Billing Medicaid for Community Health Worker Services: The Promise, Pitfalls, and Path Forward

Authors: Mechelle R Sanders, Kevin Fiscella

This commentary discusses a proposed US law, the Community Health Worker Access Act, which would allow primary care facilities to receive payments for services provided by Community Health Workers (CHWs). Although CHWs help people understand their health, access care, and address challenges such as poverty and lack of resources, many work without pay or secure funding. The proposed law could create more job opportunities for CHWs and help make their services part of routine health care. However, careful planning and implementation would be needed to ensure CHWs are properly supported and their work can continue in the long term.