Staying Competitive and Delivering Quality for FQHCs with G0511
These changes could not have come at a better time. It’s no secret that FQHCs infrequently track profit and have difficulty with revenue diversification.(6) Coupled with these trends is the rise in competition. Not only do FQHCs compete amongst themselves for low-income patients, they face stiff competition from new sources. (7) There has been a marked increase in the number of urgent care centers and retail-based clinics in low-income neighborhoods in the past decade. These alternate treatment sources have larger economies of scale and can weather fluctuations of income better than FQHCs.(8) Although these new resources are sorely needed, they are not required to take indigent patients, which gives them another edge on FQHCs.
The implementation of G0511 will help FQHCs diversify revenue while offering a beneficial service to their patients. Through ccp, FQHCs can give their patients something that urgent care centers, hospitals, and retail-based clinics cannot, continuity of care. With Chronic Care Management, FQHC administrators are not only protecting their bottom line, they are giving their organizations a valuable tool. Competitive, quality care that low-income patients cannot find anywhere else, will help FQHCs remain viable in this fluctuating market. ccp adds value to an organization, and it adds value to patient care.
