---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 254b–1"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "254b–1"
heading: "State grants to health care providers who provide services to a high percentage of medically underserved populations or other special populations"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/254b-1"
units:
  - "Chapter 6A — Public Health Service"
  - "Subchapter II — General Powers and Duties"
  - "Part D — Primary Health Care"
  - "Subpart i — health centers"
---

# §254b–1. State grants to health care providers who provide services to a high percentage of medically underserved populations or other special populations

- (a) **In general—** A [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) may award grants to [health care providers](/usc/42/300aa–33.md?p=1) who treat a high percentage, as determined by such [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f), of [medically underserved populations](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=14) or other special populations in such [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f).
- (b) **Source of funds—** A grant [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) established by a [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) under [subsection (a)](#a) may not be established within a department, [agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1), or other entity of such [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) that administers the Medicaid [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) under title XIX of the Social Security Act ([42 U.S.C. 1396](/usc/42/1396.md) et seq.), and no Federal or [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) funds allocated to such Medicaid [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4), the Medicare [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) under title XVIII of the Social Security Act ([42 U.S.C. 1395](/usc/42/1395.md) et seq.), or the TRICARE [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) under [chapter 55](/usc/10/chstA/ptII/ch55.md) of title 10 may be used to award grants or to pay administrative costs associated with a grant [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) established under [subsection (a)](#a).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 111–148, title V, § 5606, as added Pub. L. 111–148, title X, § 10501(k), Mar. 23, 2010, 124 Stat. 999.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

The Social Security Act, referred to in subsec. (b), is act Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, 49 Stat. 620. Titles XVIII and XIX of the Act are classified generally to subchapters XVIII (§ 1395 et seq.) and XIX (§ 1396 et seq.), respectively, of chapter 7 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 1305 of this title and Tables.

### Codification

Section was enacted as part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, and not as part of the Public Health Service Act which comprises this chapter.