Full definition
FQHCs (Federally Qualified Health Centers) are US community-based primary-care organisations funded under Section 330 of the Public Health Service Act, administered by HRSA (Health Resources and Services Administration). FQHCs serve more than 30 million patients across 1,400+ organisations and 14,000+ delivery sites — disproportionately under-served populations.
FQHCs have unique operational and regulatory characteristics: required service offerings (primary care, mental health, dental for adults and children), sliding-fee schedule based on income, board governance with patient majority, mandatory UDS reporting (Uniform Data System), 340B drug pricing programme participation, FTCA (Federal Tort Claims Act) malpractice coverage, and PPS (Prospective Payment System) reimbursement for Medicare and Medicaid.
For clinic technology: FQHCs need software supporting UDS reporting, sliding-fee schedule calculation, 340B inventory tracking, mental-health workflows, dental workflows, multi-language patient surfaces (FQHC patients are often multilingual). MOVO-X supports FQHC operations on the enterprise tier.
Where fqhc (federally qualified health center) is used
- US Federally Qualified Health Centers
- Look-Alike health centers
- Migrant and Community Health Center networks
- Healthcare for the Homeless programmes
- Public housing health centers
Types of fqhc (federally qualified health center)
Community Health Center
Primary-care for general under-served populations.
Migrant Health Center
Migratory and seasonal agricultural workers.
Healthcare for the Homeless
Homeless populations.
Public Housing Primary Care
Public-housing residents.
FQHC Look-Alike
Meets FQHC requirements but doesn't receive Section 330 grant.
Quantified benefits
- ▸Healthcare access for under-served populations
- ▸Sliding-fee schedule ensures affordability
- ▸340B drug pricing reduces medication cost
- ▸PPS reimbursement provides operational stability
Frequently asked
How is FQHC reimbursement different?+
PPS (Prospective Payment System) for Medicare and Medicaid provides per-visit cost-based reimbursement rather than fee-for-service. Reduces operational risk for FQHCs serving under-paying populations.
What's 340B?+
Federal drug-pricing programme requiring manufacturers to provide outpatient drugs to FQHCs and other safety-net providers at significantly reduced prices. Major economic enabler for FQHC operations.
Does MOVO-X support FQHC operations?+
Yes on enterprise tier. UDS reporting, sliding-fee calculation, 340B tracking, mental-health and dental workflows, multi-language patient surfaces.
What's UDS reporting?+
Uniform Data System — annual mandatory HRSA reporting on patient demographics, services, quality measures, financial performance. Public data; basis for HRSA performance review.