Advocacy

Rural Health Clinics & FQHCs

The Rural Health Clinic (RHC) program is intended to increase access to primary care services for patients in rural communities. RHCs can be public, nonprofit, or for-profit healthcare facilities. The main advantage of RHC status for rural providers is enhanced reimbursement rates for providing Medicare and Medicaid services. 

Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) are outpatient clinics that qualify for specific reimbursement systems under Medicare and Medicaid. They include Health Center Program award recipients and look-alikes, and certain outpatient clinics associated with tribal organizations. In 2022, over 9.6 million rural residents were served by the Health Center Program, demonstrating the importance of Federally Qualified Health Centers are important safety net providers in rural areas. We encourage you to utilize the following advocacy materials and external resources when you are advocating for rural health clinics and FQHCs!