How Idaho can help support nonprofit health care clinics

November is National Rural Health Month, and there are few other places in the country where the critical role of rural health centers can be better emphasized than Idaho. In the Gem State, 491,557 people — nearly 27% of the population — rely on rural health clinics, critical access hospitals and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) as their primary sources of care. These organizations are often lifelines, providing medical, dental and behavioral health services to people who might otherwise go without.

Rural communities face specific health care challenges, including long travel distances, provider shortages, under-insured and uninsured residents and limited diagnostic and treatment resources.

FQHCs and community health centers fill essential gaps by offering services on a sliding scale, making them accessible to low-income, uninsured and underserved populations. National Rural Health Month is a reminder of the vital importance of these providers, who can guarantee that rural Idahoans have access to care regardless of their ability to pay.

Close-up on Grand Peaks Medical

A recent Idaho Supreme Court ruling in favor of Grand Peaks Medical, an FQHC in Rexburg, highlights the importance of legal protections for rural health care providers. The court granted Grand Peaks a full property tax exemption, recognizing it as a charitable organization devoted to community health. This ruling clarifies property tax exemption qualifications for charitable health care providers in Idaho, ensuring that FQHCs can allocate their resources to patient care rather than tax burdens.

The Grand Peaks decision holds broader significance beyond one clinic’s tax status. It affirms that Idaho’s budget-based tax system can — and should — support nonprofit health care providers who work exclusively for the public good. By granting property tax exemptions to rural health providers, Idaho is supporting the sustainability of services that are critical to rural health infrastructure, helping FQHCs and other community clinics continue to meet the needs of underserved populations across the state.

National Rural Health Month is a time to recognize and uplift the efforts of Idaho’s rural health care providers. When clinics like Grand Peaks are supported, they can continue to advance their mission: Delivering quality, affordable health care to Idahoans, wherever they live.

Luke Malek served three terms in the Idaho legislature and previously as regional director under Gov. Jim Risch. He is a former deputy prosecuting attorney in Kootenai County and founding attorney and co-owner at Smith + Malek, PLLC. He practices business law, health care law and municipal law, including transactions and litigation.