Metro Healthy Communities is opening its 10th Tampa Bay-area health center in Port Richey, bringing primary care, HIV and hepatitis C treatment, same-day testing, and behavioral health services to a new clinic at 6709 Ridge Road, Suite 202. The nonprofit announced the expansion Thursday, and its website says the location will begin seeing new patients on November 10.
The announcement, carried by StreetInsider, adds a 10th location to a network that already spans St. Petersburg, Tampa, Clearwater, Brandon and New Port Richey. According to the announcement, the Port Richey center will offer primary care, HIV and hepatitis C care and treatment, same-day HIV and STI testing, PrEP, nPEP and DoxyPEP, along with behavioral health and case management services. Metro says it provides care to all patients regardless of insurance status or ability to pay, with self-pay options and a sliding fee scale based on proof of income, and that it accepts most major insurance plans, Medicare and Medicaid.
Metro's own location page says the clinic will begin seeing new patients on November 10. Appointments can be scheduled by calling 727-321-3854.
Federal Designation Opens Door to New Funding
The expansion follows Metro's receipt of Federally Qualified Health Center designation from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration in August, the announcement states, noting Metro was one of just four new organizations in Florida to receive the designation that month. Per the same account, the Port Richey site is described as the first new FQHC established in the Tampa Bay region in decades. The designation provides federal funding to support day-to-day operations and gives Metro greater access to grants aimed at improving health outcomes, the organization says.
Priya Rajkumar, CEO of Metro Healthy Communities, said the Port Richey center will bring affordable, high-quality care closer to Pasco County families who have faced long travel or waits, according to the announcement. Metro has operated in the Tampa Bay region for more than 30 years and says it now offers more than 100 programs and services across its clinics, including HIV care and prevention, STI testing and treatment, and its Metro Inclusive Pharmacy.
Prescription Delivery and Copay Help for Pasco Patients
Port Richey patients will be able to access free, discreet two-day prescription delivery through Metro Inclusive Pharmacy, the announcement notes. Patients may also receive up to $100 per month in copay assistance through Metro's Copay It Forward program, which the organization says has reinvested more than $4 million in community-funded health care support since 2018. Eligible patients living with HIV can receive care through the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program, and Metro says it connects patients with social services including housing and food support.
Health Care Access in Pasco County
The new clinic lands in a county whose health needs are examined in the 2025 Community Health Needs Assessment for Pasco County, produced by the All4HealthFL Collaborative.
The assessment considers community health needs in Pasco County, including access to care. Once its regular schedule begins, Metro's Port Richey location will operate at 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, with hours extended to 7 p.m. on Wednesdays.
