1. Teaching Health Center
Reauthorization
What’s our ask on the Hill?
Hope Wittenberg, Director,
Government Relations,
Council of Academic Family Medicine

2. TEACHING HEALTH CENTERS
Our Ask:
1. Reauthorize the Program Now
2. Provide a sustainable funding stream
such as Medicare Graduate Medical
Education (GME), modified to fit this vital
program
Note: this can be done in a budget neutral
fashion.

3. • 5 year authorization (ends FY2015)
• Mandatory appropriations – not subject to
annual appropriations
• $150,000 per resident amount (IME and
DME)
• Funding goes directly to the sponsoring
institution (FQHC, consortium, etc.)

4. A THC is defined as an entity that:
1. is a community-based, ambulatory patient
care center, and
2. operates a primary care residency
program.
• Note: FQHCs are the most common, but
can be a FMC or other.

5. ACCREDITATION IS KEY
To qualify for THC funding:
The health center or consortium must be
accredited as the sponsoring institution for
the residency program.

6. WHY REAUTHORIZE NOW?
• As we move to the fourth and fifth years,
will programs offer positions to residents
when they are uncertain there will be
continued funding?
• Most programs tell us they will NOT
recruit.
,

7. Benefits – Qualitative and
Quantitative
• Funding to education entity – not hospital
• Main training in community where primary care
practice lives, rather than hospital-based
• NHSC scholars can spend 50% time in non-
clinical work
• Helps with recruiting; residents trained in
underserved populations more likely to locate in
underserved populations for practice
• Increase in primary care production

8. Production of primary care physicians under the
THC program
Red: current residents, by year;
Pink: projected # of residents.
Navy: expected graduates this year;
Light blue: projected graduates in
years 4 and 5.
Orange: number of resident
positions waiting for approval of
accreditation; should know by end of
May the exact additional number.

9. Challenges to Overcome
• Funding isn’t stable
– Year 4 – New PG 1’s are certain of only one year more of
funding; need two more for graduation
– Year 5 – New PG 1’s – no funding for years 2 or 3
– OBGYN’s in worse shape as they need four years to graduate
• It has been repealed several times by the House of
Representatives;
– Part of the ACA
– Funding with mandatory appropriations
• Congress usually waits until last minute to reauthorize
• Can we overcome the negative of it being part of the ACA
and fund it with stable Medicare funding?

10. Our Ask
• Congress should reauthorize the
Teaching Health Center (THC) program
this year to prevent a gap in the pipeline
of primary care physician production.
• Urge Congress to provide a sustainable
funding stream such as Medicare
Graduate Medical Education (GME),
modified to fit this vital program.
NOTE: This can be done in a budget neutral fashion