Safety net providers will remain an important part of the health care system when the ACA is fully implemented. Because the ACA modifies the funding these providers rely on, the safety net must adapt to ensure it remains financially viable.

*Milestone details:

*Full name: Assess how changes in financing, including Medicaid DSH cuts, will affect the ability of safety net and other providers to meet the needs of patients.

*Relevance to the ACA:

The ACA does not require states to conduct an assessment of safety net financing changes. However, the financial viability of the safety net is critical to providing care to vulnerable populations who will remain uninsured. The ACA makes changes to some traditional safety net funding streams and contains opportunities to leverage new funding.

§2551 – Reductions in State Medicaid DSH allotments.

§5606 – States may provide grants to providers who treat a large share of underserved populations.

§5509 – Medicare funding for graduate medical nurse education contingent upon participating hospitals partnering with community care settings, including rural health clinics and FQHCs.

§5601 – Funding for FQHCs.

§10501(e) – Nurse Practitioner training at FQHCs and NMHCs.

§9007 – Requirements for charitable hospitals.

§10333 – Grants to form Community Based Collaborative Care Networks that include safety net hospitals and FQHCs.

§10503 – Funds for Community Health Centers.