Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Contact: Jessica Robinson, 573-751-0290
Blunt Supports Health Care Home to Improve Health Care Quality & Access for Missourians
JEFFERSON CITY–Gov. Matt Blunt today emphasized his commitment to health care for low income Missourians and outlined a proposal to help improve access to care for those who need it the most. Blunt’s proposal would establish Health Care Homes for participating patients in places like Federally Qualified Health Centers and community-based health facilities which provide care to the uninsured and underserved.
“My first concern as we design a new health care system is to improve access for patients and help lower the cost of health insurance for everybody,” Blunt said. “I have talked, and more importantly, listened to Missourians about their health care needs. It is clear that we can make some common sense changes to our health care system that will make a big difference in the quality of care for patients. One change I am proposing is the Health Care Home model. Under our plan, patients who participate would have a homebase for health care where professionals know their medical history and can recommend care, early detection and preventative actions to improve their wellness. Preventing or treating health care problems before they become hospital emergencies will dramatically improve the quality of life and care for Missourians.”
A Health Care Home in the most effective way for both health professionals and patients to address health concerns before they become catastrophic. Providing access to a health care home, a coordinated point of entry for health care services, will improve participants’ health, reduce the need for costly specialty services, reduce non essential emergency room visits, and lower preventable hospitalizations. The program enhances care by giving health care providers access to the tools and information they need, such as patients’ medical history, prescription information, chronic illness history.
Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC’s) already serve as a Health Care Home for many Missouri patients. The governor’s support of the centers has led to new facilities in Sedalia, Potosi, Linn and Jefferson City. One component of the governor’s Lewis & Clark Discovery Initiative is an agreement to send more than $60 million to expand and support FQHC’s over six years. If the Initiative is validated by the legislature, the governor emphasized today he will propose and support funding the entire amount in one year. The funding will benefit patients who use FQHC’s through added space, new research and education spaces.
Last December the Departments of Social Services, Mental Health and Health and Senior Services presented the governor with a report citing recommendations for a new health care delivery system in Missouri. Blunt today reiterated his support for their recommended Health Care Home model that provides quality, coordinated health care focused on wellness.
The governor’s funding recommendations will also include a new project to support collaboration between Community Mental Health Centers and FQHC’s. The project will work to identify behavioral health disorders earlier in the primary care setting and to reduce the gap between public and behavioral health systems. The governor will recommend $750,000 in his next fiscal year’s budget for this project.
Blunt will also recommend an additional $5 million next year for a Healthcare Information Technology Initiative. This initiative will allow health centers to build an electronic health record system. The new system will help close the digital divide that currently exists between providers.
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