Healthcare Insights

Top 25 Federally Qualified Health Centers by visits and compensation

Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) have been important sources of treatment for underserved and low-income communities for years.  

Following the passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2010, these clinics experienced an influx in demand from a wave of newly insured patients. Increased federal funding and new incentives also encouraged physicians to practice in FQHCs. As a result, the positive impact FQHCs have on their communities grew increasingly important in states which expanded Medicaid. The Kaiser Family Foundation reported that an estimated 26 million children and adults visited an FQHC in 2016.  

Below, we’ve ranked the top 25 federally qualified health centers by both visits and total compensation. 

Top 25 FQHCs by number of visits

FQHC name State Definitive ID Total visits Total compensation Explore dataset
Omni Family Health CA 19264 6,281,024 $864,935,187  Explore
Golden Valley Health Centers CA 18976 2,335,663 $370,976,782  Explore
WellSpace Health CA 963305 2,322,795 $452,580,193  Explore
Borrego Community Health Foundation CA 18720 1,418,047 $365,334,733  Explore
Family Healthcare Network CA 19648 1,130,088 $161,001,660  Explore
Sun River Health (FKA Hudson River Healthcare Inc) NY 18855 651,284 $192,507,771  Explore
Community Health Centers of the Central Coast Inc CA 18628 611,747 $59,306,443  Explore
United Health Centers of the San Joaquin Valley CA 19779 599,891 $63,679,162  Explore
Ventura County Health Care Agency CA 19169 582,822 $66,652,601  Explore
County of Santa Clara FQHC CA 19226 532,093 $129,292,761  Explore
Clinica Sierra Vista CA 19516 517,373 $126,149,110  Explore
Community Health Center Incorporated CT 19798 463,632 $84,649,877  Explore
MCR Health (AKA Manatee County Rural Health Services Inc) FL 18837 435,025 $54,368,013  Explore
AltaMed Health Services Corporation CA 19016 430,911 $39,042,429  Explore
Family Health Centers of San Diego Inc CA 19331 417,259 $445,472,263  Explore
Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic WA 19399 407,844 $1,309,995,831  Explore
Sea Mar Community Health Centers WA 19207 401,455 $155,541,432  Explore
Cumberland Family Medical Center Inc KY 963272 380,832 $42,354,090  Explore
Access Community Health Network IL 19521 356,176 $71,161,887  Explore
Riverside County Health System CA 18641 350,660 $51,392,262  Explore
San Ysidro Health CA 19635 345,201 $63,869,816  Explore
Hudson Headwaters Health Network NY 18586 316,500 $56,947,635  Explore
Southern Illinois Health Care Foundation Inc IL 18495 313,240 $40,040,499  Explore
Rural Health Care Incorporated (AKA Aza Health) FL 18999 308,107 $51,423,781  Explore
El Rio Santa Cruz Neighborhood Health Center Inc AZ 19360 305,061 $258,796,694 Explore

Fig 1. Data is sourced from the ClinicView product based on the 2022 Medicare Cost Report.  

FQHCs generally operate in urban and rural settings, often functioning as safety-net providers or expanding healthcare access in sparsely populated areas. Unsurprisingly, the FQHCs with the highest visits are generally found in or near large cities.  

Omni Family Health has the highest number of visits at 6,281,024. This FQHC has a network of clinics located outside Los Angeles and Bakersfield. A disproportionate number of high-volume FQHCs operate in California, likely due to the state’s high population and significant enrollment in Medi-Cal, the state’s version of Medicaid. The top 25 centers also had wide variations in total compensation. 

Of the centers with the greatest number of patient visits, total compensation ranged from $42 million to $864 million. This isn’t necessarily a strong indicator of volume as some locations may be in rural areas, and many can be staffed by physician assistants or nurses rather than physicians. 

Top 25 FQHCs by total compensation

FQHC name State Definitive ID Total compensation Total visits Explore dataset
Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic WA 19399 $1,309,995,831  407,844 Explore
Omni Family Health CA 19264 $864,935,187  6,281,024 Explore
WellSpace Health CA 963305 $452,580,193  2,322,795 Explore
Family Health Centers of San Diego Inc CA 19331 $445,472,263  417,259 Explore
Golden Valley Health Centers CA 18976 $370,976,782  2,335,663 Explore
Borrego Community Health Foundation CA 18720 $365,334,733  1,418,047 Explore
El Rio Santa Cruz Neighborhood Health Center Inc AZ 19360 $258,796,694  305,061 Explore
Sun River Health (FKA Hudson River Healthcare Inc) NY 18855 $192,507,771  651,284 Explore
Family Healthcare Network CA 19648 $161,001,660  1,130,088 Explore
Sea Mar Community Health Centers WA 19207 $155,541,432  401,455 Explore
County of Santa Clara FQHC CA 19226 $129,292,761  532,093 Explore
Clinica Sierra Vista CA 19516 $126,149,110  517,373 Explore
Multnomah County OR 19261 $122,366,510  129,856 Explore
Santa Rosa Community Health Centers CA 18700 $113,698,950  154,287 Explore
OneWorld Community Health Centers Inc NE 19417 $111,103,839  159,021 Explore
Jordan Valley Community Health Center (AKA Advocates for A Healthy Community Inc) MO 19085 $90,904,965  140,771 Explore
Shasta Community Health Center CA 19452 $87,091,641  92,415 Explore
Community Health Center Incorporated CT 19798 $84,649,877  463,632 Explore
Swope Health Services MO 19745 $75,878,585  16,145 Explore
Northeast Valley Health Corporation CA 19465 $75,122,693  264,127 Explore
Ingham County Health Department MI 19570 $74,355,242  21,652 Explore
Access Community Health Network IL 19521 $71,161,887  356,176 Explore
Blue Ridge Community Health Services Inc NC 19475 $70,147,126  132,930 Explore
Neighborhood Healthcare CA 19164 $69,360,804  303,722 Explore
Travis County Healthcare District (AKA Central Health) TX 18833 $68,937,115  210,813 Explore

Fig 2. Data is sourced from the ClinicView product based on the 2022 Medicare Cost Report

The Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic in Washington ranks at the top of our list with a total compensation of $1,309,995,831. This is one of the largest health centers in the Northwest and serves the Yakima Indian Reservation and communities across Washington state.  

Again, the disproportionate number of California-based FQHCs is likely attributed to its population size and high number of people enrolled in Medicaid.  

Among the top 25 FQHCs, total compensation ranged from about $68 million to over $1.3 billion. Total visits ranged from about 16,000 to 6.2 million.  

What is an FQHC? 

Federally Qualified Health Centers are community-driven nonprofit healthcare providers that serve patients and communities with limited access to medical care. These clinics use a sliding fee scale, which makes them accessible to all regardless of their ability to pay. FQHCs provide comprehensive primary and preventive care.  

How many FQHCs are there in the U.S.? 

According to data from ClinicView, there are over 1,400 official FQHC clinics across the U.S. However, FQHC Service Sites and Look-Alikes bring that total to 17,890. 

FQHC Look-Alikes provide similar care services to members of the community with lower incomes. These facilities, however, differ from true FQHCs regarding federal support. Look-Alikes are not eligible for federal loan guarantees and malpractice coverage and do not receive HCP federal grant funding under the Section 330 Public Health Service Act.  

What’s the difference between an FQHC and a community health center? 

From a functional perspective, community health centers provide the same primary medical, dental and mental healthcare services to underserved communities that FQHCs deliver. However, a community health center specifically refers to a health facility that identifies as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation and may not necessarily receive federal funding.   

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