MI · Healthcare shortage profile
Mecosta County, MI
Home to 39,714 residents, with 12 active HRSA shortage designations.
- Active HPSAs
- 12
- Population
- 39,714
- Peak shortage score
- 19.0
- MUA Index
- 61.4
Heavy-burden verdict
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Mecosta 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
- Mental-health shortages
- 19
- Peak severity score (of 26)
- Top 15%
- US counties by volume
Key findings
What the HRSA Data Warehouse does not surface for Mecosta County, MI 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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33.3% of Mecosta County's 12 active designations are primary care.
Discipline mix from designated HPSA records only: 4 primary care, 4 mental health, 4 dental (denominator 12).
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Closing Mecosta County's active designations would take about 13 additional clinician FTEs, with primary care the largest gap.
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id (no double-count across status rows): 5.2 primary care, 4.6 mental health, 3.4 dental. This is the federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
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Peak HPSA score 19.0 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.
Mecosta County vs. every real US county
Total active HPSA designations, including counties with none
12 Top 15% higher than 85% 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. Mecosta County falls in the upper quarter of MI counties by active-designation volume, at rank 19 of 83. Ties share a rank; the comparison uses the same current designated records as the national chart.
Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 26107. Population: 39,714.
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 12 active (designated) HPSAs in Mecosta County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.
| Name | Type | Score |
|---|---|---|
| LI - Central Michigan Mhca | mental_health | 19.0 |
| LI-Mecosta County | dental | 18.0 |
| Corewell Health Big Rapids Hospital Family Medicine - 215th ave | primary_care | 17.0 |
| Corewell Health Big Rapids Hospital Obstetrics, Gynecology & Urology - 722 Locust St | primary_care | 17.0 |
| Corewell Health Big Rapids Hospital Family Medicine - Canadian Lakes | dental | 17.0 |
| Corewell Health Big Rapids Hospital Family Medicine - 215th ave | mental_health | 16.0 |
| Corewell Health Big Rapids Hospital Obstetrics, Gynecology & Urology - 722 Locust St | mental_health | 16.0 |
| LI-Mecosta/Osceola Counties | primary_care | 15.0 |
| Corewell Health Big Rapids Hospital Family Medicine - Canadian Lakes | primary_care | 15.0 |
| Corewell Health Big Rapids Hospital Family Medicine - Canadian Lakes | mental_health | 15.0 |
| Corewell Health Big Rapids Hospital Obstetrics, Gynecology & Urology - 722 Locust St | dental | 15.0 |
| Corewell Health Big Rapids Hospital Family Medicine - 215th ave | dental | 15.0 |
Heavy-burden reading for Mecosta County
Mecosta County's severest measured gap is in mental health, scored 19.0 of 25, past the 17-point line HRSA uses to open National Health Service Corps placement and enhanced Medicare reimbursement. Primary care reads 17.0 of 25; Dental care reads 18.0 of 26. The county also sits inside a Medically Underserved Area, indexed at 61.4, and the lower the index, the greater the measured need.
Volume places Mecosta 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 19.0. 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.
Mecosta 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.
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse, Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA) + Medically Underserved Areas/Populations (MUA/P) HPSA primary-care, mental-health, and dental designations for Mecosta 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
Mecosta County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.
- Mecosta 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 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 Mental Health Shortage Score
Other U.S. counties whose active HRSA mental-health HPSA score is closest to Mecosta County's 19.0. This compares the designation score only, not local appointment availability or care quality. Start with Stearns County, MN and Tompkins County, NY.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mecosta County a Medically Underserved Area?
Yes, Mecosta County is designated as a Medically Underserved Area (MUA) by HRSA. The MUA Index for this county is 61.4. MUA designation qualifies the area for enhanced federal funding and provider incentive programs.
How many healthcare shortage areas does Mecosta County have?
Mecosta 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 Mecosta County's HPSA score of 19.0 mean?
19.0 in mental health 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 Mecosta County?
Based on HRSA shortage designations, Mecosta 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 Mecosta County's designations unlock?
Mecosta 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 Mecosta County compare to other counties in MI?
Mecosta County has 12 total HPSA designations with a peak shortage score of 19.0. You can compare shortage levels across all counties in MI on the state overview page, or view national county rankings to see where Mecosta County stands relative to the rest of the country. Score-nearest counties on this release include Stearns County, MN and Tompkins County, NY.
Learn More About Healthcare Shortages
Explore more MI shortage data
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 26107. 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 26107 (Mecosta 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.