U.S. Department of Health 2026: Services, Phone & Records
When people search “US Department of Health,” they usually mean the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, also called HHS. HHS is the federal health and human services department, but it is not the office for every health problem, every medical bill, every birth certificate, or every hospital record.
This plain-English guide helps U.S. residents, seniors, caregivers, families, patients, providers, and small business owners find the right official route for HHS phone help, public records, medical-record rights, Medicare, Marketplace coverage, HIPAA complaints, civil rights complaints, fraud reports, grants, state vital records, and local health departments.
Quick answer: what the U.S. Department of Health means in 2026
There is no separate federal agency normally called only “U.S. Department of Health.” The official federal department most users mean is the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. HHS includes major health and human services agencies and offices, but the right official page depends on your task.
| What you need | Best official route | Prepare first | Senior-friendly tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| HHS phone number or mailing address | HHS Contact Us page | Topic, program name if known, state, callback number, and any case number | Ask, “Which HHS office or program handles this?” before explaining every detail. |
| Birth, death, marriage, or divorce certificate | State or local vital records office, using CDC’s Where to Write tool | State where the event happened, full name, event date, county/city, ID, payment method | Do not call HHS headquarters for a certified state certificate. |
| Your hospital or doctor medical records | The provider, hospital, health plan, or patient portal first; HHS OCR if HIPAA access rights are violated | Provider name, visit dates, patient name, portal login, ID, request format | Ask the provider for “records release” or “medical records department.” |
| Federal HHS public records | HHS FOIA page or FOIA.gov | Exact agency, topic, date range, record type, names, and keywords | A narrow request is better than “send me everything.” |
| Medicare coverage, claims, card, billing, or plan help | Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE | Medicare Number, plan name, claim date, bill, provider name, representative authorization if needed | For Medicare personal account issues, Medicare is usually better than HHS main phone. |
| Health Insurance Marketplace plan or application | HealthCare.gov or Marketplace Call Center | Household, income, state, immigration documents if needed, current coverage, tax filing status | Marketplace is mostly for under-65 coverage, not regular Medicare enrollment. |
| Medicaid or CHIP | Your state Medicaid agency or Medicaid.gov state links | State, household size, income, age, disability status if relevant, current notices | Medicaid is run by states, even though CMS is a federal HHS agency. |
| HIPAA, medical privacy, civil rights, or discrimination complaint | HHS Office for Civil Rights complaint portal | Entity name, dates, facts, documents, contact details, and what right was affected | Write clear facts with dates. Avoid only emotional descriptions. |
| Medicare, Medicaid, grant, or HHS program fraud | HHS Office of Inspector General Hotline | Who, what, when, where, dollar amount if known, documents, phone numbers, claim numbers | Do not share Medicare numbers with callers who contact you unexpectedly. |
The safest path is to match the task to the correct official system: HHS Contact for general routing, Medicare.gov for Medicare, HealthCare.gov for Marketplace coverage, OCR for HIPAA or civil rights, OIG for HHS fraud, FOIA for federal records, and state vital records offices for birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates.
U.S. Department of Health route finder: choose the right official door first
Use this mini-router before calling, paying, uploading documents, filing a complaint, or sending personal information. It is designed for older adults, caregivers, and busy families who want the right official page without guessing.
HHS task router
Choose your need. The safest next step appears below.
U.S. Department of Health phone number, address and call script
The official HHS Contact Us page lists the HHS headquarters mailing address as 200 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20201 and the HHS Toll Free Call Center as 1-877-696-6775. This is a general HHS route, not the best phone number for every health task.
HHS Toll Free Call Center
1-877-696-6775
Use this when your question is about HHS in general or you need help finding the correct HHS office.
Open HHS contactHHS headquarters
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Hubert H. Humphrey Building, 200 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20201.
View map sectionUse a short call script
Say: “I need help with one topic: Medicare, Marketplace coverage, Medicaid, HIPAA privacy, civil rights, FOIA public records, OIG fraud, HHS grant question, or state vital records routing. Which official page or office should I use?”
Do not use the main HHS number for every service
If you already know your issue is Medicare, Marketplace coverage, HIPAA, civil rights, HHS fraud, or FOIA, use the direct official route below. It is usually faster than asking the HHS main call center to transfer you.
Government programs generally do not need you to give your full Medicare Number, Social Security number, or bank information to an unexpected caller. If a caller pressures you, hang up and call the official number from Medicare.gov, HealthCare.gov, HHS.gov, or your state agency.
What services HHS helps with — and what it does not do directly
HHS touches many parts of U.S. health and human services, but it often works through agencies, states, health plans, providers, grantees, and local offices. The fastest answer is usually the specific HHS agency or program, not the HHS homepage.
Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP and Marketplace oversight
CMS is the HHS agency connected to Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, and Marketplace coverage systems.
Public health guidance and data
CDC handles national public health information, disease guidance, data, and vital statistics tools.
Food, drugs, devices, vaccines and product safety
FDA handles many product safety, drug, device, food, vaccine, tobacco, and regulatory topics.
Health research and clinical studies
NIH is the HHS research agency many users need for medical research, clinical trials, and research information.
| Search phrase | Best meaning | Better official route |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. Department of Health services | HHS programs and agency routing | HHS agencies and offices page |
| U.S. Department of Health phone number | HHS main contact or specific agency contact | HHS Contact Us, Medicare.gov, HealthCare.gov, OCR, or OIG depending on topic |
| U.S. Department of Health records | Could mean FOIA, medical records, vital records, Medicare claims, or public health data | Use the records section below to identify the exact record type |
| U.S. Department of Health complaint | Could mean HIPAA, civil rights, Medicare complaint, provider issue, or HHS fraud | OCR, Medicare.gov, state survey agency, state Medicaid, or HHS-OIG |
U.S. Department of Health records: first identify the record type
“HHS records” can mean very different things. A federal FOIA request, a hospital medical record, a Medicare claim, a vaccine record, a birth certificate, and a research data file do not use the same office.
HHS FOIA records
Use FOIA for federal agency records held by HHS offices and agencies.
FOIA guideHospital, doctor or plan records
Ask the provider, hospital, clinic, health plan, or patient portal first. OCR helps when HIPAA rights may be violated.
Medical records guideBirth, death, marriage, divorce
These are usually state or local vital records, not HHS headquarters records.
Vital records guideDo not upload ID, medical documents, Social Security numbers, Medicare cards, birth certificates, or payment information to a non-official guide page. Final submissions should go only through official secure government portals, providers, health plans, or state offices.
Medical records: your doctor, hospital or plan usually holds them — not HHS headquarters
If you need your own medical records, start with the provider, hospital, clinic, lab, pharmacy, health plan, or patient portal. HHS explains that HIPAA gives people rights over their health information, including the right to see and get copies in most cases.
Ask the provider’s medical records department
Use simple wording: “I want to request a copy of my medical records. Please send me the release form or patient access instructions. I prefer electronic copies if available.”
Know the 30-day HIPAA response rule
HHS guidance explains that a covered entity must act on an individual’s access request no later than 30 calendar days after receipt. If it cannot act within that time, it may have one additional 30-day extension if it gives a written reason and completion date within the first 30 days.
File with OCR only when the issue fits HIPAA or privacy rights
Use HHS Office for Civil Rights if you believe a covered entity or business associate violated health information privacy rights, denied proper access, or committed another HIPAA, Security, Breach Notification, or applicable Part 2 confidentiality issue.
If you help a spouse, parent, or relative, ask the provider what authorization form is needed. Medicare, hospitals, doctors, and health plans may need written authorization before sharing another person’s information with you.
Birth, death, marriage and divorce records: HHS does not issue most certified certificates
The federal government generally does not maintain files or indexes of birth, death, marriage, or divorce certificates. Certified copies normally come from the state, territory, city, county, or local vital statistics office where the event occurred.
| Record needed | Where to start | Prepare before ordering |
|---|---|---|
| Birth certificate | State or local vital records office where the birth happened | Full name, date of birth, place of birth, parents’ names, ID, relationship proof if required |
| Death certificate | State or local vital records office where death happened | Full name, date of death, county/city, version needed, ID, eligibility proof if required |
| Marriage certificate | State, county clerk, local registrar, or vital records office depending on state | Names, date, county/city, license details if known, ID, payment method |
| Divorce certificate or decree | State vital records for certificate; court or county clerk for decree/judgment | Names, date, county, case number if known, whether certificate or court decree is required |
First identify the state or area where the event happened
A person may live in Texas now, need a California birth certificate, and ask a federal HHS question. The certificate is still usually requested from the state or local office where the birth, death, marriage, or divorce occurred.
Check certificate versus court record
A divorce certificate may not be the same as a divorce decree or final judgment. A marriage certificate may not include every underlying license application detail. Ask the receiving agency exactly what document it accepts before paying.
HHS public records request: FOIA, status checks, appeals and the right agency
Use FOIA for federal agency records held by HHS offices and divisions. FOIA is not the right route for your hospital chart, a state birth certificate, a Medicare card replacement, or state Medicaid casework.
Search first, then request narrowly
Before filing, check whether the record is already available in an HHS reading room, public dataset, agency page, FOIA library, or program page. A narrow request should include agency, program, topic, date range, record type, names, and keywords.
Submit or check status through the official FOIA route
HHS explains that users can submit a new FOIA request or check the status of an existing request using FOIA.gov. The correct FOIA office depends on which HHS office or division likely holds the records.
Use the correct FOIA contact for the agency
HHS has multiple FOIA offices. A request for CMS records, FDA records, NIH records, CDC records, or Office of the Secretary records may route differently.
Weak request: “Send all HHS records about Medicare.” Better request: “Records from CMS about [specific topic], created between [date] and [date], including [specific document type], excluding duplicates and public webpages.”
Medicare help: phone, claims, card, medical records and senior coverage questions
For Medicare questions, use Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE before calling HHS headquarters. Medicare.gov lists 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) and TTY 1-877-486-2048 for Medicare help.
Medicare phone
1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). TTY users can call 1-877-486-2048.
Contact MedicareClaims, medical records, bills and expenses
Medicare.gov says users can log into their secure Medicare account or call Medicare for billing, claims, medical records, or expense questions.
Open Medicare.govCaregiver or family help
If Medicare needs to share your personal information with someone else, an authorization form may be required.
Medicare contactIf someone calls and says your Medicare will be canceled unless you confirm your Medicare Number, banking details, or Social Security number, do not trust the caller. Hang up and call Medicare from Medicare.gov.
HealthCare.gov and Marketplace coverage: federal health insurance help
For Health Insurance Marketplace questions, use HealthCare.gov instead of the HHS main phone. HealthCare.gov lists the Marketplace Call Center at 1-800-318-2596 and TTY 1-855-889-4325, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week except holidays.
Use Marketplace for under-65 coverage and qualifying life changes
Marketplace coverage commonly matters for people who do not have affordable employer coverage, do not qualify for Medicare, lost coverage, moved, had a household change, or need plan shopping help.
Call the Marketplace Call Center for application help
Before calling, prepare household members, state, income estimate, tax filing status, current coverage details, immigration documents if applicable, and any notice or application ID.
Most seniors with Medicare should not shop for regular Marketplace coverage to replace Medicare without getting official guidance. Medicare and Marketplace rules are different.
Medicaid, CHIP and state health department routing
Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program are connected to federal HHS through CMS, but applications, renewals, eligibility notices, managed-care plan issues, and many case questions are handled by states.
Use your state Medicaid agency
For eligibility, renewal packets, income changes, address changes, managed-care plan notices, or case-specific questions, your state agency is usually the right route.
Find Medicaid helpUse CMS for federal program information
Use Medicaid.gov for federal Medicaid and CHIP information, state links, policy, and program guidance.
Open Medicaid.govDo not ignore Medicaid renewal mail. States may ask for documents, income updates, address verification, or household information. If you moved, update your address with your state agency.
HHS complaints: HIPAA, civil rights, Medicare, provider care and program complaints
“File a complaint with HHS” can mean several different things. Choose the complaint route based on what happened, who did it, and which program or provider was involved.
| Complaint type | Best route | Prepare before filing |
|---|---|---|
| HIPAA privacy, security, breach, or medical-record access issue | HHS Office for Civil Rights | Entity name, dates, what happened, documents, whether you requested records, response received |
| Civil rights, discrimination, conscience, or religious freedom complaint | HHS Office for Civil Rights complaint portal | Who discriminated, protected basis, dates, location, facts, documents, contact details |
| Medicare plan, claim, care, card, billing, or appeal issue | Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, plan, or appropriate appeal route | Medicare Number, plan, provider, claim date, denial letter, bill, appeal deadline |
| Hospital or nursing home quality concern | Medicare complaint route, State Survey Agency, state health department, or facility-specific route | Facility name, address, patient name, dates, facts, records, representative authority |
| Fraud, waste, or abuse in HHS programs | HHS Office of Inspector General Hotline | Who, what, when, where, program, amount, documents, contact information |
HIPAA or civil rights complaint
HHS OCR handles health information privacy and certain civil rights, conscience, and religious freedom complaints.
Open OCR portalMedicare complaint or appeal help
For Medicare-specific coverage, claims, billing, plan, or card issues, use Medicare.gov before HHS general contact.
Open Medicare complaintsIf there is immediate danger, a life-threatening medical emergency, suspected poisoning, severe symptoms, or urgent safety risk, call 911 or local emergency services. Do not wait for an HHS web form response.
Report HHS fraud, waste, abuse, Medicare or Medicaid program fraud
The HHS Office of Inspector General accepts tips and complaints about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement in HHS programs. This includes certain Medicare, Medicaid, grant, contractor, and HHS program fraud issues.
HHS-OIG Hotline complaint
Use the online complaint route when you can describe the issue and attach or reference supporting facts.
Report fraudHHS-OIG Hotline phone
Phone: 1-800-HHS-TIPS (1-800-447-8477). TTY: 1-800-377-4950.
Other contact waysPrepare a strong fraud report
Write down the person or business name, program involved, dates, location, phone numbers, documents, claim numbers if safe to include, billing details, and why you believe fraud, waste, abuse, or mismanagement occurred.
HHS-OIG warns people to protect personal, medical, and financial information from unknown individuals claiming to be government officials. If you are unsure, hang up and use the official HHS-OIG contact page.
HHS agencies and offices: which one fits your search?
HHS includes multiple operating and staff divisions. The right route may be CMS, CDC, FDA, NIH, HRSA, SAMHSA, ACF, ACL, IHS, AHRQ, ASPR, ARPA-H, OCR, OIG, or another HHS office depending on the issue.
Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, Marketplace
Use for federal health coverage program information and Medicare routes.
Public health, disease guidance, data
Use for public health guidance, statistics, outbreaks, and vital statistics tools.
Food, drugs, medical devices
Use for many product safety, medication, food, device, vaccine, and tobacco regulatory topics.
Research and clinical trials
Use for medical research information, research institutes, and clinical trial resources.
Health centers and workforce programs
Use for HRSA-supported health centers, shortage areas, and workforce programs.
HIPAA and civil rights
Use for privacy, security, breach, nondiscrimination, conscience, and related complaint routes.
Fraud, waste, abuse
Use for fraud, waste, abuse, mismanagement, exclusions, and HHS oversight routes.
Human services and special populations
Use the HHS agency directory to identify the correct program for aging, families, children, and Indian Health Service topics.
HHS headquarters map, mailing address and before-you-visit warning
HHS headquarters is at the Hubert H. Humphrey Building, 200 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20201. Do not visit only because a map appears. Many services are not handled at a public walk-in counter.
| Need | Better than visiting first |
|---|---|
| Medicare card, claims, bills or plan help | Use Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE first. |
| Marketplace coverage | Use HealthCare.gov or Marketplace Call Center first. |
| Birth, death, marriage or divorce certificate | Use state or local vital records office. HHS headquarters does not issue most certified state certificates. |
| HIPAA or civil rights complaint | Use OCR complaint portal or OCR contact route. |
| Federal public records | Use HHS FOIA or FOIA.gov. |
HHS notes that mail sent to Washington, D.C. area offices can take additional processing time due to security precautions. Check the official HHS page and specific program instructions before mailing time-sensitive documents or planning a visit.
Official U.S. Department of Health links used in this guide
Use these official routes for final forms, payments, login, complaint submission, records requests, and program details. This independent page does not process records, complaints, Medicare claims, Medicaid renewals, or HHS payments.
People also search for: U.S. Department of Health Google and Bing intent guide
These search phrases often lead to the wrong page unless the user understands what the phrase means. Use the matching intent below.
U.S. Department of Health phone number
Use HHS Contact Us for the main phone, but use Medicare.gov, HealthCare.gov, OCR, or OIG for direct help.
Phone routeU.S. Department of Health records
First decide whether you mean FOIA, medical records, Medicare records, or state vital records.
Records routeDepartment of Health medical records
Ask the provider or health plan first. HHS OCR helps when HIPAA access rights may be violated.
Medical recordsDepartment of Health birth certificate
Use the state or local vital records office where the birth happened, not HHS headquarters.
Vital recordsHHS Medicare phone number
For Medicare questions, use 1-800-MEDICARE and Medicare.gov rather than the HHS main call center.
Medicare routeHHS Marketplace login
Marketplace coverage questions go through HealthCare.gov, not the general HHS contact page.
MarketplaceHHS HIPAA complaint
Use the HHS Office for Civil Rights complaint portal for HIPAA privacy and health information complaints.
Complaint routeHHS fraud hotline
Use HHS-OIG for fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement in HHS programs.
Fraud routePrivacy, scam safety and independent guide notice
HealthDepartmentGuide.org is an independent guide. It is not HHS.gov, Medicare.gov, HealthCare.gov, Medicaid.gov, CDC.gov, FDA.gov, OCR, OIG, or a state health department.
Do not send Medicare cards, Social Security numbers, birth certificates, death certificates, medical records, bank details, tax records, insurance cards, immigration documents, or complaint evidence to an independent guide page. Use only official secure portals and verified official addresses for final submission.
Phone numbers, office hours, login requirements, complaint deadlines, mailing instructions, FOIA procedures, program names, and eligibility rules can change. Confirm final details on the official HHS, Medicare, Marketplace, Medicaid, OCR, OIG, CDC, FDA, state, or provider page before taking action.
U.S. Department of Health FAQs
Is the U.S. Department of Health the same as HHS?
In most searches, yes. People who type “U.S. Department of Health” usually mean the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, commonly called HHS. The official department name is U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
What is the U.S. Department of Health phone number?
The HHS Toll Free Call Center number listed on the official HHS Contact Us page is 1-877-696-6775. For specific programs, Medicare, Marketplace coverage, OCR complaints, OIG fraud, FOIA, or state vital records may have better direct routes.
What is the HHS headquarters address?
HHS headquarters is the Hubert H. Humphrey Building, 200 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20201. Do not visit or mail documents before checking the specific program instructions.
Does HHS issue birth certificates, death certificates, marriage records, or divorce records?
Generally no. Certified birth, death, marriage, and divorce records are usually held by state, territory, city, county, or local vital statistics offices where the event occurred. CDC’s Where to Write for Vital Records tool helps users find the correct state or territory route.
How do I get my medical records from a hospital or doctor?
Start with the hospital, doctor, clinic, health plan, or patient portal. Ask for the medical records department or records release form. HHS OCR can help when a HIPAA-covered entity may have violated health information privacy or access rights.
How long does a provider have to respond to a medical-record access request?
HHS HIPAA guidance says a covered entity must act on an individual’s access request no later than 30 calendar days after receiving it. One additional 30-day extension may be allowed if the entity gives a written reason and completion date within the first 30 days.
How do I request public records from HHS?
Use the HHS FOIA page or FOIA.gov to submit or check a federal public records request. Make the request specific by naming the HHS agency, program, topic, date range, and record type.
What number should I call for Medicare?
For Medicare, use 1-800-MEDICARE, which is 1-800-633-4227. TTY users can call 1-877-486-2048. Medicare.gov is usually better than the HHS main phone for Medicare claims, cards, bills, coverage, and account questions.
What number should I call for HealthCare.gov Marketplace coverage?
HealthCare.gov lists the Marketplace Call Center at 1-800-318-2596 and TTY 1-855-889-4325. Use this route for Marketplace plan shopping, applications, account help, document upload questions, and coverage changes.
How do I file a HIPAA complaint with HHS?
Use the HHS Office for Civil Rights complaint portal or OCR complaint guidance. Prepare the entity name, dates, facts, documents, and a short explanation of how privacy, security, breach notification, access rights, or confidentiality may have been violated.
How do I report HHS program fraud?
Use the HHS Office of Inspector General Hotline. The hotline accepts tips about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement in HHS programs. The phone route is 1-800-HHS-TIPS, which is 1-800-447-8477.
Is HealthDepartmentGuide.org an official HHS website?
No. HealthDepartmentGuide.org is an independent guide that helps users find the correct official route. It does not process HHS records, Medicare claims, Marketplace applications, Medicaid renewals, OCR complaints, FOIA requests, fraud reports, or vital records.