What Is a Federally Qualified Health Center?
A Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) is a community-based health care organization that provides comprehensive primary care services for medically underserved communities. Most of these facilities are nonprofit and receive funding from Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance. FQHCs are a vital component of the health care safety net.
Why Federally Qualified Health Centers Are Important
FQHCs were created to offer affordable healthcare services to underserved communities. You will typically find FQHC clinics located in low-income or impoverished communities.
Services Provided At An FQHC
Federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) are community-based medical facilities that provide primary care. The primary focus of FQHCs is to provide access to health care for underserved populations and medically underserved communities.
Specific services that are offered include:
- Primary care
- Dental services
- Mental health services
- Well women’s healthcare
- Preventative services
- Vision care
- Case management
- Substance abuse services
Is Insurance Needed At These Clinics?
No, health insurance is not needed.
FQHC clinics are not necessarily free, but you don’t need a monthly income either. FQHCs bill patients based on a sliding scale. Essentially you will be billed according to your monthly income. The less money you make, the cheaper your doctor’s visit will be at an FQHC clinic.
How To Find FQHC Clinics In Houston
You can find a listing of Federally Qualified Health Centers in our resource guide titled 15 Low Cost Medical Clinics That Treat The Uninsured.
In this guide, you will find information regarding Houston FQHC clinics that provide medical services like primary care, preventative care, case management services, and more.
Conclusion
Federally Qualified Health Centers were created to ensure that anyone can receive healthcare. When you visit an FQHC clinic, there is no insurance needed.
A monthly income is also not needed. FQHCs will bill you based on sliding scale fees. This means a federally qualified health center will charge you for healthcare services according to your monthly income.
To find a health center in your area you can visit the HRSA website.
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Nick Bryant is the author of Understanding Healthcare Is Half The Battle and a Senior Counselor with 13+ years of experience working in community health and mental health. He enjoys spending time with his family, watching WWE on Friday nights, and working toward a Google Data Analytics certification. If you have additional questions about community resources or government assistance programs, simply leave a comment below and he will follow up as soon as possible.
