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Area Agency on Aging of The Capital Area |
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INDEX AREA RESOURCES ASSISTED LIVING  OverviewASSISTED LIVING FACILITIES by Cityby Countyby NameBENEFITS CAREGIVING COUNTY MAPS BastropBlancoBurnetCaldwellFayetteHaysLeeLlanoTravisWilliamsonAll-CountiesEND of LIFE ServicesFORMS HOW TO HELP LINKS LONG TERM CARE MEDICAID MEDICAL PRESCRIPTIONS MEDICARE NEWSLETTERS NURSING HOME OverviewNURSING HOMES by Cityby Countyby NameOMBUDSMAN OPPORTUNITIES EducationEmploymentVolunteeringPHONE NUMBERS RIDE GUIDE SENIOR CENTERS SERVICE AREA MAP STAFF TRANSLATION TRANSPORTATION WHO WE ARE  Counties of BASTROP BLANCO BURNET CALDWELL FAYETTE HAYS LEE LLANO TRAVIS WILLIAMSON ALL-COUNTIES MAP  BY MAIL |
GUIDE TO SERVICES Community Health Centers The Community Health Center system is the family doctor for over 45,000 children and adults in Austin and Travis County. The Community Health Centers (CHCs) provide outpatient primary healthcare, dental, behavioral health, and HIV/AIDS treatment services. Fourteen CHC locations serve Travis County residents whose low incomes and lack of private health insurance qualify them for enrollment. More than 92 percent of CHC patients have incomes below the federal poverty level of $18,400 per year for a family of four. What is an FQHC? Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) such as Austin’s Community Health Centers represent a vital safety net in the nation’s health delivery system. A growing nationwide network of 1,000 FQHCs serves twelve million people. FQHCs are the family doctor to one of every nine uninsured persons and one of every five low-income children. Congress created the FQHC program to support primary healthcare providers who serve disproportionate numbers of uninsured residents and operate in medically underserved neighborhoods or communities. To be certified as an FQHC, a provider must meet strict requirements regarding the scope of services offered, access provided to low-income patients, and community governance. Responding to Increased Healthcare Demand Travis County has an estimated 200,000 uninsured residents or almost 25 percent of its population. Research indicates that many of these residents have great difficulty in accessing basic primary and preventive healthcare. For example, a 2002 study found that local safety net primary care providers, including the CHCs, consistently operate at more than 100 percent of their capacity. It also found that some private non-profit providers must turn away large numbers of patients every month due to overwhelming demand. The CHC system plays a leading role in our community’s healthcare safety net. It is the medical home to about one-half of local safety net primary care patients. By way of comparison, the system serves more than twice the number of patients served by private non-profit providers such as People’s Community Clinic or SETON’s primary care clinic system. As the largest volume provider, the CHCs have worked diligently to respond to increasing community-wide demand. By increasing efficiency, they increased total medical visits by 14 percent with only a four percent increase in the number of physicians and nurse practitioners in 2002. So far in 2003, the system has applied for over $1.4 million in federal grants to hire additional medical and support staff. Federal grant dollars would substantially increase the number of patients who can be served at existing CHC locations. CHC Eligibility The Community Health Centers (CHCs) serve Austin and Travis County. An individual must be a resident of Travis County to be enrolled as a patient. Services are provided regardless of the patient’s ability to pay. We serve patients who are enrolled in the following health benefits programs: Medicaid, Medicare, CHIP, and Austin/Travis County Medical Assistance Program (MAP). We also serve patients who do not qualify for any of these programs and pay for services according to a sliding discount, based on their income. To enroll as a CHC patient, an individual must undergo screening to determine whether he or she is eligible for any of the health benefits programs listed above. This screening is performed at Austin/Travis County Eligibility offices. For information on accessing MAP eligibility screening services and income guidelines, please consult the MAP webpage. If the eligibility screening determines that an individual’s income is too high for these programs, the agent will determine if the individual is eligible for the CHC sliding discount. CHC Services The CHC system is comprised of 13 healthcare delivery sites. The system provides eligible patients with comprehensive primary care and dental services. Medical care is available at 11 of these sites and dental care at three. For more information, please consult individual CHC locations or call Central Scheduling at 972-4278.
CHC Appointments New patients: Please call Central Scheduling and Triage at 972-4278. Established patients should contact their clinic home to schedule an appointment.
Medical Assistance Program--MAP Administrative Offices What is the Medical Assistance Program (MAP)? Who may qualify for MAP?
What if I don't qualify for MAP? The reduced-fee scale, like the MAP income guidelines, is based on the FPIG. A resident's income may fall within the following percent pay range:
What if I am interested in family planning or maternity services? Title V benefits are those maternity services delivered at the Austin/Travis County Community Health Centers. Those eligible for Title V services are female Travis County residents whose income is at or below 185 percent FPIG and who are not eligible for Medicaid. Title V services are free at the Community Health Centers, as long as Title V funding is available. If no funding is available, a co-payment is required. Title XX benefits are those family planning services (including pregnancy testing, birth control, gynecological exams and miscellaneous gynecological procedures) delivered at the Community Health Centers. Those eligible for Title XX services are female Austin/Travis County residents whose income is at or below 150% FPIG. Title XX services are free at the Community Health Centers, as long as Title XX funding is available. If no funding is available, a co-payment is required. How do I apply for medical assistance? City of Austin residents should contact a city eligibility office listed below for an eligibility appointment. All sites are closed on the third Thursday of each month from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m., and the fifth Friday of each month until 9:30 a.m. Cesar Chavez, 972-5300 Northeast Austin Health Center, 972-5300 South Austin Neighborhood Center, 972-5300 Travis County residents should contact a Travis County eligibility office listed below. All sites are closed on the third Thursday of each month from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. Please call each office for hours of operation. Del Valle Community Health Center, 247-4407 Manor Community Health Center, 272-5561 Oak Hill Community Health Center, 854-2130 Pflugerville Community Health Center, 251-4168 Jonestown Community Health Center, 267-3245 For women's health and family planning services, no income or residency documentation is required. For MAP or CHC sliding-fee scale certification, bring the following documents to your interview (the Eligibility Offices above can advise acceptable alternate documents to determine eligibility, if you do not have the listed documents):
Other Helpful Phone Numbers AUSTIN/TRAVIS COUNTY HEALTH and HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT
Conducts Eligibility Screening and Certification for:
Sample Copy of "WELCOME TO THE MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM" Letter
MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (MAP) Benefits MAP may provide
Who is MAP eligible
MAP Eligibility Criteria
Residency
Income
Assets/Resources
Length of Issuance
MAP is administered by the Community Care Services Department (CCSD) ofthe City of Austin. www.ci.austin.tx.us/health/healthcare_portal COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER (CHC) SLIDING-FEE SCALE What is "CHC Self-Pay?"
Who is eligible for Self-Pay Categories?
CHC Self-Pay applies to:
CHC Financial Eligibility Criteria:
Length of Issuance:
WOMEN'S HEALTH SERVICES' GRANTS TITLE V and TITLE XX What is Title V?
What type of services does Title V cover?
What is Title XX?
What type of services does Title V cover?
Title V and XX Grant Criteria:
Note: Verbal declaration is acceptable for all Grant services. Length of Issuance
Medical Assistance Program (MAP) (espanol)
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