MI · Healthcare shortage profile
Cass County, MI
Home to 51,589 residents, with 12 active HRSA shortage designations.
- Active HPSAs
- 12
- Population
- 51,589
- Peak shortage score
- 21.0
- MUA Index
- 60.0
Heavy-burden verdict
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Cass County ranks among the most underserved counties in the country - 12 active HPSA designations, more than 85% of the 3,289 real US counties, with primary care the deepest gap.
- 12
- Active HPSA designations
- 4
- Dental shortages
- 21
- Peak severity score (of 26)
- Top 15%
- US counties by volume
Corpus placement
Active-designation volume placement
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Cass County carries 12 active designations, above 85% of real US counties. Use the state peer line below before treating the national percentile as a local access verdict.
State peer position. Cass County falls in the upper quarter of MI counties by active-designation volume, at rank 19 of 83. 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: 26027. Population: 51,589.
Medically Underserved Area
Peak severity scores
Current designated records only. Scores range 0–25 (primary/mental health), 0–26 (dental). Higher = greater need.
Highest-severity HPSA designations
All 12 active (designated) HPSAs in Cass County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.
| Name | Type | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Lakeland Immediate Care Center | dental | 21.0 |
| Pokagon Potawatomi | dental | 20.0 |
| Lakeland Immediate Care Center | primary_care | 19.0 |
| Lakeland Immediate Care Center | mental_health | 19.0 |
| Pokagon Potawatomi | primary_care | 18.0 |
| Pokagon Potawatomi | mental_health | 17.0 |
| Corewell Health Watervliet Primary Care-Dowagiac | primary_care | 16.0 |
| LI-Cass County | primary_care | 16.0 |
| Corewell Health Watervliet Primary Care-Dowagiac | mental_health | 15.0 |
| Corewell Health Watervliet Primary Care-Dowagiac | dental | 15.0 |
| ME-Cass County | dental | 15.0 |
| Cass County | mental_health | 14.0 |
Heavy-burden reading for Cass County
Dental care carries Cass County's deepest shortage reading, 21.0 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 19.0 of 25; Mental health reads 19.0 of 25. The county also sits inside a Medically Underserved Area, indexed at 60.0, and the lower the index, the greater the measured need.
Volume places Cass County above 85% of real US counties (12 active designations: 4 primary care, 4 mental health, 4 dental). Peak severity on the current designated set is 21.0. 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.
Cass County falls in the upper quarter of MI counties by active-designation volume, at rank 19 of 83. 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.
Cass 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
4 designations
- Mental health
Mental health
4 designations
- Dental
Dental
4 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 Cass County, MI · 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
Cass County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.
- Cass County's 12 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 MI before you draw conclusions from a single score. MI 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 ratio checker
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 Cass County's 21.0. This compares the designation score only, not local appointment availability or care quality.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cass County a Medically Underserved Area?
Yes, Cass County is designated as a Medically Underserved Area (MUA) by HRSA. The MUA Index for this county is 60.0. MUA designation qualifies the area for enhanced federal funding and provider incentive programs.
How many healthcare shortage areas does Cass County have?
Cass County, MI has 12 Health Professional Shortage Area designations: 4 in primary care, 4 in mental health, and 4 in dental care, according to HRSA data.
What does Cass County's HPSA score of 21.0 mean?
21.0 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 Cass County?
Based on HRSA shortage designations, Cass 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 Cass County's designations unlock?
Cass County's 12 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 Cass County compare to other counties in MI?
Cass County has 12 total HPSA designations with a peak shortage score of 21.0. You can compare shortage levels across all counties in MI on the state overview page, or view national county rankings to see where Cass County stands relative to the rest of the country.
Learn More About Healthcare Shortages
Explore more MI shortage data
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 26027. 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 26027 (Cass County, MI) 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.