Federally Qualified Health Center

An FQHC is a community-based organization that provides an array of health care services to many different populations in the United States in both rural and urban settings. They provide comprehensive primary care that can include oral and behavioral health services to all persons, regardless of ability to pay. FQHCs are often considered “safety net” providers because they receive federal grant dollars to provide health care to persons without health insurance. The grant, in combination with a sliding fee scale (people pay what they can afford), is intended to offset the cost of care for the uninsured population. Dr. Stuart Hamilton and his centers are FQHCs. His story, along with the population of pregnant Hispanic women his team sees, is profiled for this segment.