§ 254b. Health centers

U.S. Code > Title 42 The Public Health and Welfare > CHAPTER 6A—PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE > SUBCHAPTER II—GENERAL POWERS AND DUTIES > Part D—Primary Health Care > subpart i—health centers > § 254b. Health centers

(a) “Health center” defined

(1) In general

For purposes of this section, the term “health center” means an entity that serves a population that is medically underserved, or a special medically underserved population comprised of migratory and seasonal agricultural workers, the homeless, and residents of public housing, by providing, either through the staff and supporting resources of the center or through contracts or cooperative arrangements—

(A) required primary health services (as defined in subsection (b)(1) of this section); and

(B) as may be appropriate for particular centers, additional health services (as defined in subsection (b)(2) of this section) necessary for the adequate support of the primary health services required under subparagraph (A);

for all residents of the area served by the center (hereafter referred to in this section as the “catchment area”).

(2) Limitation

The requirement in paragraph (1) to provide services for all residents within a catchment area shall not apply in the case of a health center receiving a grant only under subsection (g), (h), or (i) of this section.

(b) Definitions

For purposes of this section:

(1) Required primary health services

(A) In general

The term “required primary health services” means—

(i) basic health services which, for purposes of this section, shall consist of—

(I) health services related to family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics, or gynecology that are furnished by physicians and where appropriate, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and nurse midwives;

(II) diagnostic laboratory and radiologic services;

(III) preventive health services, including—

(aa) prenatal and perinatal services;

(bb) appropriate cancer screening;

(cc) well-child services;

(dd) immunizations against vaccine-preventable diseases;

(ee) screenings for elevated blood lead levels, communicable diseases, and cholesterol;

(ff) pediatric eye, ear, and dental screenings to determine the need for vision and hearing correction and dental care;

(gg) voluntary family planning services; and

(hh) preventive dental services;

(IV) emergency medical services; and

(V) pharmaceutical services as may be appropriate for particular centers;

(ii) referrals to providers of medical services (including specialty referral when medically indicated) and other health-related services (including substance abuse and mental health services);

(iii) patient case management services (including counseling, referral, and follow-up services) and other services designed to assist health center patients in establishing eligibility for and gaining access to Federal, State, and local programs that provide or financially support the provision of medical, social, housing, educational, or other related services;

(iv) services that enable individuals to use the services of the health center (including outreach and transportation services and, if a substantial number of the individuals in the population served by a center are of limited English-speaking ability, the services of appropriate personnel fluent in the language spoken by a predominant number of such individuals); and

(v) education of patients and the general population served by the health center regarding the availability and proper use of health services.

(B) Exception

With respect to a health center that receives a grant only under subsection (g) of this section, the Secretary, upon a showing of good cause, shall—

(i) waive the requirement that the center provide all required primary health services under this paragraph; and

(ii) approve, as appropriate, the provision of certain required primary health services only during certain periods of the year.

(2) Additional health services

The term “additional health services” means services that are not included as required primary health services and that are appropriate to meet the health needs of the population served by the health center involved. Such term may include—

(A) behavioral and mental health and substance abuse services;

(B) recuperative care services;

(i) the detection and alleviation of unhealthful conditions associated with—

(I) water supply;

(II) chemical and pesticide exposures;

(III) air quality; or

(IV) exposure to lead;

(ii) sewage treatment;

(iii) solid waste disposal;

(iv) rodent and parasitic infestation;

(v) field sanitation;

(vi) housing; and

(vii) other environmental factors related to health; and

(D) in the case of health centers receiving grants under subsection (g) of this section, special occupation-related health services for migratory and seasonal agricultural workers, including—

(i) screening for and control of infectious diseases, including parasitic diseases; and

(ii) injury prevention programs, including prevention of exposure to unsafe levels of agricultural chemicals including pesticides.

(3) Medically underserved populations

(A) In general

The term “medically underserved population” means the population of an urban or rural area designated by the Secretary as an area with a shortage of personal health services or a population group designated by the Secretary as having a shortage of such services.

(B) Criteria

In carrying out subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall prescribe criteria for determining the specific shortages of personal health services of an area or population group. Such criteria shall—

(i) take into account comments received by the Secretary from the chief executive officer of a State and local officials in a State; and

(ii) include factors indicative of the health status of a population group or residents of an area, the ability of the residents of an area or of a population group to pay for health services and their accessibility to them, and the availability of health professionals to residents of an area or to a population group.

The Secretary may not designate a medically underserved population in a State or terminate the designation of such a population unless, prior to such designation or termination, the Secretary provides reasonable notice and opportunity for comment and consults with—

(i) the chief executive officer of such State;

(ii) local officials in such State; and

(iii) the organization, if any, which represents a majority of health centers in such State.

(D) Permissible designation

The Secretary may designate a medically underserved population that does not meet the criteria established under subparagraph (B) if the chief executive officer of the State in which such population is located and local officials of such State recommend the designation of such population based on unusual local conditions which are a barrier to access to or the availability of personal health services.

(1) In general

(A) Centers

The Secretary may make grants to public and nonprofit private entities for projects to plan and develop health centers which will serve medically underserved populations. A project for which a grant may be made under this subsection may include the cost of the acquisition and lease of buildings and equipment (including the costs of amortizing the principal of, and paying the interest on, loans) and shall include—

(i) an assessment of the need that the population proposed to be served by the health center for which the project is undertaken has for required primary health services and additional health services;

(ii) the design of a health center program for such population based on such assessment;

(iii) efforts to secure, within the proposed catchment area of such center, financial and professional assistance and support for the project;

(iv) initiation and encouragement of continuing community involvement in the development and operation of the project; and

(v) proposed linkages between the center and other appropriate provider entities, such as health departments, local hospitals, and rural health clinics, to provide better coordinated, higher quality, and more cost-effective health care services.

(B) Managed care networks and plans

The Secretary may make grants to health centers that receive assistance under this section to enable the centers to plan and develop a managed care network or plan. Such a grant may only be made for such a center if—

(i) the center has received grants under subsection (e)(1)(A) of this section for at least 2 consecutive years preceding the year of the grant under this subparagraph or has otherwise demonstrated, as required by the Secretary, that such center has been providing primary care services for at least the 2 consecutive years immediately preceding such year; and

(ii) the center provides assurances satisfactory to the Secretary that the provision of such services on a prepaid basis, or under another managed care arrangement, will not result in the diminution of the level or quality of health services provided to the medically underserved population served prior to the grant under this subparagraph.

The Secretary may make grants to health centers that receive assistance under this section to enable the centers to plan and develop practice management networks that will enable the centers to—

(i) reduce costs associated with the provision of health care services;

(ii) improve access to, and availability of, health care services provided to individuals served by the centers;

(iii) enhance the quality and coordination of health care services; or

(iv) improve the health status of communities.

(D) Use of funds

The activities for which a grant may be made under subparagraph (B) or (C) may include the purchase or lease of equipment, which may include data and information systems (including paying for the costs of amortizing the principal of, and paying the interest on, loans for equipment), the provision of training and technical assistance related to the provision of health care services on a prepaid basis or under another managed care arrangement, and other activities that promote the development of practice management or managed care networks and plans.

(2) Limitation

Not more than two grants may be made under this subsection for the same project, except that upon a showing of good cause, the Secretary may make additional grant awards.

(3) Recognition of high poverty

(A) In general

In making grants under this subsection, the Secretary may recognize the unique needs of high poverty areas.

(B) High poverty area defined

For purposes of subparagraph (A), the term “high poverty area” means a catchment area which is established in a manner that is consistent with the factors in subsection (k)(3)(J), and the poverty rate of which is greater than the national average poverty rate as determined by the Bureau of the Census.

(d) Loan guarantee program

(1) Establishment

(A) In general

The Secretary shall establish a program under which the Secretary may, in accordance with this subsection and to the extent that appropriations are provided in advance for such program, guarantee up to 90 percent of the principal and interest on loans made by non-Federal lenders to health centers, funded under this section, for the costs of developing and operating managed care networks or plans described in subsection (c)(1)(B) of this section, or practice management networks described in subsection (c)(1)(C) of this section.

(B) Use of funds

Loan funds guaranteed under this subsection may be used—

(i) to establish reserves for the furnishing of services on a pre-paid basis;

(ii) for costs incurred by the center or centers, otherwise permitted under this section, as the Secretary determines are necessary to enable a center or centers to develop, operate, and own the network or plan; or

(iii) to refinance an existing loan (as of the date of refinancing) to the center or centers, if the Secretary determines—

(I) that such refinancing will be beneficial to the health center and the Federal Government; or

(II) that the center (or centers) can demonstrate an ability to repay the refinanced loan equal to or greater than the ability of the center (or centers) to repay the original loan on the date the original loan was made.

Prior to considering an application submitted under this subsection, the Secretary shall publish guidelines to provide guidance on the implementation of this section. The Secretary shall make such guidelines available to the universe of parties affected under this subsection, distribute such guidelines to such parties upon the request of such parties, and provide a copy of such guidelines to the appropriate committees of Congress.

(D) Provision directly to networks or plans

At the request of health centers receiving assistance under this section, loan guarantees provided under this paragraph may be made directly to networks or plans that are at least majority controlled and, as applicable, at least majority owned by those health centers.

(E) Federal credit reform

The requirements of the Federal Credit Reform Act of 1990 (2 U.S.C. 661 et seq.) shall apply with respect to loans refinanced under subparagraph (B)(iii).

(2) Protection of financial interests

(A) In general

The Secretary may not approve a loan guarantee for a project under this subsection unless the Secretary determines that—

(i) the terms, conditions, security (if any), and schedule and amount of repayments with respect to the loan are sufficient to protect the financial interests of the United States and are otherwise reasonable, including a determination that the rate of interest does not exceed such percent per annum on the principal obligation outstanding as the Secretary determines to be reasonable, taking into account the range of interest rates prevailing in the private market for similar loans and the risks assumed by the United States, except that the Secretary may not require as security any center asset that is, or may be, needed by the center or centers involved to provide health services;

(ii) the loan would not be available on reasonable terms and conditions without the guarantee under this subsection; and

(iii) amounts appropriated for the program under this subsection are sufficient to provide loan guarantees under this subsection.

(B) Recovery of payments

(i) In general The United States shall be entitled to recover from the applicant for a loan guarantee under this subsection the amount of any payment made pursuant to such guarantee, unless the Secretary for good cause waives such right of recovery (subject to appropriations remaining available to permit such a waiver) and, upon making any such payment, the United States shall be subrogated to all of the rights of the recipient of the payments with respect to which the guarantee was made. Amounts recovered under this clause shall be credited as reimbursements to the financing account of the program.

(ii) Modification of terms and conditions To the extent permitted by clause (iii) and subject to the requirements of section 504(e) of the Credit Reform Act of 1990 (2 U.S.C. 661c (e)), any terms and conditions applicable to a loan guarantee under this subsection (including terms and conditions imposed under clause (iv)) may be modified or waived by the Secretary to the extent the Secretary determines it to be consistent with the financial interest of the United States.

(iii) Incontestability Any loan guarantee made by the Secretary under this subsection shall be incontestable—

(I) in the hands of an applicant on whose behalf such guarantee is made unless the applicant engaged in fraud or misrepresentation in securing such guarantee; and

(II) as to any person (or successor in interest) who makes or contracts to make a loan to such applicant in reliance thereon unless such person (or successor in interest) engaged in fraud or misrepresentation in making or contracting to make such loan.

(iv) Further terms and conditions Guarantees of loans under this subsection shall be subject to such further terms and conditions as the Secretary determines to be necessary to assure that the purposes of this section will be achieved.

(3) Loan origination fees

(A) In general

The Secretary shall collect a loan origination fee with respect to loans to be guaranteed under this subsection, except as provided in subparagraph (C).

(B) Amount

The amount of a loan origination fee collected by the Secretary under subparagraph (A) shall be equal to the estimated long term cost of the loan guarantees involved to the Federal Government (excluding administrative costs), calculated on a net present value basis, after taking into account any appropriations that may be made for the purpose of offsetting such costs, and in accordance with the criteria used to award loan guarantees under this subsection.

The Secretary may waive the loan origination fee for a health center applicant who demonstrates to the Secretary that the applicant will be unable to meet the conditions of the loan if the applicant incurs the additional cost of the fee.

(4) Defaults

(A) In general

Subject to the requirements of the Credit Reform Act of 1990 ^[1] (2 U.S.C. 661 et seq.), the Secretary may take such action as may be necessary to prevent a default on a loan guaranteed under this subsection, including the waiver of regulatory conditions, deferral of loan payments, renegotiation of loans, and the expenditure of funds for technical and consultative assistance, for the temporary payment of the interest and principal on such a loan, and for other purposes. Any such expenditure made under the preceding sentence on behalf of a health center or centers shall be made under such terms and conditions as the Secretary shall prescribe, including the implementation of such organizational, operational, and financial reforms as the Secretary determines are appropriate and the disclosure of such financial or other information as the Secretary may require to determine the extent of the implementation of such reforms.

(B) Foreclosure

The Secretary may take such action, consistent with State law respecting foreclosure procedures and, with respect to reserves required for furnishing services on a prepaid basis, subject to the consent of the affected States, as the Secretary determines appropriate to protect the interest of the United States in the event of a default on a loan guaranteed under this subsection, except that the Secretary may only foreclose on assets offered as security (if any) in accordance with paragraph (2)(A)(i).

(5) Limitation

Not more than one loan guarantee may be made under this subsection for the same network or plan, except that upon a showing of good cause the Secretary may make additional loan guarantees.

(6) Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection such sums as may be necessary.

(e) Operating grants

(1) Authority

(A) In general

The Secretary may make grants for the costs of the operation of public and nonprofit private health centers that provide health services to medically underserved populations.

(B) Entities that fail to meet certain requirements

The Secretary may make grants, for a period of not to exceed 2 years, for the costs of the operation of public and nonprofit private entities which provide health services to medically underserved populations but with respect to which the Secretary is unable to make each of the determinations required by subsection (k)(3) of this section.

The Secretary may make grants to health centers that receive assistance under this section, or at the request of the health centers, directly to a network or plan (as described in subparagraphs (B) and (C) of subsection (c)(1) of this section) that is at least majority controlled and, as applicable, at least majority owned by such health centers receiving assistance under this section, for the costs associated with the operation of such network or plan, including the purchase or lease of equipment (including the costs of amortizing the principal of, and paying the interest on, loans for equipment).

(2) Use of funds

The costs for which a grant may be made under subparagraph (A) or (B) of paragraph (1) may include the costs of acquiring and leasing buildings and equipment (including the costs of amortizing the principal of, and paying interest on, loans), and the costs of providing training related to the provision of required primary health services and additional health services and to the management of health center programs.

(3) Construction

The Secretary may award grants which may be used to pay the costs associated with expanding and modernizing existing buildings or constructing new buildings (including the costs of amortizing the principal of, and paying the interest on, loans) for projects approved prior to October 1, 1996.

(4) Limitation

Not more than two grants may be made under subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) for the same entity.

(5) Amount

(A) In general

The amount of any grant made in any fiscal year under subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (1) to a health center shall be determined by the Secretary, but may not exceed the amount by which the costs of operation of the center in such fiscal year exceed the total of—

(i) State, local, and other operational funding provided to the center; and

(ii) the fees, premiums, and third-party reimbursements, which the center may reasonably be expected to receive for its operations in such fiscal year.

(B) Networks and plans

The total amount of grant funds made available for any fiscal year under paragraph (1)(C) and subparagraphs (B) and (C) of subsection (c)(1) of this section to a health center or to a network or plan shall be determined by the Secretary, but may not exceed 2 percent of the total amount appropriated under this section for such fiscal year.

Payments under grants under subparagraph (A) or (B) of paragraph (1) shall be made in advance or by way of reimbursement and in such installments as the Secretary finds necessary and adjustments may be made for overpayments or underpayments.

(D) Use of nongrant funds

Nongrant funds described in clauses (i) and (ii) of subparagraph (A), including any such funds in excess of those originally expected, shall be used as permitted under this section, and may be used for such other purposes as are not specifically prohibited under this section if such use furthers the objectives of the project.

(f) Infant mortality grants

(1) In general

The Secretary may make grants to health centers for the purpose of assisting such centers in—

(A) providing comprehensive health care and support services for the reduction of—

(i) the incidence of infant mortality; and

(ii) morbidity among children who are less than 3 years of age; and

(B) developing and coordinating service and referral arrangements between health centers and other entities for the health management of pregnant women and children described in subparagraph (A).

(2) Priority

In making grants under this subsection the Secretary shall give priority to health centers providing services to any medically underserved population among which there is a substantial incidence of infant mortality or among which there is a significant increase in the incidence of infant mortality.

(3) Requirements

The Secretary may make a grant under this subsection only if the health center involved agrees that—

(A) the center will coordinate the provision of services under the grant to each of the recipients of the services;

(B) such services will be continuous for each such recipient;

(C) the center will provide follow-up services for individuals who are referred by the center for services described in paragraph (1);

(D) the grant will be expended to supplement, and not supplant, the expenditures of the center for primary health services (including prenatal care) with respect to the purpose described in this subsection; and

(E) the center will coordinate the provision of services with other maternal and child health providers operating in the catchment area.

(g) Migratory and seasonal agricultural workers

(1) In general

(A) migratory agricultural workers, seasonal agricultural workers, and members of the families of such migratory and seasonal agricultural workers who are within a designated catchment area; and

(B) individuals who have previously been migratory agricultural workers but who no longer meet the requirements of subparagraph (A) of paragraph (3) because of age or disability and members of the families of such individuals who are within such catchment area.

(2) Environmental concerns

The Secretary may enter into grants or contracts under this subsection with public and private entities to—

(A) assist the States in the implementation and enforcement of acceptable environmental health standards, including enforcement of standards for sanitation in migratory agricultural worker and seasonal agricultural worker labor camps, and applicable Federal and State pesticide control standards; and

(B) conduct projects and studies to assist the several States and entities which have received grants or contracts under this section in the assessment of problems related to camp and field sanitation, exposure to unsafe levels of agricultural chemicals including pesticides, and other environmental health hazards to which migratory agricultural workers and seasonal agricultural workers, and members of their families, are exposed.

(3) Definitions

For purposes of this subsection:

(A) Migratory agricultural worker

The term “migratory agricultural worker” means an individual whose principal employment is in agriculture, who has been so employed within the last 24 months, and who establishes for the purposes of such employment a temporary abode.

(B) Seasonal agricultural worker

The term “seasonal agricultural worker” means an individual whose principal employment is in agriculture on a seasonal basis and who is not a migratory agricultural worker.

The term “agriculture” means farming in all its branches, including—

(i) cultivation and tillage of the soil;

(ii) the production, cultivation, growing, and harvesting of any commodity grown on, in, or as an adjunct to or part of a commodity grown in or on, the land; and

(iii) any practice (including preparation and processing for market and delivery to storage or to market or to carriers for transportation to market) performed by a farmer or on a farm incident to or in conjunction with an activity described in clause (ii).

(h) Homeless population

(1) In general

The Secretary may award grants for the purposes described in subsections (c), (e), and (f) of this section for the planning and delivery of services to a special medically underserved population comprised of homeless individuals, including grants for innovative programs that provide outreach and comprehensive primary health services to homeless children and youth and children and youth at risk of homelessness.

(2) Required services

In addition to required primary health services (as defined in subsection (b)(1) of this section), an entity that receives a grant under this subsection shall be required to provide substance abuse services as a condition of such grant.

(3) Supplement not supplant requirement

A grant awarded under this subsection shall be expended to supplement, and not supplant, the expenditures of the health center and the value of in kind contributions for the delivery of services to the population described in paragraph (1).

(4) Temporary continued provision of services to certain former homeless individuals

If any grantee under this subsection has provided services described in this section under the grant to a homeless individual, such grantee may, notwithstanding that the individual is no longer homeless as a result of becoming a resident in permanent housing, expend the grant to continue to provide such services to the individual for not more than 12 months.

(5) Definitions

For purposes of this section:

(A) Homeless individual

The term “homeless individual” means an individual who lacks housing (without regard to whether the individual is a member of a family), including an individual whose primary residence during the night is a supervised public or private facility that provides temporary living accommodations and an individual who is a resident in transitional housing.

(B) Substance abuse

The term “substance abuse” has the same meaning given such term in section 290cc–34 (4) of this title.

The term “substance abuse services” includes detoxification, risk reduction, outpatient treatment, residential treatment, and rehabilitation for substance abuse provided in settings other than hospitals.

(i) Residents of public housing

(1) In general

The Secretary may award grants for the purposes described in subsections (c), (e), and (f) of this section for the planning and delivery of services to a special medically underserved population comprised of residents of public housing (such term, for purposes of this subsection, shall have the same meaning given such term in section 1437a (b)(1) of this title) and individuals living in areas immediately accessible to such public housing.

(2) Supplement not supplant

(3) Consultation with residents

The Secretary may not make a grant under paragraph (1) unless, with respect to the residents of the public housing involved, the applicant for the grant—

(A) has consulted with the residents in the preparation of the application for the grant; and

(B) agrees to provide for ongoing consultation with the residents regarding the planning and administration of the program carried out with the grant.

(j) Access grants

(1) In general

The Secretary may award grants to eligible health centers with a substantial number of clients with limited English speaking proficiency to provide translation, interpretation, and other such services for such clients with limited English speaking proficiency.

(2) Eligible health center

In this subsection, the term “eligible health center” means an entity that—

(A) is a health center as defined under subsection (a) of this section;

(B) provides health care services for clients for whom English is a second language; and

(C) has exceptional needs with respect to linguistic access or faces exceptional challenges with respect to linguistic access.

(3) Grant amount

The amount of a grant awarded to a center under this subsection shall be determined by the Administrator. Such determination of such amount shall be based on the number of clients for whom English is a second language that is served by such center, and larger grant amounts shall be awarded to centers serving larger numbers of such clients.

(4) Use of funds

An eligible health center that receives a grant under this subsection may use funds received through such grant to—

(A) provide translation, interpretation, and other such services for clients for whom English is a second language, including hiring professional translation and interpretation services; and

(B) compensate bilingual or multilingual staff for language assistance services provided by the staff for such clients.

(5) Application

An eligible health center desiring a grant under this subsection shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may reasonably require, including—

(A) an estimate of the number of clients that the center serves for whom English is a second language;

(B) the ratio of the number of clients for whom English is a second language to the total number of clients served by the center;

(C) a description of any language assistance services that the center proposes to provide to aid clients for whom English is a second language; and

(D) a description of the exceptional needs of such center with respect to linguistic access or a description of the exceptional challenges faced by such center with respect to linguistic access.

(6) Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection, in addition to any funds authorized to be appropriated or appropriated for health centers under any other subsection of this section, such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2002 through 2006.

(k) Applications

(1) Submission

No grant may be made under this section unless an application therefore is submitted to, and approved by, the Secretary. Such an application shall be submitted in such form and manner and shall contain such information as the Secretary shall prescribe.

(2) Description of need

An application for a grant under subparagraph (A) or (B) of subsection (e)(1) of this section for a health center shall include—

(A) a description of the need for health services in the catchment area of the center;

(B) a demonstration by the applicant that the area or the population group to be served by the applicant has a shortage of personal health services; and

(C) a demonstration that the center will be located so that it will provide services to the greatest number of individuals residing in the catchment area or included in such population group.

Such a demonstration shall be made on the basis of the criteria prescribed by the Secretary under subsection (b)(3) of this section or on any other criteria which the Secretary may prescribe to determine if the area or population group to be served by the applicant has a shortage of personal health services. In considering an application for a grant under subparagraph (A) or (B) of subsection (e)(1) of this section, the Secretary may require as a condition to the approval of such application an assurance that the applicant will provide any health service defined under paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (b) of this section that the Secretary finds is needed to meet specific health needs of the area to be served by the applicant. Such a finding shall be made in writing and a copy shall be provided to the applicant.

(3) Requirements

Except as provided in subsection (e)(1)(B) of this section, the Secretary may not approve an application for a grant under subparagraph (A) or (B) of subsection (e)(1) of this section unless the Secretary determines that the entity for which the application is submitted is a health center (within the meaning of subsection (a) of this section) and that—

(A) the required primary health services of the center will be available and accessible in the catchment area of the center promptly, as appropriate, and in a manner which assures continuity;

(B) the center has made and will continue to make every reasonable effort to establish and maintain collaborative relationships with other health care providers in the catchment area of the center;

(C) the center will have an ongoing quality improvement system that includes clinical services and management, and that maintains the confidentiality of patient records;

(D) the center will demonstrate its financial responsibility by the use of such accounting procedures and other requirements as may be prescribed by the Secretary;

(E) the center—

(i)

(I) has or will have a contractual or other arrangement with the agency of the State, in which it provides services, which administers or supervises the administration of a State plan approved under title XIX of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.] for the payment of all or a part of the center’s costs in providing health services to persons who are eligible for medical assistance under such a State plan; and

(II) has or will have a contractual or other arrangement with the State agency administering the program under title XXI of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1397aa et seq.) with respect to individuals who are State children’s health insurance program beneficiaries; or

(ii) has made or will make every reasonable effort to enter into arrangements described in subclauses (I) and (II) of clause (i);

(F) the center has made or will make and will continue to make every reasonable effort to collect appropriate reimbursement for its costs in providing health services to persons who are entitled to insurance benefits under title XVIII of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq.], to medical assistance under a State plan approved under title XIX of such Act [42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.], or to assistance for medical expenses under any other public assistance program or private health insurance program;

(G) the center—

(i) has prepared a schedule of fees or payments for the provision of its services consistent with locally prevailing rates or charges and designed to cover its reasonable costs of operation and has prepared a corresponding schedule of discounts to be applied to the payment of such fees or payments, which discounts are adjusted on the basis of the patient’s ability to pay;

(ii) has made and will continue to make every reasonable effort&md

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§ 254b. Health centers