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» News & Events » 2010 Press Releases » 5/28 - Central Health Board Expands Services
Central Health Board Expands Services
The Central Health Board of Managers approved several service expansion projects at their regular Thursday night meeting on May 27.
Tobacco Cessation Grant Proposal
The Board approved a proposal for a tobacco cessation program, funded by a recent $7.5 million grant to the Austin-Travis County Health and Human Services Department by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The proposed plan, which will cost $520,000 over 21 months, will go toward reducing tobacco usage among those served by Central Health’s Medical Assistance Program, as well as through CommUnityCare, Central Health’s affiliated non-profit Federally Qualified Health Center system, and other contracted providers. The proposals includes communications with tobacco users to provide options for quitting, case management for MAP or plan members who are working toward quitting, smoke exposure assessments, and available pharmaceuticals, counseling, and informational materials. As the vision of Central Health is to see Central Texas as a model healthy community, reducing the number of area residents who use tobacco and suffer its ill effects is key to realizing that vision.
Dental Expansion
The dental unit at CommUnityCare’s Rebekah Baines Johnson (RBJ) Health Administration Building, 15 Waller St., will undergo a renovation to allow for expansion of dental services to Medicaid and Medical Assistance Program enrollees, as well as those receiving sliding fee scale benefits.
Expansion funds, approved by the board last night at a maximum of $200,000 will fund this year’s renovation, with projecting operating support costing $334,000 is planned to be budgeted in the 2011 fiscal year. The expansion will include the addition of two dentists, one dental hygienist, three dental assistants and one medical admitting clerk. The project is projected to increase annual encounters from 25,000 to 30, 376 in the first year of operation and 32, 680 by its second year.
MAP Primary Care Service Expansion
A contract with Seton Community Health Centers for $250,000 will provide expanded primary care for enrollees in the Medical Assistance Program. Under the three-year contract, two clinics, at Seton McCarthy Community health Center, 2811 East Second St, and Seton Topfer Community Health Center, 8913 Collinfield Road, will provide comprehensive health care for up to 500 new MAP enrollees in the first year of the contract, increasing to 1,000 enrollees in year two, and an additional 1,000 in year three.
MAP and Sliding Fee Scale Primary Care Service Expansion
The existing contract with Lone Star Circle of Care was expanded to $1,347,500, more than doubling it from the original amount of $647,500. The original contract, approved in February of 2009, provided care only for MAP enrollees. Later that year it was amended to include individuals up to 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Income Guidelines (FPIG). Not only will this service expansion allow for care to more people, but will also increase reimbursement rates for self-pay and Medicaid patients.