Section 16.03.09.830 - FEDERALLY QUALIFIED HEALTH CENTER (FQHC) SERVICES: DEFINITIONS01.Change in Intensity of Services of an FQHC. A change in the intensity of services of an FQHC means a change in the quantity and complexity of services delivered that could change an FQHC's total allowable cost per encounter. This does not include an expansion or remodeling of an existing FQHC. This may include such things as the addition of new services or the deletion of existing services.02.Encounter. An encounter, for FQHC payment purposes, is a face-to-face contact for the provision of medical/mental or dental services between a FQHC patient and a provider as specified in Subsections 832.01 through 832.07 of these rules. For the purposes of establishing encounter rates, the term "medical/mental" refers to a single category of service.03.Encounter Rate. An encounter rate can be of two (2) types, either medical/mental or dental; either of these two (2) types can be either an interim rate or a finalized rate. An encounter rate is the total amount of annual costs for the type of encounter divided by the total number of encounters for that type of encounter for the FQHC's fiscal year. a. Interim Encounter Rate. If the FQHC is new and historical cost information is not available, the Department sets the interim encounter rate using budgeted cost and encounter information submitted by the provider. If the FQHC is not able to obtain its financial budget information, the Department sets the interim encounter rate by referring to encounter rates paid to other FQHCs in the same or adjacent regional areas with similar caseloads.b. Finalized Encounter Rate. If the FQHC is an existing facility and has at least twenty-four (24) consecutive months of historical cost and encounter information, the Department uses the second full twelve (12) month audited Medicare cost report to calculate a finalized encounter rate.04.Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs). Federally qualified health centers are defined in federal law at 42 USC Section 1396d(1)(2), which incorporates the definition at 42 USC Section 1395x(aa)(1), and includes community health centers, migrant health centers, providers of care for the homeless, and outpatient health programs or clinics operated by a tribe or tribal organization under the Indian Self-Determination Act (P.L. 93-638). It also includes clinics that qualify for, but are not actually receiving, grant funds according to Sections 329, 330, or 340 of the Public Health Service Act (42 USC Sections 201, et seq.) that may provide ambulatory services to medical assistance participants.05.Medicare Cost Report Period. The period of time covered by the Medicare-required annual report of an FQHC's costs.06.Medicare Economic Index (MEI). MEI is an annual measure of inflation designed to estimate the increase in the total cost for the average physician to operate a medical practice. The MEI takes into account cost categories such as a physician's own time, non-physician employees' compensation, rents, and medical equipment. The MEI is used in establishing the annual changes to the payment conversion factors used as part of the methodology for determining FQHC reimbursement rates.Idaho Admin. Code r. 16.03.09.830