organizations, which are private companies that provide health coverage, to reimburse community health centers at the same Medicare-based rates and directs the Office of Medicaid to ensure these organizations receive sufficient funds to cover these reimbursements.