Fact Sheets - Pennsylvania

SCHOOL-BASED HEALTH CENTERS IN PENNSYLVANIA

In school year 1999/2000 Pennsylvania reported 31 school-based health centers, a decline of one over two years. The state is continuing to not give financial support to the centers. While the state has a significant number of school-based health centers, state policy is not supporting expansion of the model. Centers may not be reimbursed under Medicaid and other insurance programs, and nurse practitioners are not permitted to participate in managed care provider networks as primary care providers, a stipulation that can limit billing opportunities. Center are also not allowed to contract with managed care plans.
 
Descriptive Data

SBHCs with primary care providers Types of schools housing SBHCs

State Policies

Table I: Third Party Payments for SBHC Services
SBHCs are eligible to receive Medicaid payments for Services No
SBHCs are eligible to receive CHIP payments for services No
State has taken specific measures to encourage SBHC
participation in Medicaid managed care		 No
State has taken specific measures to encourage SBHC
participation in CHIP		 No
SBHCs participate in MCOs as primary care providers No
SBHCs or their sponsors have contracts with managed care plans No



Table II: Non-financial State Policies to Support SBHCs
Does your state have a governmental unit or office explicitly charged to develop and support SBHCs? No
Does state law permit nurse practitioners to participate in managed care provider networks as primary care providers? No
Does the state have targeting guidelines for state-funded SBHCs? No
Has the state established operating standards for SBHCs? No
Are SBHCs licensed by state health licensing authority? No


 

Table III: SBHCs and Managed Care Experience
Do any SBHCs in the state have contracts with managed care plans? No
Do any SBHCs participate in commercial plans? No
Does state law permit nurse practitioners to participate in managed care provider networks as primary care providers? No

 

Table IV: SBHCs and Community Support
Has the state health department or education agency sponsored polls or organized focus groups to identify public intersts or concerns regarding SBHCs? No
Has the state agency been asked to provide inforamtion on how to start, operate, or fund a SBHC? No
Has the state agency been contacted by persons who were worried about the opening of SBHCs in their communities? No
Has the agency been contacted by persons opposed to the opening of SBHCs in the State? No
Do SBHCs assess parent and/or student satisfaction with their services? Yes

 

Source: National Survey of School-Based Health Centers 2000,
Making the Grade

Contact Information:

Faye Ellis
Nurse Practitioner
Sacred Heart Hospital
School-Based Health Center Program
750 Saint Johns Street
Allentown, PA 18103
Phone: 610/820/2395
Fax: 610/821/3913
Email: fellis@easy-pages.com

Pamela J. Murray
Associate Professor of Pediatrics Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh
3705 Fifth Avenue at DeSoto Street Pittsburgh, PA 15213
Phone: 412/692/8504
Fax: 412/692/8584
Email: murrayp@chplink.chp.edu

Related Links:

Pennsylvania Department of Health
http://www.health.state.pa.us