Feds Award Millions for Health Center Construction

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration awarded $35 million to 147 health centers to support patient-centered medical homes through new construction and facility renovations. The health centers are in 44 states.

“Today’s awards will support 21 new construction projects and 126 alteration and renovation projects at health centers across the United States as they work to improve their design and expand existing structures to better support team-based care,” said Mary Wakefield, administrator of health resources and services administration for the Health and Human Services Department, in a statement.

Nearly 1,300 health centers operate more than 9,200 service delivery sites that provide care to more than 21.7 million patients in every state, as well as Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Pacific Basin. The health centers that were awarded have been promoting coverage opportunities under the Affordable Care Act by conducting outreach and enrollment activities that link individuals to coverage options available through a health insurance marketplace.

The patient-centered medical home delivery model is designed to improve quality of care through team-based coordination of care, treating the many needs of the patient at once, increasing access to care and empowering the patient to be a partner in their own care, according to HHS.

“Health centers provide access to quality health care for millions of Americans regardless of their ability to pay,” said HHS Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell. “We’re making these investments so that health centers will be able to provide even higher quality services to the patients that rely upon them.”