Last week the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that 14 community health centers in Maine have been chosen to participate in the Advanced Primary Care Practice (APCP) demonstration created by the Affordable Care Act. The program changes how community health centers are reimbursed for the care they provide to Medicare patients by providing new incentives to keep patients healthier. For three years, participating community health centers will be provided an additional care coordination reimbursement for the services needed to provide continuous care and to keep patients from seeking more expensive emergency room care.

"This critical investment will allow our community health centers to provide the best quality health care services to Mainers," said Michaud. "The findings from this pilot program will help providers keep patients healthier in the long term and lower costs in the health care system overall."

The Advanced Primary Care Practice is a physician-based or nurse practitioner-led medical practice that provides continuous, comprehensive, coordinated, and patient-centered medical care. An APCP utilizes a team approach with the patient at the center. It is designed to encourage doctors, hospitals, and other health care providers to work together to better coordinate care for Medicare patients. Below is a list of the Maine community health centers chosen to participate in the new pilot program:

Fish River Rural Health (Eagle Lake)
Health Access Network, Inc. (Medway)
HealthReach Community Health Care (Bingham)
HealthReach Community Health Care (Madison)
HealthReach Community Health Care (Kingfield)
HealthReach Community Health Care (Rangeley)
HealthReach Community Health Care (Strong)
HealthReach Community Health Care (Livermore Falls)
Katahdin Valley Health Center (Island Falls)
Katahdin Valley Health Center (Patten)
Sebasticook Family Doctors (Canaan)
Sebasticook Family Doctors (Dexter)
Sebasticook Family Doctors (Pittsfield)
St. Croix Regional Family Health (Princeton)