What is the difference between a CHC and FQHC?

The Healthcare system across the world is changing for the better, with effective, and beneficial care and treatment. Besides, the cost of healthcare is an essential factor whether they are insured or uninsured. Therefore, keeping everything patient-centred has become a challenge.

To maintain the cost for patients and timely reimbursements, providers are more inclined toward hiring credentialing services and keeping their all focus on patients’ healthcare. And keeping healthcare provision in mind, CHCs and FQHCs come first in the discussion.

Community Health Centers (CHC), work under the supervision of federally qualified health centres (FQHC) and process beyond the usual barriers of patient care in order to provide care at precise and low cost funded by the government. Things that make CHC and FQHC different from each other are neglectable but the value they provide to the patient meant everything to their followers.

To make things clearer to you, we will discuss the process of both and how they work. Plus, the benefits that make them different from each other.

What is CHC and how does it work?

Community Health Centers (CHCs) work to provide intensive and primary healthcare services to patients living in underserved communities with no health facilities and few insurance options. CHCs provide healthcare options to people that might not be free for everyone but they are affordable so that anyone can take them.

The care is based on the financial condition of a patient or if the household income is below the poverty line or 200% less than the average income of a person. The care fee is sliced to make it affordable and schedule the fee for patients to acquire whenever needed.

Patients that come under the umbrella of CHCs, obtain primary care services for chronic and acute diseases, continuous health screening promoting a healthy lifestyle, and preventive care within affordability. In addition, the services include mental health, pharmacy, dental services, and substance abuse counselling.

For the patients to keep acquiring quality services, the services are measured and are kept under control to ensure that the centres are providing standard care and practising the assigned metrics to promote excellent patient experience and improve population perception about expensive healthcare by offering affordable healthcare costs.

 Also, The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) compels CHCs to provide the performance report to them prepared by the centres in order to check if the initiatives regarding healthcare are improving the quality of healthcare and are fulfilling the operational objectives at clinics.

Precisely, CHCs are the qualified centres from the federal government as they need government funding in order to provide healthcare facilities in underserved areas. The federal government has given away a 340B drug subsidy for vaccines and medicines for children.

Several other benefits of CHCs are there to mention, one is the primary care recruiting assistance for physicians with the collaboration of the National Health Services Corporation. Also, CHCs have the potential to receive funding with this grant, and the patients for malpractice coverage are catered to.

What is FQHC and how does it work?

Federal qualified healthcare centres (FQHC), came to the healthcare industry as a bunch of primary care clinics in 1965. All the healthcare service providers working for FQHC are required to deliver high-standard healthcare to the patients at every level depending on the sliding fee measures. These centres include health centres for residents of public housing, centres for the homeless, migrant health centres, and community health centres.

The funds are received by HRSA and the centres working under FQHC and FQHC itself must adhere to the requirements given and work with collaborating the board of members. These members include patients who continuously take the services at these centres and address the needs for improvements if needed. All the primary care centres that work under the umbrella of FQHC are obligated to treat patients no matter what financial status they have. This is because the main purpose of FQHC is to provide the best healthcare to those who are not insured practically and they just can’t afford to have treatment for the illness they suffer.

Keeping this thing in mind, many patients recognize CHC as the main FQHC as community health centres work under federally qualified health centres.

Things that make FQHC and CHC different from each other

FQHCs and CHCs are differed mostly based on the demographic clinic types like community health centres or migrant health centres but mostly these centres are considered either CHC or FQHC. However, there are healthcare centres offering the same services and are mainly eligible to be facilitated by Medicaid and Medicare but they are not eligible to receive federal funding. Although, FQHCs and CHCs have the mission to provide the best healthcare service to patients is the same as Medicare or Medicaid.

What kind of clinic is right for you?

Besides CHCs and FQHCs work to provide healthcare regardless of income, but to receive primary care from the clinics, a patient needs to meet some necessary income requirements.  The list of primary care provisions is based on community and demographic information. The information decides the availability of certain clinics for primary care to patients who seek quality healthcare services for themselves and for their families.

For example, rural clinics may have limited resources and options for healthcare compared to the inner city. Therefore, reaching out to the local community will help you figure out to make decisions for yourself and your family.

The best way to learn about FQHCs and CHCs?

You can find out about FQHCs and CHCs from the local community located near you. Search for the community centre in your city or state, or if you can visit the centre’s website, you will learn about the services they provide, their working hours, and the scale they offer services. Your search will aid in making an educated decision and keep you informed about the financial knowledge that you must know upfront.