Health Department

 

CHD has contracted Forvis Mazars to help develop a forward-looking, sustainable business strategy amid ongoing changes to the healthcare industry’s financial and regulatory environments.​

CINCINNATI – September 22, 2026 - The Cincinnati Health Department (CHD) has begun a multi-phase evaluation of the financial and operational strategies of City of Cincinnati Primary Care (CCPC), the department’s Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC). CCPC is CHD’s community-based healthcare delivery unit that offers a range of medical, dental and vision services at six community health centers and 13 school-based health centers throughout the City. Its areas of care include primary care, women’s health, pediatrics, behavioral health, pharmacy and community nursing, in addition to comprehensive dental and vision services.

CHD has contracted leading healthcare finance consultant Forvis Mazars to conduct a two-phase strategic review and market evaluation. Together with the framework formed by CHD’s Strategic Plan (2025) and its Master Facilities Plan (2024), Forvis Mazars’s findings will help CHD, the Cincinnati Board of Health, CCPC’s Governing Board, and City leaders evolve CHD's overall operating approach so the agency and its healthcare delivery division are appropriately positioned for continued sustainability and impact.

Grant Mussman, MD, MHSA, Cincinnati health commissioner: “When it comes to our healthcare delivery strategy and how it complements our overall outcome-based approach to Cincinnati's public health, we recognize that strategies that have served Cincinnati well to date may need to evolve as the healthcare industry continues to change.

“Like many FQHCs and community healthcare organizations nationwide, CHD is impacted by federal and state policies like Medicaid eligibility reform, changes in reimbursement models for both care and prescription drugs, evolving healthcare utilization patterns, and fluctuations in funding sources. Together, these factors can affect our ability to deliver public health services and maintain the comprehensive care offerings we provide through CCPC," Mussman continued.

“Ultimately, this work is about ensuring Cincinnati residents continue to have access to high-quality, community-based healthcare services regardless of how reimbursement and funding models evolve in the future. We need to be proactive and get ahead of the curve, so we're best positioned to respond to those changes effectively while remaining responsible stewards of public resources,” said Mussman. 

In the first stage of work, Forvis Mazars will conduct an on-site analysis of CCPC’s financial performance, revenue cycle, payment operations, and patient-care offerings. This work will help identify opportunities to strengthen and diversify revenue through service expansion, billing and revenue cycle optimization, grants, external funding opportunities, and strategic partnerships.

The second stage is expected to build on those findings and recommendations with a deeper evaluation of Cincinnati’s evolving resident profile and residential footprint, critical health-related issues affecting the city, existing healthcare access and capacity, and future public health needs and expectations.

“As we envision the Cincinnati Health Department of the future and how we’ll serve the City, we’ll need to be more innovative and efficient in how we work with and support public health," Mussman said. "We need to ensure we’re offering the right mix of services and support programming for our residents' ever-changing health and wellness needs. And, above all, we must have a sustainable, successful, and fiscally responsible strategy that can adapt to changing regulatory and payment environments.”

During the strategic review, Forvis Mazars consultants will spend time with CHD staff, City and regional leaders, patients, residents, advocates, and healthcare professionals to gain deeper insights and first-hand perspectives about CCPC’s service lines, CHD programming, and the city’s future needs.

Mussman added: “We don’t want to just meet the city’s public health needs in the future; our goal is to support Cincinnati residents in a holistic way that helps them live longer, healthier lives and makes Cincinnati a stronger, more vibrant city for everyone.”