14 community health centers in Maine have been selected to participate in a federal pilot program created by the Affordable Care Act that is meant to improve the way Medicare patients are treated.

Doctors, nurses and healthcare administrators in the program are going to be given new incentives to keep patients healthier.

“This critical investment will allow our community health centers to provide the best quality health care services to Mainers,” Congressman Mike Michaud said in a statement. “The findings from this pilot program will help providers keep patients healthier in the long term and lower costs in the health care system overall.”

Although the doctors will get additional "care coordination reimbursements" by providing more continuous care, the program will theoretically lower overall costs by keeping patients out of the emergency room.

• Fish River Rural Health (Eagle Lake)
• Health Access Network, Inc. (Medway)
• HealthReach Community Health Care (Bingham)
• HealthReach Community Health Care (Madison)
• HealthReach Community Health Care (Kingfield)
• HealthReach Community Health Care (Rangeley)
• HealthReach Community Health Care (Strong)
• HealthReach Community Health Care (Livermore Falls)
• Katahdin Valley Health Center (Island Falls)
• Katahdin Valley Health Center (Patten)
• Sebasticook Family Doctors (Canaan)
• Sebasticook Family Doctors (Dexter)
• Sebasticook Family Doctors (Pittsfield)
• St. Croix Regional Family Health (Princeton)

In other recent healthcare news affecting Maine's Western mountain region, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) authorized the continued operation of the mobile VA clinic in Bingham in September.

Photo from HealthReach CHC website.