Advocacy

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 located in a rural and underserved area.  Rural providers with RHC status receive enhanced reimbursement rates for providing services under Medicare and Medicaid. Over 60% of rural Americans are served by the over 5,450 RHCs across 47 states. 

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. Nearly 10 million, or 1 in 5, rural residents are served by the Health Center Program, demonstrating the importance of FQHCs as an important safety net providers in rural areas. 

We encourage you to utilize the following advocacy materials and external resources when you are advocating for RHCs and FQHCs.