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What is a look-alike?
Health Center Program look-alikes are HRSA-designated health centers that provide comprehensive, culturally competent, high-quality primary health care services while meeting all Health Center Program requirements, but they do not receive federal award funding.
Look-alikes were established to maximize access to care for medically underserved populations and communities by allowing entities that do not receive Health Center Program funding to apply to become part of the Health Center Program. Both Health Center Program award recipients and look-alikes:
- Provide comprehensive primary health care services that are responsive to identified health care needs,
- Provide services to all persons regardless of ability to pay, and
- Must meet all Health Center Program requirements.
Benefits
While look-alikes do not receive Health Center Program funding, they are eligible to apply for the following benefits:
- Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) Prospective Payment System (PPS) reimbursement for services to Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries.
- HRSA’s 340B Drug Pricing Program for discounted drugs
- Free vaccines for uninsured and underinsured children through the Vaccines for Children Program
- Assistance in the recruitment and retention of primary care providers through HRSA's National Health Service Corps
- HRSA-supported training and technical assistance.
How to apply
To apply for look-alike designation, review the detailed application instructions and technical assistance resources available on the Look-Alike Initial Designation webpage.
Organizations currently designated as look-alikes should refer to the Renewal of Designation Instructions and Resources or the Annual Certification Instructions and Resources (depending on where they are in their current designation period) for instructions regarding the continuation of look-alike designation requirements.
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