Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) provide comprehensive health care services to underserved communities. Many of the Texans they serve are indigent, uninsured and underserved. Increasingly more FQHCs
offer additional services, such as dental, mental health and/or substance use disorder treatment. FQHCs are community organizations with defined target populations and service areas that have a board comprised of at least 51% of it's members coming from their consumers. Services are provided
to Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, Insured and Uninsured individuals. Patients may be eligible for discounted services on a Sliding Fee Scale based on their family size and income. Additionally, FQHCs cannot deny services due to an inability to pay.
FQHCs receive federal grant funds directly from the Bureau of Primary Health Care (BPHC) at the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to support the operation and services of the health center through the
Health Center Program. Additionally, they receive cost-based (or enhanced) payment for services to Medicaid and Medicare patients, Federal Tort Claim coverage, 340b drug pricing, and can participate in the National Health Service Corps (NHSC).
Other support for FQHCs comes from additional state and federal grants, local support including foundations and community funding, as well as patient self-payments or insurance. Federal grants from HRSA provide about 30% of health center revenue.
FQHCs and FQHC Look-A-Likes in Texas
There are 72 FQHCs serving patients in Texas, operating more than 660 service delivery sites. There is currently 1 FQHC-Look-A-Like (LAL) in Texas. They offer FQHC-like services, but do not receive all of the benefits of FQHC status. To find an FQHC or LAL site near you go to the
HRSA Find a Health Center page.
FQHC Incubator Program
In the
Third Special Session of the 87th Texas Legislature, the Legislature
passed Senate Bill (S.B.) 8 to
appropriate funds from federal coronavirus relief money received by the state.
In Section 34 of S.B. 8, the Legislature appropriated funds to the Department
of State Health Services from the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund (42
U.S.C. Section 802) established under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021
(Pub. L. No. A117-2) for the FQHC Incubator Program.
Visit
the DSHS FQHC Incubator
Program website for more information.
Additional Resources for
FQHC Development:
Bureau of Primary Health Care Program
Texas Association of Community Health Centers (TACHC)
National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC)
Definitions for commonly used terms and acronyms are on the TPCO Definitions page