New Formulas for Designating Medically Underserved
Areas/Populations and Health Professional Shortage Areas:

The First Revisions since the 1970s will Affect Many Federal Funding Programs

Nashville, TN - The Department of Health and Human Services is preparing to adopt new definitions of Medically Underserved Area (MUA) and Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) in 2008. The Secretary of Health and Human Services approved the proposed rule changes on March 26, 2007 and a notice of proposed rulemaking will appear in the Federal Register in fall 2007. Upon the completion of the 6-month comment and review period will result in modifications to the proposal; the final rule is scheduled for publication in early 2008.

HPSA and MUA systems provide funding decisions for dozens of federal programs that are intended to improve access to care for underserved populations. If changes are adopted, it will be the first major revision since its inception in the 1970s; despite the inadequacies. A prior attempt to overhaul the system was initiated in the 1990s, by the Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA), however the attempt was unsuccessful after stakeholder groups in affected areas expressed dissatisfaction.              

The proposed changes appear in the current issue of the Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved (JHCPU 18.3, released today.) Professor Thomas Ricketts of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) and colleagues completed the work over the course of four years under an agreement with the federal government. The revisions will directly affect areas and populations that qualify for Community Health Center (CHC) and Rural Health Center (RHC) funding. Congress has appropriated $2.238 billion for the 2008 fiscal year to CHCs and RHCs.

Ricketts explained his work this way, “We’ve shown that a data-driven, theory-based metric to calculate relative need for geographic areas and geographically-bounded special populations can be developed and used. Its use, however, requires careful explanation to and support from affected groups…..[as well as] theory from the academic literature, and methods drawn from econometrics and general statistical analysis.”

About the Journal for Health Care for the Poor and Underserved

JHCPU has as its goal the dissemination of information on the health of, and health care for, low- income and other medically underserved communities to health care practitioners, policy makers, and community leaders who are in a position to effect meaningful change. Issues dealt with include access to, quality of, and cost of health care. It is owned by and edited at Meharry Medical College and published by Johns Hopkins University Press. Its affiliated membership organization is the Assn. of Clinicians for the Underserved (ACU).

About Meharry Medical College

Since 1876, Meharry Medical College has remained committed to the education, health and health care needs of underserved populations. More than 76% of alumni return to underserved communities to provide healthcare services. Meharry Medical College places special emphasis on providing opportunities to people of color and individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds, regardless of race or ethnicity; the College delivers high quality health services.

Meharry Medical College is the nation's largest private, independent historically black institution dedicated solely to educating health science professionals. The College is particularly well known for its uniquely nurturing, highly effective educational programs; increasing preeminence in health disparities research; culturally sensitive, evidence-based health services; and significant contribution to the diversity of the nation's health professions workforce. Diverse Issues in Higher Education's ranking of institutions annually lists Meharry as a leading national educator of African Americans with M.D. and D.D.S. degrees and Ph.D. degrees in the biomedical sciences.

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Meharry Medical College is the nation’s largest private, independent historically black institution dedicated solely to educating minority and other health professionals. The College is particularly well known for its uniquely nurturing, highly effective educational programs; emerging preeminence in health disparities research; culturally sensitive, evidence-based health services; and significant contribution to the diversity of the nation’s health professions workforce. Black Issues in Higher Education’s ranking of institutions annually lists Meharry as a leading national educator of African Americans with M.D. and D.D.S. degrees, and Ph.D. degrees in the biomedical sciences.