The merger of some area medical practices could mean more affordable healthcare for residents. On Thursday, J.C. Blair’s Huntingdon Family Care Center and Trough Creek Medical Care Center will merge with Broad Top Area Medical Center’s Federally Qualified Health Center.
Patients of J.C. Blair’s practices will still see their same doctors at the same offices in Huntingdon and Cassville. But after those practices become join the Broad Top Area Medical Center, they’ll also be recognized as a federally qualified health center.
This designation gives patients access to a sliding fee scale and a prescription discount program.
Doctors’ malpractice insurance will be covered for them, and the medical centers will have access to state and federal grants.
Plans are also being made to transition J.C. Blair’s Pediatric Care Center, Women’s Care Center and Primary Care Center into the new
federally qualified center.
” We need to be more of a health system, not just a clinic, and this collaboration gives us the leverage to be successful when competing for grants that will provide the services our community needs,” said Broad Top CEO Melissa Walls.
