OCHIN Brief: Critical Medicare Readiness Gaps at California Community Health Centers

An OCHIN brief identifies critical Medicare readiness gaps at California community health centers as the population they serve ages. Many FQHCs lack billing infrastructure, credentialing processes, and clinical workflows optimized for Medicare patients. As Medi-Cal populations age into Medicare and FQHCs diversify payer mix away from Medi-Cal dependency, Medicare readiness becomes a financial survival strategy.