A HPSA may be designated for a shortage of:
primary care physicians;
dentists; or
mental health providers.

There are three types of HPSA designations:

Geographic - designation of one or more counties or a sub-county area having a shortage of providers. In a geographic HPSA, the entire residential civilian population is considered;

Special Population - designation of a special population residing in a geographic area with limited access to providers. Special populations include: Medicaid eligibles, low-income populations, migrant and seasonal farm workers, homeless, American Indians, Alaska Natives, and other populations isolated by linguistic and/or cultural barriers.

Facility - designation of a facility with insufficient capacity to meet the needs of the area or population group served. Facilities include federal and state correctional institutions, and public or non-profit facilities.

HPSA designation criteria varies based on type of HPSA (primary care, dental or mental health) and type of designation (geographic, special population, facility).

For more information on HPSA designation requirements and for a list of currently designated HPSAs, go to Shortage Designation at the federal Bureau of Health Professions.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) currently provide a 10% bonus payment for all physician services reimbursable under Medicare and provided in a geographic primary care HPSA and for services provided by psychiatrists in geographic mental health HPSAs.

In addition, New York grants three-year limited licenses in medicine, dentistry, and dental hygiene to qualified individuals who meet all requirements for licensure as a physician, dentist, or dental hygienist except for the citizenship/permanent residence requirement. In return, qualified candidates must agree to practice in either a New York primary care HPSA (physicians) or a dental HPSA (dentists and dental hygienists).