Direct answer: Yes. CFHC says that as a Federally Qualified Health Center it offers a sliding fee scale to qualified patients; fees for uninsured or self-pay patients are based on income and family size.
Short answer: great for primary care; it isn't insurance
Yes. CFHC says that as a Federally Qualified Health Center it offers a sliding fee scale to qualified patients; fees for uninsured or self-pay patients are based on income and family size.
Polk sites listed: Bartow Adult (1190 E Church St), Bartow Pediatrics (1350 E Main St), Crystal Lake Elementary (903 Lowry Ave, Lakeland), Davenport (130 Ridge Center Dr), Dundee (916 Dundee Rd), Frostproof (109 W Wall St), Haines City (705 Ingraham Ave), Lake Wales (305 W Central Ave), Lakeland Hills Dental (1417 Lakeland Hills Blvd #101), Lakeland Primary Care (1129 N Missouri Ave), Lakeland Pediatrics (601 S Florida Ave), Mulberry (106 NW 9th Ave), Mulberry Primary & Specialty Care (1010 N Church Ave), Winter Haven Adult (1514 First St N), Winter Haven Women & Children (201 Magnolia Ave SW), Winter Haven Integrated Behavioral Health (244 Ave D SW). Avon Park and Wauchula are outside Polk.
Services offered across sites include adult and pediatric primary care, dental, behavioral health, OB/GYN, pharmacy, optometry, podiatry, endocrinology, and more (varies by site).
What Central Florida Health Care offers
CFHC has 17 locations in Polk, Highlands, and Hardee counties, including Lakeland, Bartow, Davenport, Dundee, Frostproof, Haines City, Lake Wales, Mulberry, and Winter Haven.
Marketplace plans must cover essential health benefits including emergency services, hospitalization, pregnancy/maternity/newborn care, mental health and substance use disorder services, and pediatric services.
"As a Federally Qualified Health Center, CFHC is able to offer Sliding Fee Scale to qualified patients. Fees for uninsured or self-paying patients are determined by income and family size."
Polk County locations
CFHC: 17 locations in Polk, Highlands, and Hardee counties.
How the sliding fee scale works
To qualify for the sliding fee scale, bring income information including your last three pay stubs or 4 paychecks.
Sliding-fee care vs. a Marketplace plan
No. A sliding fee is a discount on the clinic's own services. It doesn't cover hospital stays or ER visits elsewhere, and there's no out-of-pocket maximum like a Marketplace plan has.
Losing other coverage (for example, Medicaid) may qualify you for a Special Enrollment Period, subject to Marketplace eligibility rules, to enroll in a Marketplace plan outside Open Enrollment.
Network status can differ by plan; check the plan's provider directory before enrolling. Use the exact plan ID and coverage year, then call the facility billing office and write down the date and the person you spoke with.
Use how much income qualifies for a subsidy, the ACA subsidy cliff to gather names, locations, and prescriptions before you compare plans.
Lost Medicaid or had a life change?
What to verify before you enroll
- Search Central Florida Health Care (FQHC) – Polk County clinics and each doctor by name and location in the plan directory
- Confirm the exact plan ID and year with the billing office
- Check prescriptions and pharmacy separately from the facility listing
- Read urgent-care versus emergency-room cost sharing in the Summary of Benefits
Additional verified details
New patients: call 866-234-8534; self-scheduling is for established patients only.
HealthCare.gov (Florida uses it): Open Enrollment starts November 1; enroll by December 15 for January 1 coverage; Open Enrollment ends January 15, with February 1 coverage for December 16 to January 15 enrollments.
After the temporary 2021–2025 enhancement, standard Premium Tax Credit rules apply; eligibility depends on household income and size.
Related coverage questions
- how much income qualifies for a subsidy
- the ACA subsidy cliff
- zero-premium plans in Florida
- how to keep your doctor when you change plans
Common questions
Does Central Florida Health Care offer a sliding fee scale?
Yes. Central Florida Health Care says that as a Federally Qualified Health Center it offers a sliding fee scale to qualified patients, with fees for uninsured or self-paying patients based on income and family size.
What do I need to bring to qualify for the sliding fee?
Central Florida Health Care asks for income information, including your last three pay stubs or four paychecks, along with photo ID. Call 866-234-8534 to confirm what your clinic needs.
Is a sliding fee scale the same as health insurance?
No. A sliding fee is a discount on the clinic's own services. It does not pay for hospital stays, emergency room visits, or specialists outside the clinic, and it has no out-of-pocket maximum the way a Marketplace plan does.
Can I use Central Florida Health Care if I have a Marketplace plan?
Possibly. Networks are set plan by plan, so look up the specific Central Florida Health Care location in your plan's provider directory and call the clinic with your plan ID before your visit.
What to do next
David Huff, a licensed Florida health agent, can review Polk County doctors, facilities, and prescriptions against a specific Marketplace plan ID. He does not decide facility billing. Call (863) 640-3102 or use Get Help.
Want a second set of eyes before you pick a plan?
Send your ZIP, the doctors and facilities you use, and your prescriptions. Please don't send Social Security or Medicare numbers or medical records. A review is not enrollment.
Start a provider check Request a plan review Call (863) 640-3102Not affiliated with HealthCare.gov or the U.S. government.
Sources
This page is educational. It does not say whether a facility or doctor participates with a specific plan. Confirm the plan directory and the billing office before you enroll or switch.