Horizon Health Care Inc. plans clinic in Huron
A community-based health care network with 15 medical and dental facilities in rural areas of eastern and central South Dakota has been awarded federal grant funds to establish a clinic in Huron.
Horizon Health Care Inc. will receive a $216,667 grant from the Department of Health and Human Services, according to Sen. Tim Johnson, D-S.D.
"Our main focus is to offer quality health care that is accessible to the community as a whole," said John Mengenhausen, chief executive officer of Horizon Health Care Inc.
"And with Horizon's Sliding Fee Program, partnerships with providers in neighboring areas, as well as expanded medical services, we're excited about being able to serve even more people in the Huron and surrounding communities," he said in a news release.
The community health center is scheduled to begin serving patients 120 days from Aug. 1, or about the end of November. Horizon is looking for an existing location for its Huron center, and new staff recruitment has begun, Mengenhausen said.
The center will initially open with 7.5 staff positions, including two physicians' assistants, nurses and front office personnel.
Horizon's existing providers in the surrounding areas will be available for training and to provide specialty services. Horizon partners with the Avera and Sanford facilities for physician specialists and it also has telemedicine services.
The organization has centers in rural, medically underserved areas and has 63,000 patient visits annually in Bryant, De Smet, Howard, Lake Preston, Martin, Mission, Plankinton, Springfield, Wessington Springs, White River and Woonsocket.
Corporate headquarters are in Howard.
The Huron health care center will provide patients with personalized, quality, primary health care with the extra benefit of enhanced resources such as the Sliding Fee Program, participation with Avera and Sanford networks and acceptance of most health insurance.
The federal funding will help Horizon cover start-up costs and allow it to offset the costs of providing reduced patient fees through the Sliding Fee Program.
"Health centers make it easier for residents to access more affordable and quality health care in their local community," Johnson said.
The federal funds are made available through the Affordable Care Act, which he supported.
"I am glad that Horizon Health Center has received this important funding from the health care reform legislation to open a new center in Huron," Johnson said.
Horizon Health Care has provided personalized, affordable, high-quality primary health care through its rural, community-based network for more than 30 years.
Specifics of the organization's funding resources include:
- 75 percent of Horizon's annual budget comes from patient insurance and paying patients.
- The 25 percent balance is from Federal Community Health Center grant funding through a division of the Department of Health and Human Services. Funding allows Horizon to offset the costs of providing reduced patient fees.
- Horizon offers reduced prices on office visits and all other services provided in the clinic to all individuals and families who qualify. The Sliding Fee Program is based on family income and may reduce a patient's bill by 20, 40, 60 or 80 percent or more.
- Patients may qualify even if they are covered by Medicare, Medicaid or health insurance.
- If a patient applies and qualifies for the program at one location, the patient can receive the discount at all of Horizon's medical and dental clinic locations.
- Horizon is a federally-qualified health center and is eligible for a cost-based reimbursement rate from Medicare and Medicaid.
Meanwhile, the Huron clinic will provide the community with a wide range of health services, including family medicine, pediatrics, emergency treatment, X-ray and lab services.
The office will be paperless with the implementation of the organization's practice management/electronic medical record and telemedicine capability.
The comprehensive network will also provide patients with referral and telemedicine resources such as oncology/hematology, nephrology, dermatology, pulmonary, infectious disease, wound/ostomy/continence, behavioral health, endocrinology and cardiology.
The Affordable Care Act established the Community Health Center Fund that provides $11 billion over five years for the operation, expansion and construction of health centers in the country.
This week, a total of $28.8 million was awarded to 67 health centers to provide comprehensive primary and preventive health care services.
For the complete article see the 08-12-2011 issue.
BY: ROGER LARSEN
