NACHC: $630M Could Hire 1,070 Optometrists at FQHCs to Serve 10.7M Unserved Patients — Only 26% of CHCs Currently Offer Vision
NACHC 2025 Vision Services Expansion Brief documents the structural underbuild: only 26% of US Community Health Centers offered vision services in 2023, and just 3% of CHC patients received eye care annually. NACHC estimates a one-time $630M investment could hire 1,070 optometrists serving 10.7 million currently unserved patients. Vision is among the most profitable FQHC service lines (PPS-encounter eligible) yet 3 of 4 FQHCs leave it on the table. Two structural barriers: (1) optometry is NOT eligible for NHSC Loan Repayment, (2) vision is non-mandatory under HRSA Section 330 — base grants cannot launch new vision lines, must come from expansion grants, 340B savings, or operating capital.
Key takeaways
- Only 26% of US CHCs offer vision services; 3% of patients receive eye care
- $630M one-time investment could hire 1,070 ODs serving 10.7M unserved patients
- Vision is non-mandatory under HRSA Section 330 — base grants cannot fund new lines
Primary source
NACHCFQHC Talent. (2025, October 15). NACHC: $630M Could Hire 1,070 Optometrists at FQHCs to Serve 10.7M Unserved Patients — Only 26% of CHCs Currently Offer Vision. Primary source: NACHC. Retrieved May 1, 2026, from https://www.fqhctalent.com/intel/nachc-vision-services-expansion-brief-october-2025
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