To ensure continuity of FTCA coverage,
any specialty service added to the Federal
scope of project must be described in
the health center’s next funding application
(Service Area Competition or Budget
Period Renewal). However, inclusion
of a service within the Federal scope
of project is, in and of itself, not
enough to guarantee FTCA coverage.
FTCA deeming requirements must also
be met. For more information on policies
and procedures related to FTCA deeming,
please consult PAL
2008-05, “New Requirements for Deeming
under the Federally Supported Health
Centers Assistance Act for Calendar
Year 2009” and the HRSA
FTCA web site.
Also note that the definition of “provider”
under the Federal scope of project may
not be consistent with the definition
of provider under the relevant statutory
FTCA provisions. Individuals covered
by the FTCA may include others, such
as certain lab and radiology technicians,
as described in section 224 of the PHS
Act. Likewise, not all provider arrangements
in the Federal scope of project are
covered by the FTCA. For example, volunteer
providers, physicians contracted under
a professional corporation or employed
by other corporations, and interns/residents/medical
students not employed by the health
center may be included as part of the
Federal scope of project, but are not
covered under the FTCA. In
circumstances where the provider arrangement
does not meet the criteria for FTCA
coverage, health centers should ensure
that the provider has sufficient alternative
malpractice insurance.