Can a community health center turn me away if I cannot pay?

HRSA requires health centers to provide services regardless of a patient’s ability to pay. The sliding fee discount is how they do it. If you are told otherwise, ask to speak to the health center’s billing or patient services staff.

Do I need insurance to use a sliding fee clinic?

No. Health centers serve people with and without insurance. If you have Medicaid, Medicare, or private coverage, bring your card.

Is the discount the same at every health center?

No. The tiers follow HRSA’s rules, but each organization sets its own schedule and nominal charges. Ask the health center for its schedule.

I need mental health or substance use help

Call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) any time. For treatment services, use findtreatment.gov from SAMHSA. This HRSA list is not a treatment directory.

Sliding fee clinics in Indiana

Every federally qualified health center, and every FQHC Look-Alike, has to offer a sliding fee discount and must not refuse care because someone cannot pay. There are 495 HRSA-listed sites in Indiana in this snapshot. Here is how the discount works under HRSA’s rules.

Last reviewed against the public HRSA Health Center Service Delivery and Look-Alike Sites download on October 22, 2026.

The short answer

Under HRSA’s Health Center Program rules, patients with household income at or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines get a discount that slides with income and family size. At or below 100%, the discount is full, though the health center may charge a nominal fee. Above 200%, the sliding discount does not apply.

How the discount tiers work

How the discount tiers work
Household income	What HRSA requires the health center to offer
At or below 100% of the poverty guidelines	A full discount. A nominal charge is allowed.
101% to 200%	A partial discount that slides by income and family size.
Above 200%	No sliding fee discount is required.

Summarised from Chapter 9 of the HRSA Health Center Program Compliance Manual. Each health center sets its own schedule within these rules, so the dollar amounts differ from one organization to the next.

What “200% of poverty” means

HHS publishes the poverty guidelines every year, by household size. Health centers must base their schedule on the current guidelines and on two things only: income and family size. To see the current figures, use HHS’s poverty guidelines page (opens in a new tab) rather than a number copied onto a website, including this one.

How to ask for the discount

Ask when you book. Say you want to apply for the sliding fee discount.
Ask what proof they accept. Each organization sets its own documentation policy for income and household size.
It covers the health center’s own services. Ask before you get a referral or a prescription filled elsewhere, because outside labs, specialists, and pharmacies set their own prices.
Insurance and discounts can both apply. Health centers see people with Medicaid, Medicare, private insurance, or none.

Sliding fee is not the same as free

A free or charitable clinic is a different kind of organization, usually volunteer-supported, and is not part of HRSA’s program or this dataset. The National Association of Free & Charitable Clinics keeps a clinic finder (opens in a new tab).

Browse more

Indianapolis health centers
HRSA-listed sites in Indianapolis.
Fort Wayne health centers
HRSA-listed sites in Fort Wayne.
East Chicago health centers
HRSA-listed sites in East Chicago.
All cities
Every Indiana city in the snapshot, with site counts.
Organizations
The health center organizations that run these sites.
Search all sites
Filter by city, ZIP, and site type.

Questions about this page

Use this form for questions about indiana.clinic itself. We cannot tell you what a specific health center will charge; ask the health center.

We can’t answer questions about your own diagnosis, medication, or treatment — please ask your prescriber. We also can’t book appointments, check your insurance, or refer you to a clinic.

Get in touch

Common questions

Can a community health center turn me away if I cannot pay?: HRSA requires health centers to provide services regardless of a patient’s ability to pay. The sliding fee discount is how they do it. If you are told otherwise, ask to speak to the health center’s billing or patient services staff.
Do I need insurance to use a sliding fee clinic?: No. Health centers serve people with and without insurance. If you have Medicaid, Medicare, or private coverage, bring your card.
Is the discount the same at every health center?: No. The tiers follow HRSA’s rules, but each organization sets its own schedule and nominal charges. Ask the health center for its schedule.
I need mental health or substance use help: Call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) any time. For treatment services, use findtreatment.gov from SAMHSA. This HRSA list is not a treatment directory.

Sources

Health Center Program Compliance Manual, Chapter 9: Sliding Fee Discount Program (opens in a new tab) — HRSA Bureau of Primary Health Care
HHS Poverty Guidelines (opens in a new tab) — HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE)
What is a health center? (opens in a new tab) — HRSA Bureau of Primary Health Care
HRSA data downloads — Health Center Service Delivery and Look-Alike Sites (opens in a new tab) — Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
National Association of Free & Charitable Clinics (clinic finder on site) (opens in a new tab) — National Association of Free & Charitable Clinics (NAFC)
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (opens in a new tab) — 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline