Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC)
What is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC)?
Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) are community-based healthcare providers that receive funds from the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) to provide primary care services in underserved communities.
FQHCs qualify for funding under Section 330 of the Public Health Services Act and qualify for enhanced reimbursement systems under Medicare and Medicaid. FQHC Look-Likes do not receive Section 330 funding but meet the same eligibility requirements and receive enhanced funding from Medicare and Medicaid.
To receive an FQHC designation, facilities have the following qualifications:
- Provide comprehensive primary care and advanced care plans for patients of all ages
- Offer a sliding scale fee based on the patient’s ability to pay
- Operate as a non-profit with a board of directors which represents the patient population
- Serve a medically under-served area
Why are Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) important in healthcare?
Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCS) are important as they provide preventive care, including health, oral and mental health/substance abuse services to medically underserved and vulnerable populations. Patients who seek care at FQHCs may be uninsured or living below the poverty line and FQHCs provide care they may not be able to afford elsewhere.
According to HRSA, 1 in 11 people rely on an FQHC for care. As of January 2022, Definitive Healthcare tracks data on over 17,000 FQHCs and FQHC Look-alikes within our ClinicView product.