Funds to help expand primary care

COEUR d'ALENE - Heritage Health received a federal grant totaling $269,274 to help expand primary care through the Affordable Care Act.

Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell announced Friday that $2,620,576 in Affordable Care Act funding was awarded to 11 health centers in Idaho to expand primary care services.

The awards enable health centers to hire an estimated 38 new staff members, and the investments will help health centers reach an estimated 11,299 new patients in Idaho, according to HHS.

Nationally, $295 million was awarded to 1,195 health centers in the U.S.

"Health centers are a key part of how the Affordable Care Act is working to improve access to care for millions of Americans," Burwell said in a press release. "These funds will enable health centers to provide high-quality primary health care to more people including the newly insured, many of whom may be accessing primary care for the first time in Idaho."

Health centers are helping to implement the Affordable Care Act, not only as providers of care, but also by linking individuals to coverage through outreach and enrollment in the Idaho Health Exchange.

Recent statistics show health centers provided enrollment assistance to more than six million people nationwide during the last year.

Nearly 1,300 health centers operate more than 9,200 service delivery sites which provide care to more than 21.7 million patients nationwide.

In Idaho, 12 health centers serve 138,434 patients.

Nationally, since the start of this administration, health centers have increased the number of patients served by more than 4.5 million people.

Benewah Medical Center recieved $212,926 and Boundary Regional Community Health Center received $233,972.