Benefits · Healthcare

How to apply for Premier Community HealthCare (FQHC Sliding Fee — Hernando)

Premier Community HealthCare Group, Inc. — Federally Qualified Health Center serving Pasco and Hernando counties

Who it's for

Premier Community HealthCare is the primary Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) serving Hernando County — the practical safety-net for low-income uninsured residents in a county that, like neighboring Pasco, lacks a public hospital district equivalent to Sarasota Memorial, Halifax Health, or Lee Health. Premier operates multiple clinic locations across Hernando offering family medicine, women's health, behavioral health, dental, and prescription assistance. Uninsured patients qualify for the Sliding Fee Discount Program: charges are discounted based on Federal Poverty Guidelines and family size, with patients in the lowest income tier (Slide A) receiving the deepest discount. Patients at or below 100 percent of the Federal Poverty Level pay a nominal fee per visit; the discount scales down as income rises, typically ending around 200 percent of FPL. Unlike the public coverage programs in Hillsborough (HCHCP) and Pinellas (PCHP) that gate at age 18-64 by requiring Medicare ineligibility, Premier is OPEN TO ALL AGES — a senior 65+ in Hernando can still use Premier as a Medicare-accepting primary care provider, with the sliding fee reducing the patient responsibility on Medicare-covered services. For hospital-level care, Hernando residents typically use HCA Florida Oak Hill Hospital (Spring Hill) or HCA Florida Brooksville Hospital — both are private for-profit hospitals with separate (and typically less generous) financial assistance policies. Call 352-518-2000 to schedule with Premier.

Premier is open to anyone regardless of income — the Sliding Fee Discount Program reduces the cost for low-income patients but does not gate access. The income threshold above (~200% Federal Poverty Level for a single-person household) is the rough upper bound for the sliding-fee benefit; patients above 200% FPL pay closer to standard rates. Premier accepts Medicare and Medicaid — if you have either, those are billed first and the sliding fee applies only to the patient responsibility. Confirm your sliding-fee bracket with a Premier Patient Services Representative at 352-518-2000. HERNANDO HOSPITAL CARE NOTE: for hospital admissions or emergencies, Hernando residents typically use HCA Florida Oak Hill Hospital (Spring Hill) or HCA Florida Brooksville Hospital (formerly Brooksville Regional). Both are private for-profit hospitals — financial assistance is available under HCA's policy but the terms are typically less generous than at nonprofit peers like AdventHealth or Lee Health. Premier's FQHC sliding-fee is the better safety-net option for primary care; HCA's hospital charity care is the safety-net option for hospital encounters.

What you'll need

Proof of household income (pay stubs, Social Security award letter, tax return, SSA-1099)
Proof of household size
Photo identification
Insurance card if you have any coverage (Medicare, Medicaid, marketplace) — Premier bills insurance first and applies sliding fee to the patient responsibility

Where to apply

Apply online: official application

By phone: 352-518-2000

Renewals

annual recertification of sliding-fee bracket; income verification typically required each year

Official source →Last verified · May 30, 2026

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