Benefits · Healthcare
How to apply for Hendry Regional Medical Center + Lee Health Referrals (Glades Hospital-Less Safety Net)
Two-layer healthcare safety net for hospital-less Glades County: (1) Florida Department of Health in Glades County — local primary care and sliding-scale fees in Moore Haven; (2) Hendry Regional Medical Center (HRMC) — independent Critical Access Hospital at 524 W Sagamore Avenue, Clewiston FL 33440 (Hendry County, about 30 minutes east of Moore Haven); (3) Lee Health — public hospital system in Fort Myers (Lee County, about 60-90 minutes south) for tertiary care referrals
Who it's for
Glades County has NO acute-care hospital of its own — Glades' safety-net healthcare is structured as a multi-layer model. LOCAL PRIMARY CARE: The Florida Department of Health in Glades County provides primary care, public health services, and a sliding-fee scale based on income from its location in Moore Haven. NEAREST HOSPITAL-LEVEL CARE: Glades seniors typically travel to Hendry Regional Medical Center (HRMC, a Critical Access Hospital) in Clewiston (about 30 minutes east of Moore Haven) for community-hospital-level care — HRMC is property-tax-subsidized by Hendry County and offers a financial assistance program for low-income patients. For tertiary, complex cardiac, trauma, or oncology care, Glades patients are typically referred to Lee Health (the public hospital district in Fort Myers, Lee County) about 60-90 minutes south of Glades. Lee Health is the largest health system in Southwest Florida and offers Lee Health Charity Care for income-eligible patients. For Glades seniors, STREAM Public Transportation (fl.glades.stream_transit) is the practical mobility link — the Hendry-Glades partnership means STREAM can coordinate trips to HRMC easily. Apply for HRMC financial assistance at hrmc.us or call HRMC at 863-902-3000; for Lee Health charity care, apply via leehealth.org.
Glades County's multi-layer safety net (FL DOH Glades local + HRMC at 30 minutes + Lee Health at 60-90 minutes) means Glades seniors have meaningful healthcare access despite the lack of an in-county hospital. The conservative 200% FPL modeling pattern is used for the primary HRMC referral pathway; Lee Health's threshold may differ. Geographic context: Moore Haven (Glades county seat) to Clewiston is approximately 30 minutes east; to Fort Myers is 60-90 minutes south depending on which Glades community. For non-emergency hospital care, STREAM Transit coordination is essential — same-day rides typically not available. The Hendry-Glades transit partnership means HRMC access is operationally smoother than cross-county trips to peer counties' hospitals. For emergency care, 911 dispatch will route to the appropriate facility — HRMC for major emergencies that don't require trauma center, Lee Health for trauma/complex emergencies.
What you'll need
- For FL DOH Glades sliding-scale: proof of household income + photo identification
- For HRMC Financial Assistance: completed HRMC Financial Assistance Application + proof of household income + proof of family size + photo ID + documentation of insurance status
- For Lee Health Charity Care: completed Lee Health Financial Assistance Application + income/family documentation
- For Medicaid or Medicare: separate enrollment applications through respective programs
Where to apply
Apply online: official application
By phone: 863-902-3000
Renewals
per encounter; documentation refresh required for ongoing patients
Not sure if you qualify? Run a free check first.
Find my benefitsNot legal or financial advice. The agency makes the final eligibility decision.