AK · Healthcare shortage profile
Bethel County, AK
Home to 18,666 residents, with 131 active HRSA shortage designations.
- Active HPSAs
- 131
- Population
- 18,666
- Peak shortage score
- 26.0
- MUA Index
- 47.7
Heavy-burden verdict
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Bethel County ranks among the most underserved counties in the country - 131 active HPSA designations, more than 99% of the 3,289 real US counties, with primary care the deepest gap.
- 131
- Active HPSA designations
- 43
- Dental shortages
- 26
- Peak severity score (of 26)
- Top 1%
- US counties by volume
Key findings
What the HRSA Data Warehouse does not surface for Bethel County, AK on its own pages , computed from the retained designation mirror as of 2026-08-03. Each line carries its own denominator so it can be quoted as it stands.
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33.6% of Bethel County's 131 active designations are primary care.
Discipline mix from designated HPSA records only: 44 primary care, 44 mental health, 43 dental (denominator 131).
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Closing Bethel County's active designations would take about 2.8 additional clinician FTEs, with primary care the largest gap.
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id (no double-count across status rows): 2.2 primary care, 0.7 mental health. This is the federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
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Peak HPSA score 26.0 clears HRSA's 17-point high-priority line.
Scores at or above 17 on the 0–25/26 scales open NHSC placement priority for the matching provider type; eligibility still follows the designated area, not the county boundary alone.
Corpus placement
Active-designation volume placement
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Bethel County carries 131 active designations, above 99% of real US counties. Use the state peer line below before treating the national percentile as a local access verdict.
State peer position. Bethel County is tied for the highest active-designation count among 31 real counties in AK. Ties share a rank.
Computed from current designated HPSA rows for every five-digit county FIPS. See the placement methodology.
Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 02050. Population: 18,666.
Medically Underserved Area
Peak severity scores
Current designated records only. Scores range 0–25 (primary/mental health), 0–26 (dental). Higher = greater need. What counts as a high score?
Highest-severity HPSA designations
Showing the 40 most-severe of 131 active (designated) HPSAs in Bethel County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.
| Name | Type | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Yukon-kuskokwim Health Corporation | dental | 26.0 |
| Platinum Village Clinic | dental | 22.0 |
| Atmautluak Community Health Clinic | dental | 22.0 |
| Kwigillingok Community Health Clinic | dental | 22.0 |
| Akiak Village Clinic | dental | 22.0 |
| Kasigluk Community Health Clinic | dental | 22.0 |
| Oscarville Village Clinic | dental | 22.0 |
| Lillian E. Jimmy Memorial Clinic (Kongiganak) | dental | 22.0 |
| Tuluksak Village Clinic | dental | 22.0 |
| Goodnews Bay Village Clinic | dental | 22.0 |
| Kathleen Daniel Memorial Clinic (Tuntutuliak) | dental | 22.0 |
| Kwigillingok Behavioral Health Clinic | dental | 22.0 |
| Nunapitchuk Village Clinic | dental | 22.0 |
| Toksook Bay Sub-Regional Clinic | dental | 22.0 |
| Napaskiak Village Clinic | dental | 22.0 |
| Sarah S. NIcholai Memorial Clinic (Kwethluk) | dental | 22.0 |
| Mekoryuk Village Clinic | dental | 22.0 |
| Newtok Village Clinic | dental | 22.0 |
| Nightmute Village Clinic | dental | 22.0 |
| Eek Community Health Clinic | dental | 22.0 |
| Chefornak Community Health Clinic | dental | 22.0 |
| Toksook Bay Behavioral Health Clinic | dental | 22.0 |
| Tununak Village Clinic | dental | 22.0 |
| Napakiak Village Clinic | dental | 22.0 |
| Quinhagak Village Clinic | mental_health | 21.0 |
| Akiachak Village Clinic | mental_health | 21.0 |
| Napakiak Village Clinic | mental_health | 21.0 |
| Kipnuk Village Clinic | mental_health | 21.0 |
| Akiachak Village Clinic | primary_care | 20.0 |
| Bethel Family Clinic | primary_care | 20.0 |
| Yukon-kuskokwim Health Corporation | primary_care | 20.0 |
| Yukon-Kuskokwim-Delta Regional Hospital | primary_care | 20.0 |
| Quinhagak Village Clinic | primary_care | 20.0 |
| Kipnuk Village Clinic | primary_care | 20.0 |
| Crisis Respite Center | mental_health | 20.0 |
| Nunapitchuk Village Clinic | mental_health | 20.0 |
| Lillian E. Jimmy Memorial Clinic (Kongiganak) | mental_health | 20.0 |
| Platinum Village Clinic | mental_health | 20.0 |
| Eek Community Health Clinic | mental_health | 20.0 |
| Tuluksak Village Clinic | mental_health | 20.0 |
Heavy-burden reading for Bethel County
Dental care carries Bethel County's deepest shortage reading, 26.0 on HRSA's 0–26 dental scale, past the 17-point line HRSA uses to open National Health Service Corps placement and enhanced Medicare reimbursement. Primary care reads 20.0 of 25; Mental health reads 21.0 of 25. The county also sits inside a Medically Underserved Area, indexed at 47.7, and the lower the index, the greater the measured need.
Volume places Bethel County above 99% of real US counties (131 active designations: 44 primary care, 44 mental health, 43 dental). Peak severity on the current designated set is 26.0. The table on this page lists the highest-severity records first so a reader can see which named facilities, geographies, or population groups drive that burden without treating the county total as a personal appointment forecast.
Bethel County is tied for the highest active-designation count among 31 real counties in AK. Heavy-burden counties are where NHSC placement, Community Health Center grant geography, and related federal instruments concentrate; eligibility still follows the designated area and provider type, not the county boundary alone.
Bethel County designations by care type
Active Health Professional Shortage Area designations in the county, by provider category (high-priority disciplines emphasized).
- Primary care
Primary care
44 designations
- Mental health
Mental health
44 designations
- Dental
Dental
43 designations
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse, Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA) + Medically Underserved Areas/Populations (MUA/P) HPSA primary-care, mental-health, and dental designations for Bethel County, AK · 2026 HRSA designation data updated quarterly; HPSA scores 0-25 (primary/mental) and 0-26 (dental); higher = greater shortage severity. Coverage tiers from U.S. Census ACS PUMS + KFF state tracker.
Acting on a heavy-burden county
Bethel County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.
- Bethel County's 131 active designations make providers here eligible for National Health Service Corps loan repayment, estimate the award and service terms. NHSC estimator
- See how the county's primary care burden compares with the rest of AK before you draw conclusions from a single score. AK overview
- Check whether an area clears HRSA's 3,500:1 population-to-provider threshold with the provider-to-population ratio behind an HPSA score. HPSA score lookup
HPSA scores describe shortage severity within HRSA's designation criteria, not the availability of any individual provider. For a specific appointment, contact a provider or your insurer; use HRSA's current tools to verify a designation.
Counties With a Similar Dental Shortage Score
Other U.S. counties whose active HRSA dental HPSA score is closest to Bethel County's 26.0. This compares the designation score only, not local appointment availability or care quality. Start with Klamath County, OR and Marion County, IN.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bethel County a Medically Underserved Area?
Yes, Bethel County is designated as a Medically Underserved Area (MUA) by HRSA. The MUA Index for this county is 47.7. MUA designation qualifies the area for enhanced federal funding and provider incentive programs.
How many healthcare shortage areas does Bethel County have?
Bethel County, AK has 131 Health Professional Shortage Area designations: 44 in primary care, 44 in mental health, and 43 in dental care, according to HRSA data.
What does Bethel County's HPSA score of 26.0 mean?
26.0 in dental care clears 17, HRSA's high-priority line, which is what makes providers here eligible for NHSC placement and enhanced reimbursement.
What healthcare providers are needed in Bethel County?
Based on HRSA shortage designations, Bethel County needs additional providers in primary care (family physicians, internists, pediatricians), mental health (psychiatrists, psychologists, clinical social workers), and dental care (dentists, dental hygienists). The National Health Service Corps offers loan repayment and scholarship programs for providers who serve in designated shortage areas.
Which federal programs do Bethel County's designations unlock?
Bethel County's 131 active designations open NHSC placement, Community Health Center grants, the Medicare bonus and J-1 waivers, but eligibility follows the designated area and provider type, not the county line.
How does Bethel County compare to other counties in AK?
Bethel County has 131 total HPSA designations with a peak shortage score of 26.0. You can compare shortage levels across all counties in AK on the state overview page, or view national county rankings to see where Bethel County stands relative to the rest of the country. Score-nearest counties on this release include Klamath County, OR and Marion County, IN.
Learn More About Healthcare Shortages
Explore more AK shortage data
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 02050. PlainHealthAccess is not affiliated with HRSA or any government agency.
Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the HRSA Data Warehouse. Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Verify with U.S. Census Bureau →
Every figure on PlainHealthAccess is rendered directly from HRSA source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page counts active HPSA rows for FIPS 02050 (Bethel County, AK) from the current HRSA release and places that total among all real US counties. Designations describe federal shortage criteria, not appointment availability or care quality for any person. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, review the public data changelog, or report a data issue for this page. Data current as of 2026-08-03.