Learn about the impact of HRSA’s Health Center Program and the strategic partnerships that support HRSA’s efforts.
What is a health center?
Learn the fundamentals of health centers, one of the country's largest systems of primary and preventive care. Health centers provide care to millions of patients, in every U.S. state, U.S. territory, and the District of Columbia, regardless of ability to pay.
How to become a health center
Health centers must comply with all Health Center Program requirements and other federal and state requirements. There are two ways to become a health center:
- Apply for Health Center Program funding.
- Apply to be designated as a Health Center Program Look-alike.
A HRSA-funded health center and a Health Center Program look-alike share the same benefits except for Health Center Program funding.
| Benefits | Health Centers | Look-alikes |
|---|---|---|
| Receiving funding from HRSA | Yes | No |
| Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) Prospective Payment System (PPS) reimbursement through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) | Yes | Yes |
| HRSA's 340B Drug Pricing Program for discounted drugs | Yes | Yes |
| Free vaccines for uninsured and underinsured children through the Vaccines for Children program | Yes | Yes |
| Assistance in the recruitment and retention of primary care providers through HRSA's National Health Service Corps | Yes | Yes |
| HRSA-supported training and technical assistance | Yes | Yes |
Learn more about becoming a health center.
Health Center Program Look-alikes
Health Center Program Look-alikes provide care consistent with Health Center Program requirements, but they do not receive Health Center Program funding. Learn more about look-alikes, including eligibility and application guidance.
Find a health center
Find a Health Center helps you search for HRSA-funded health centers. If you have geolocation turned on, you will automatically see health centers near you. Or, you can search near a specific place by entering a city, ZIP code, or a specific street address into the Location box; then select the magnifying glass or press enter/return on your keyboard.
Impact and growth
Learn about the history and growth of the Health Center Program and its impact on the health of underserved and vulnerable populations across the nation.
Health center stories
Discover how health centers are promoting public health and providing primary care services in underserved areas.
Strategic partnerships
HRSA invests in cooperative agreements and grants to more than 100 organizations that address the training and technical assistance needs of health centers. Learn about technical assistance provided by these partners.
Data downloads
View data downloads to help visualize HRSA’s impact across the nation.
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