Medically Underserved Area Two high-priority disciplines

PR · Healthcare shortage profile

lsabela County, PR

Home to 42,943 residents, with 2 active HRSA shortage designations.

Active HPSAs
2
Population
42,943
Peak shortage score
24.0
MUA Index
0.0

Light-burden verdict

According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, lsabela County carries a comparatively light shortage burden - 2 active HPSA designations, more than 10% of the 3,289 real US counties, with mental health the deepest gap.

2
Active HPSA designations
1
Dental shortages
24
Peak severity score (of 26)
Top 90%
US counties by volume

Key findings

What the HRSA Data Warehouse does not surface for lsabela County, PR 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.

  1. 50% of lsabela County's 2 active designations are mental health.

    Discipline mix from designated HPSA records only: 0 primary care, 1 mental health, 1 dental (denominator 2).

  2. Closing lsabela County's active designations would take about 7.1 additional clinician FTEs, with dental the largest gap.

    HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id (no double-count across status rows): 2.3 mental health, 4.8 dental. This is the federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.

  3. Peak HPSA score 24.0 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.

lsabela County vs. every real US county

Total active HPSA designations, including counties with none

2 Top 90% higher than 10% of 3,289 real US counties

0–20: 3,115 real US counties (95%). This entry sits in this band. 20–40: 128 real US counties (4%). Above this entry. 40–60: 32 real US counties (1%). Above this entry. 60–80: 7 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 80–100: 2 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 100–120: 1 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 120–140: 2 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 140–160: 1 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 160–180: 0 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 180–200: 0 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 200–220: 0 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 220–240: 0 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 240–260: 0 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 260–280: 1 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. This county 0 280 every real US county, bucketed by value

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. lsabela County falls in the upper half of PR counties by active-designation volume, at rank 34 of 78. Ties share a rank; the comparison uses the same current designated records as the national chart.

Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 72071. Population: 42,943.

Medically Underserved Area

MUA Designated
MUA Index: 0.0

Active HPSA scores

Mental Health 21.0
Dental 24.0

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 2 active (designated) HPSAs in lsabela County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.

Name Type Score
LI - Isabela Municipio dental 24.0
LI - Isabela Municipio mental_health 21.0

Light-burden reading for lsabela County

Dental care carries lsabela County's deepest shortage reading, 24.0 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. Mental health reads 21.0 of 25. The county also sits inside a Medically Underserved Area, indexed at 0.0, and the lower the index, the greater the measured need.

lsabela County carries 2 active designations and sits below the national mid-pack (above 10% of counties). A light footprint still matters: a single high-score dental or mental-health record can open program geography even when the county total looks small next to heavy peers.

lsabela County falls in the upper half of PR counties by active-designation volume, at rank 34 of 78. Read the active scores and the deepest-care guide link below before collapsing this county into a "no shortage" story.

Source: HRSA Data Warehouse, Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA) + Medically Underserved Areas/Populations (MUA/P) HPSA primary-care, mental-health, and dental designations for lsabela County, PR · 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 lsabela County's designations

lsabela County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.

  • lsabela County's 2 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 mental health burden compares with the rest of PR before you draw conclusions from a single score. PR 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is lsabela County a Medically Underserved Area?

Yes, lsabela County is designated as a Medically Underserved Area (MUA) by HRSA. The MUA Index for this county is 0.0. MUA designation qualifies the area for enhanced federal funding and provider incentive programs.

How many healthcare shortage areas does lsabela County have?

lsabela County, PR has 2 Health Professional Shortage Area designations: 0 in primary care, 1 in mental health, and 1 in dental care, according to HRSA data.

What does lsabela County's HPSA score of 24.0 mean?

24.0 in dental care clears 17, HRSA's high-priority line, which is what makes providers here eligible for NHSC placement and enhanced reimbursement.

Next read: Dental Shortage in America · PR state overview · NHSC loan repayment

Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 72071. 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.

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 72071 (lsabela County, PR) 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.