MI · Healthcare shortage profile
Isabella County, MI
Designation volume is the standout signal for Isabella County: 27 active HPSA records, above 97% of real US counties. Population 64,394.
- Active HPSAs
- 27
- Population
- 64,394
- Peak shortage score
- 20.0
- MUA Index
- 56.9
Heavy-burden verdict
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Isabella County ranks among the most underserved counties in the country - 27 active HPSA designations, more than 97% of the 3,289 real US counties, with primary care the deepest gap.
- 27
- Active HPSA designations
- 9
- Dental shortages
- 20
- Peak severity score (of 26)
- Top 3%
- US counties by volume
Key findings
What the HRSA Data Warehouse does not surface for Isabella County, MI on its own pages , computed from the retained designation mirror as of 2026-08-15. Each line carries its own denominator so it can be quoted as it stands.
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Peak HPSA score 20.0 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.
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Closing Isabella County's active designations would take about 14 additional clinician FTEs, with dental the largest gap.
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id (no double-count across status rows): 4.1 primary care, 4.6 mental health, 5.6 dental. This is the federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
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33.3% of Isabella County's 27 active designations are primary care.
Discipline mix from designated HPSA records only: 9 primary care, 9 mental health, 9 dental (denominator 27).
Dense ZCTA lattice over Isabella County
Isabella County intersects 16 Census ZCTAs, above the 15-ZIP dense-tercile cut. Shortage designations still attach at the county (or smaller HPSA) grain; the ZIP list is geography, not a second severity score.
Largest land-share ZCTAs in this county
4 additional ZCTAs intersect this county in the crosswalk (ordered by land share).
Source: Census ZCTA–county relationship file joined to this portal's county FIPS set. As of 2026-08-15.
Isabella County vs. every real US county
Total active HPSA designations, including counties with none
27 Top 3% higher than 97% of 3,289 real US counties
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more real US counties. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source HRSA Data Warehouse, designated HPSAs · 2026
State peer position. Isabella County falls in the upper quarter of MI counties by active-designation volume, at rank 4 of 83. Ties share a rank; the comparison uses the same current designated records as the national chart.
Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 26073. Population: 64,394.
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
All 27 active (designated) HPSAs in Isabella County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.
| Name | Type | Score |
|---|---|---|
| LI - Isabella County | dental | 20.0 |
| LI - Central Michigan Mhca | mental_health | 19.0 |
| Isabella Citizens For Health | mental_health | 19.0 |
| Isabella Citizens For Health | dental | 19.0 |
| Mclaren Central Michigan-Health Park 4 | mental_health | 17.0 |
| Mclaren Health Park 7 | mental_health | 17.0 |
| Mclaren Health Park 7 | dental | 17.0 |
| Mclaren Central Michigan-Health Park 4 | dental | 17.0 |
| Mclaren Medical Arts Building | dental | 17.0 |
| LI-Isabella County | primary_care | 16.0 |
| Isabella Citizens For Health | primary_care | 16.0 |
| Midmichigan Health Park - Mt Pleasant | mental_health | 16.0 |
| Mclaren Pickard Street | mental_health | 16.0 |
| Mclaren Pickard Street | primary_care | 15.0 |
| Mclaren Central Michigan-Health Park 4 | primary_care | 15.0 |
| Mclaren Medical Arts Building | primary_care | 15.0 |
| Mclaren Health Park 7 | primary_care | 15.0 |
| Midmichigan Health Park - Mt Pleasant | primary_care | 15.0 |
| Saginaw Chippewa Behavioral Health | mental_health | 15.0 |
| Nimkee Memorial Health Center | mental_health | 15.0 |
| Mclaren Pickard Street | dental | 15.0 |
| Midmichigan Health Park - Mt Pleasant | dental | 15.0 |
| Mclaren Medical Arts Building | mental_health | 14.0 |
| Nimkee Memorial Health Center | dental | 5.0 |
| Saginaw Chippewa Behavioral Health | dental | 4.0 |
| Nimkee Memorial Health Center | primary_care | 3.0 |
| Saginaw Chippewa Behavioral Health | primary_care | 3.0 |
Heavy-burden reading for Isabella County
Designation volume is the standout signal for Isabella County: 27 active HPSA records, above 97% of real US counties. Dental care carries Isabella County's deepest shortage reading, 20.0 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 16.0 of 25; Mental health reads 19.0 of 25. The county also sits inside a Medically Underserved Area, indexed at 56.9, and the lower the index, the greater the measured need.
Volume places Isabella County above 97% of real US counties (27 active designations: 9 primary care, 9 mental health, 9 dental). Peak severity on the current designated set is 20.0. 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.
Isabella County falls in the upper quarter of MI counties by active-designation volume, at rank 4 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.
Isabella County designations by care type
Active Health Professional Shortage Area designations in the county, by provider category (high-priority disciplines emphasized).
- Mental health
Mental health
9 designations
- Dental
Dental
9 designations
Heavy-volume FTE gap in Isabella County
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id for Isabella County's active designations: about 14 FTE, a federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse, Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA) + Medically Underserved Areas/Populations (MUA/P) HPSA primary-care, mental-health, and dental designations for Isabella 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
Isabella County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.
- Isabella County's 27 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 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 Isabella County's 20.0. This compares the designation score only, not local appointment availability or care quality. Start with Tehama County, CA and Carroll County, NH.
Showing 6 of 2744 counties nationally with an active designation this severe.
High-volume peers of Isabella County (27 active)
One peer set for this volume-led county: nearest active designation count to 27 across the national corpus.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Does Isabella County's MUA standing sit beside its HPSA records?
- Yes - Isabella County carries an MUA designation (index 56.9; lower = greater measured need) in addition to its HPSA rows. MUA and HPSA are separate HRSA tracks; both can open different federal pathways.
- What makes up Isabella County's 27 active HPSA designations?
- 27 Designated rows (9 primary care, 9 mental health, 9 dental). Highest-scored name on this release: "LI - Isabella County" (score 20.0; dental; 2,984 people in the service area; ~5.6 FTE still needed on the record; designated 08/03/2018). Also active: "LI - Central Michigan MHCA", "ISABELLA CITIZENS FOR HEALTH", "ISABELLA CITIZENS FOR HEALTH". Above 97% of real US counties by volume.
- What does volume-plus-score look like for Isabella County?
- Peak active score 20.0 in dental care clears the 17-point line while volume sits at 27 rows.
- What clinician need sits behind Isabella County's designation volume?
- Closing published gaps would take about 14 additional clinician FTEs (id-de-duped providers_needed). "LI - Isabella County" is the severity lead inside that inventory.
- Which federal programs follow Isabella County's designation volume?
- 27 active designations can open NHSC placement, CHC grants, Medicare bonus and J-1 waivers, by designated area and provider type, not by county line alone.
- How does Isabella County's volume compare inside MI?
- 27 active HPSA rows · peak 20.0. Isabella County falls in the upper quarter of MI counties by active-designation volume, at rank 4 of 83. Score-nearest counties on this release include Tehama County, CA and Carroll County, NH.
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 26073. This county’s designations come from BCD_HPSA_FCT_DET_PC.csv (primary care) , BCD_HPSA_FCT_DET_MH.csv (mental health) and BCD_HPSA_FCT_DET_DH.csv (dental) — download the normalized export on our open data page. PlainHealthAccess is not affiliated with HRSA or any government agency.
HRSA Data Warehouse HPSA + MUA/P records for FIPS 26073 (Isabella County, MI), vintage 2026-08-15. Active designation count 27; peak score 20.0; signature 27 active designations. This profile is reference material, not professional advice; see methodology.