U.S. Department of Health 2026: Services, Phone & Records
The name most people type is “U.S. Department of Health,” but the official federal department is the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, usually called HHS. HHS is the federal health and human services department behind many national programs, but it is not the same as your state health department, county health department, local hospital, Medicare plan, doctor’s office, or vital records office.
This plain-English guide helps U.S. residents, seniors, caregivers, families, providers, grantees, and record seekers choose the right official route for HHS phone help, Medicare, HealthCare.gov, Medicaid routing, HIPAA complaints, FOIA records, medical records access, vital records, grants, fraud reporting, health centers, elder services, and mental health support.
Quick answer: what the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services handles in 2026
HHS is a federal department that protects public health, supports health care programs, funds research and community services, oversees civil rights and health privacy rules, supports Medicare and Medicaid policy through CMS, provides grants, and works with state, tribal, territorial, and local partners. HHS also includes major federal health agencies such as CDC, FDA, NIH, CMS, HRSA, SAMHSA, ACL, ACF, IHS, AHRQ, ASPR, and related offices.
| What you need | Best official route | Prepare first | Senior-friendly tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Department of Health phone number | HHS Contact Us | Your topic, state, county, program name, callback number, and any case number | Ask staff which exact HHS agency or state office handles your issue. |
| Medicare card, claims, billing, plan questions, expenses | Medicare.gov / 1-800-MEDICARE | Medicare Number, account login if available, date of service, provider name, claim or bill | Call Medicare directly; do not trust urgent “Medicare” callers asking for numbers. |
| Marketplace health insurance | HealthCare.gov Marketplace Call Center | Household, income, immigration or citizenship documents if needed, application ID, plan details | Upload documents inside HealthCare.gov, not by email. |
| Medicaid or CHIP | State Medicaid office, Medicaid.gov, HealthCare.gov routing | State, household size, income, pregnancy, disability, age, current coverage | Medicaid is run through states, even though CMS is federal. |
| HIPAA or health privacy complaint | HHS Office for Civil Rights complaint portal | Provider or health plan name, dates, privacy issue, documents, your contact information | HIPAA complaints are not Medicare billing complaints. |
| Medical records from a doctor or hospital | Your provider or health plan first; OCR if access is wrongly blocked | Patient name, date of birth, date range, provider, destination, records requested | HHS explains rights, but the provider usually holds the record. |
| Birth, death, marriage, divorce certificate | State or local vital records office | State where event happened, county or city, event date, ID, relationship proof | Federal HHS does not keep the certificate files for most U.S. life events. |
| Federal HHS public records request | HHS FOIA program | Specific agency, records requested, date range, subject, keywords, format | FOIA is for federal agency records, not personal medical charts. |
| HHS fraud, waste, abuse, grant scam, Medicare or Medicaid fraud | HHS Office of Inspector General Hotline | Names, program, dates, documents, billing details, scam messages, phone numbers | Do not mail original documents to OIG. |
| Free or low-cost clinic near me | HRSA Find a Health Center | ZIP code, address, insurance status, service needed, language needs | Health centers may offer care based on ability to pay. |
For “records,” first decide which record you mean: federal agency record, medical record, Medicare claim record, HIPAA complaint, or birth/death/marriage/divorce certificate. Each one uses a different official route.
U.S. Department of Health route finder: choose the right official door
Use this simple router before you call, pay, submit documents, file a complaint, or drive to an office. It is built for common Google and Bing searches like “U.S. Department of Health phone number,” “HHS records,” “department of health services,” “HHS login,” “HHS grants,” and “health department near me.”
HHS service router
Select your need. The recommended official route appears below.
U.S. Department of Health phone number: HHS, Medicare, Marketplace, OCR, OIG, SAMHSA and elder help
The main HHS toll-free call center is 1-877-696-6775. That number is useful for general routing, but it is not always the fastest number for Medicare, HealthCare.gov, HIPAA complaints, fraud, grants, or local senior services.
| Need | Official phone / route | Use this for |
|---|---|---|
| General HHS contact | 1-877-696-6775 | General HHS routing when you do not know the correct program. |
| Medicare | 1-800-MEDICARE / 1-800-633-4227; TTY 1-877-486-2048 | Medicare claims, bills, card replacement, expenses, complaints and secure account help. |
| HealthCare.gov Marketplace | 1-800-318-2596; TTY 1-855-889-4325 | Marketplace application, enrollment, document upload, plan help, username help. |
| HHS Office for Civil Rights | 1-800-368-1019; TDD 1-800-537-7697 | Health privacy, HIPAA, civil rights and conscience complaint routing. |
| HHS Office of Inspector General Hotline | 1-800-HHS-TIPS / 1-800-447-8477; TTY 1-800-377-4950 | Fraud, waste, abuse, mismanagement, Medicare or Medicaid fraud, HHS grant scams. |
| SAMHSA National Helpline | 1-800-662-HELP / 1-800-662-4357; TTY 1-800-487-4889 | Mental health and substance use treatment referral and information. |
| 988 Lifeline | Call, text, or chat 988 | 24/7 crisis support for mental health, substance use, emotional distress, and suicide-related crisis. |
| Eldercare Locator | 1-800-677-1116 | Local aging services, caregiver support, disability services, meals, transportation and community resources. |
Use a short call script
Say: “I need help with [Medicare, Marketplace insurance, Medicaid, HIPAA complaint, medical records access, federal HHS records, vital records, grants, fraud, senior services, or local clinic]. My state is [state]. Which official agency or website should I use?”
Do not give your Medicare Number, Social Security number, bank information, or passwords to an unexpected caller. Hang up and call the official number yourself from Medicare.gov, HHS.gov, HealthCare.gov, or the official OIG site.
U.S. Department of Health services: what HHS agencies actually do
HHS administers more than 100 programs across its operating divisions. For most users, the easiest way to understand HHS is by task: insurance, public health, medicines and food safety, research, health centers, mental health, aging, children and families, Indian health, civil rights, records, grants, and fraud oversight.
Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, Marketplace policy
Use CMS, Medicare.gov, Medicaid.gov, and HealthCare.gov for insurance-related federal routes.
Open CMSHealth centers and care access
Use HRSA to find federally funded health centers and health workforce programs.
Find centerFood, drugs, devices, product safety
Use FDA for medicines, vaccines, medical devices, food safety, recalls and product reports.
Open FDAHealth research and clinical studies
Use NIH for federal biomedical research, health information, and research funding information.
Open NIHDisease data and public health guidance
Use CDC for health statistics, disease guidance, vaccination information, and public health resources.
Open CDCMental health and substance use
Use SAMHSA for treatment locators, national helplines, 988 information, and behavioral health resources.
Open SAMHSAAging and disability services
Use ACL and Eldercare Locator to connect with community services for older adults and people with disabilities.
Open ACLFraud, civil rights and privacy
Use OIG for fraud and OCR for HIPAA, health privacy, civil rights, and conscience complaint routing.
Complaint guideU.S. Department of Health records: FOIA, medical records, Medicare records and vital records are different
“HHS records” can mean four different things. Many delays happen because users send the right question to the wrong office. Federal HHS FOIA is for federal agency records. Your personal medical chart usually comes from your provider. Medicare claim records come through Medicare. Birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates usually come from state or local vital records offices.
Federal HHS public records
Use FOIA when you need existing federal agency records from HHS or one of its divisions.
Open FOIAYour medical records
Ask your provider or health plan first. HHS explains your rights and OCR handles some complaints.
Your rightsClaims and expenses
Use your secure Medicare account or 1-800-MEDICARE for claims, billing, expenses and cards.
Medicare recordsBirth, death, marriage, divorce
Use the state or territory vital records office where the event occurred.
Find officeFor federal agency records, use HHS FOIA
FOIA allows any person to request records from federal agencies, but some information can be withheld under exemptions. Make the request narrow by naming the HHS agency, program, document type, subject, date range, and keywords.
For personal health records, start with the provider or plan
HHS privacy guidance explains that HIPAA gives individuals rights over health information, but HHS usually does not hold your hospital chart, doctor notes, lab records, dental records, imaging records, or billing record. Ask the provider, health plan, or patient portal first.
A short request works better than a broad one. Instead of “send all records,” write: “I am requesting my medical and billing records from January 1, 2025 through March 31, 2025 for visits with Dr. Smith at ABC Clinic, including lab results, visit notes, imaging reports, and billing statements.”
How to get medical records under HHS HIPAA guidance
If you need medical records, the first stop is usually the doctor, clinic, hospital, lab, imaging center, pharmacy, dental office, therapist, health plan, or Medicare secure account. HHS and the Office of the National Coordinator explain how to request your record and how HIPAA protects your rights.
| Prepare | Why it matters | Plain-English example |
|---|---|---|
| Patient name and date of birth | Identifies the correct patient record. | Use the name that was used at the time of care. |
| Provider or facility name | Medical records are usually held by the provider or plan. | Hospital, clinic, doctor office, lab, imaging center, health plan. |
| Date range | Helps staff locate the right records. | “January 2025 through April 2025.” |
| Record type | Reduces delay and copying costs. | Visit notes, lab results, imaging report, discharge summary, billing statement. |
| Delivery method | Different providers support portals, secure email, mail, CD, fax, or pickup. | “Send to my patient portal” or “send to my new doctor.” |
| Authorization if helping someone else | Caregivers may need legal authority or a signed release. | Power of attorney, HIPAA release, personal representative documents. |
Ask through the provider’s patient portal first
For many patients, the fastest path is the provider’s secure portal. If the portal does not show everything you need, ask the provider’s medical records department for a complete record request form.
File an OCR complaint when access is wrongly blocked
If you believe a covered health care provider, health plan, or business associate violated HIPAA or wrongly blocked access to your health information, use the HHS Office for Civil Rights complaint route.
If you are helping a parent, spouse, adult child, or disabled family member, ask the provider what authorization is required before you arrive. A verbal explanation is often not enough for medical records release.
Birth, death, marriage and divorce records: why HHS is usually not the certificate office
A very common search is “U.S. Department of Health birth certificate” or “U.S. Department of Health death certificate.” For most U.S. life events, the federal government does not keep the certificate files. Certified copies usually come from the state, territory, city, county, or local vital records office where the event happened.
U.S. birth or death in a state or territory
Contact the vital records office in the state or area where the birth or death occurred. You may need ID, relationship proof, county or city, date, fee, and mailing details.
Birth certificateMarriage or divorce record
Marriage certificates and divorce certificates are usually state or local records. A divorce decree or court judgment may need the court or clerk, not a health department.
Find vital officeBefore paying, confirm you are on a .gov page or on a vendor page recommended by the state vital records office. Certificate fees, eligibility, ID rules, and delivery times vary by state.
Medicare help through HHS: phone, claims, card, records, complaints and senior protection
Medicare is administered by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, an HHS agency. For most senior users, Medicare.gov and 1-800-MEDICARE are better than the general HHS phone number.
Lost or damaged Medicare card
Log into your secure Medicare account or call Medicare to order a replacement card.
Card helpClaims, bills and expenses
Use your secure Medicare account or call Medicare for billing, claims, medical records, or expenses questions.
Claims helpMedicare fraud or identity theft
Report suspected fraud, scams, or misuse of your Medicare information using official Medicare or HHS OIG routes.
Report fraudMedicare and HHS scammers may claim you must “verify” your Medicare card, pay a fee, or accept a new benefit. Hang up. Call 1-800-MEDICARE yourself from Medicare.gov before sharing anything.
HealthCare.gov and Medicaid routing: Marketplace, CHIP, eligibility and documents
HealthCare.gov is the federal Marketplace for many states. Medicaid and CHIP are state-run programs with federal oversight. For many households, a Marketplace application can help route you to Medicaid or CHIP eligibility, but your state may still handle final Medicaid enrollment and notices.
| Prepare | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Household members | Eligibility often depends on household size, tax filing, dependents, and family situation. |
| Income estimate | Marketplace savings, Medicaid, and CHIP eligibility depend on income details. |
| Current insurance | Employer coverage, Medicare, Medicaid, VA, TRICARE, or other coverage can affect eligibility. |
| Immigration or citizenship documents if requested | Some applications require document matching or uploads. |
| Application ID or notice | Useful when calling about an existing case or document issue. |
Senior citizen help: Medicare, Eldercare Locator, health centers, caregiver support and 988
For older adults and caregivers, HHS-related help often comes through several doors: Medicare for insurance, ACL and Eldercare Locator for local aging services, HRSA health centers for care access, SAMHSA and 988 for mental health support, and state Medicaid offices for long-term services or dual eligibility.
Coverage, card and claims
Call 1-800-MEDICARE or use Medicare.gov for benefit and claims questions.
Medicare helpLocal aging services
Call 1-800-677-1116 for help finding local services for older adults and caregivers.
Eldercare LocatorLow-cost health center
Search by ZIP code or address to find HRSA-funded health centers near you.
Find clinic988 Lifeline
Call, text, or chat 988 for 24/7 crisis support for mental health, substance use, or emotional distress.
988 infoWhen helping a senior, keep a small notebook with official phone numbers, names of people you spoke with, date and time of calls, case numbers, and next steps. This prevents repeat calls and confusion.
HHS complaints: HIPAA, civil rights, Medicare complaints, provider issues and wrong-agency problems
A complaint must go to the right office. A HIPAA privacy complaint is not the same as a Medicare billing complaint. A state hospital complaint may go to a state survey agency. A consumer scam may go to the FTC or OIG. A doctor licensing complaint usually goes to a state medical board, not federal HHS.
| Complaint type | Best official route | Prepare first |
|---|---|---|
| HIPAA privacy or health information access | HHS Office for Civil Rights | Covered entity name, business associate if known, dates, privacy issue, documents. |
| Civil rights or conscience complaint | HHS OCR Complaint Portal | Who discriminated, what happened, dates, location, program, documents. |
| Medicare claims, plan, billing or appeals | Medicare.gov / 1-800-MEDICARE | Medicare Number, plan, claim, bill, service date, provider. |
| Medicare or Medicaid fraud | HHS OIG Hotline | Names, dates, provider, bills, messages, documents, fraud details. |
| Doctor, nurse, pharmacy, facility license | State licensing board or state health department | State, license number, provider name, facility address, dates. |
| Drug, device, food, vaccine product issue | FDA reporting route | Product name, lot number, date, reaction, photos, package, receipt. |
For HIPAA and civil rights, use OCR
OCR can investigate complaints against covered entities and their business associates when HIPAA, civil rights, or related rules apply. Keep the complaint factual and include dates, names, documents, and how the issue affected you.
Use facts, not only feelings. Write what happened, who was involved, the date, where it happened, what record or bill is involved, what you already tried, and what document proves it.
Report HHS fraud, waste, abuse, Medicare fraud, Medicaid fraud and grant scams
The HHS Office of Inspector General accepts tips and complaints about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement in HHS programs. Common examples include Medicare or Medicaid fraud, false billing, kickbacks, medical identity theft, grant fraud, and HHS imposter scams.
OIG phone and mail
OIG lists 1-800-HHS-TIPS / 1-800-447-8477, TTY 1-800-377-4950, and fax 1-800-223-8164 for hotline contact routes.
Hotline contactsCheck what OIG does not handle
OIG says some issues should go elsewhere, such as Medicare coverage disputes, HIPAA complaints, Social Security fraud, and general consumer scams unrelated to HHS programs.
Before filingHHS will not contact you on social media to start a grant application, and HHS will never ask you to pay money, send gift cards, or provide bank information to receive a grant. Real federal websites use .gov domains.
HHS grants and contracts: real funding routes, TAGGS search and fake grant warnings
HHS is a major federal grant-making agency, but most HHS grants are awarded to states, territories, tribes, universities, nonprofits, community organizations, and other eligible recipients through official grant processes. A random message saying you personally won “free HHS money” is a red flag.
Use Grants.gov
Grant opportunities and applications should route through official government grant systems, not private messages.
Open Grants.govSearch TAGGS awards
TAGGS is HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System for grant award data.
Open TAGGSAvoid grant scams
Never pay a processing fee or share personal banking information to receive a supposed HHS grant.
Avoid scamsU.S. Department of Health near me: local clinics, state health departments and HHS regional routing
If you search “U.S. Department of Health near me,” you may actually need a local clinic, state health department, county health department, Medicaid office, food safety office, vital records office, or HHS regional contact. HHS headquarters in Washington, D.C. is rarely the best place for walk-in help.
HRSA Find a Health Center
Search by address, city, or ZIP code for HRSA-funded health centers.
Find health centerState health department
Use state or county offices for vital records, inspections, local clinics, food permits, health licensing and many address-based complaints.
Find state healthRegional offices
HHS regional offices serve state, local, tribal, and community partners rather than replacing local public counters.
HHS regionsFor birth certificates, food inspections, restaurant complaints, septic permits, well issues, local clinic services, doctor licensing, and state Medicaid enrollment, your state or county office is often the correct place, even though the federal HHS website may explain the broader program.
HHS headquarters map, mailing address and before-you-visit warning
HHS headquarters is located at the Hubert H. Humphrey Building, 200 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20201. Mail sent to Washington, D.C. offices can take extra time due to security screening. Do not visit the headquarters expecting same-day Medicare, birth certificate, Medicaid, provider license, or medical record service.
| Need | Better route than visiting headquarters |
|---|---|
| Medicare card, claim, plan or bill | Use Medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE. |
| HealthCare.gov Marketplace | Use HealthCare.gov or call 1-800-318-2596. |
| Birth, death, marriage, divorce certificate | Use the vital records office where the event occurred. |
| Medical records | Contact the provider, hospital, clinic, health plan, or Medicare secure account. |
| HIPAA complaint | Use the OCR Complaint Portal. |
| Fraud, waste, abuse or grant scam | Use the HHS OIG Hotline online, phone, mail or fax route. |
Official U.S. Department of Health and Human Services links used in this guide
Use these official pages for final details, current phone numbers, secure logins, forms, complaint submission, records requests, and payment. This independent guide does not collect records, process complaints, renew benefits, enroll insurance, or accept private documents.
People also search for: U.S. Department of Health Google and Bing intent guide
These common search terms are included as service-intent guidance, not as official names for every program. Use the matching route below to avoid wrong pages and unsafe third-party forms.
U.S. Department of Health phone number
Use HHS Contact Us for the general call center, but use Medicare, Marketplace, OCR, OIG, or SAMHSA numbers for specialized help.
Phone guideU.S. Department of Health records
Decide whether you need FOIA records, medical records, Medicare claims, or state vital records.
Records guideHHS Medicare phone number
Use 1-800-MEDICARE for Medicare card, claim, billing, expense, complaint and account help.
Medicare guideHHS HIPAA complaint
Use OCR for health privacy, health record access, civil rights and conscience complaint routes.
Complaint guideU.S. Department of Health birth certificate
Use state or local vital records offices; federal HHS usually does not issue certificates.
Vital recordsHHS grant application
Use Grants.gov and HHS grants pages. Do not pay processing fees for fake grant messages.
Grant guideHealth department near me
Use HRSA Find a Health Center for clinics or your state/county health department for local public health.
Near me guideHHS fraud report
Use HHS OIG for fraud, waste, abuse, mismanagement, Medicare fraud, Medicaid fraud and grant scams.
Fraud guideSafety, privacy and independent guide notice
HealthDepartmentGuide.org is an independent guide. It is not HHS.gov, Medicare.gov, HealthCare.gov, OCR, OIG, CDC, FDA, CMS, HRSA, SAMHSA, ACL, NIH, or a state health department.
Do not send Social Security numbers, Medicare Numbers, driver licenses, passports, medical records, insurance cards, claim forms, grant paperwork, bank details, passwords, birth certificates, death certificates, or complaint evidence to an independent guide page. Use official secure portals only.
Phone numbers, forms, eligibility rules, hours, processing times, grant notices, complaint routes and contact details can change. Confirm final details on the official .gov page before calling, paying, uploading documents, filing complaints, or mailing records.
U.S. Department of Health FAQs
What is the official name of the U.S. Department of Health?
The official federal department is the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, commonly called HHS. Many people search “U.S. Department of Health,” but HHS is the correct federal department name.
What is the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services phone number?
The HHS toll-free call center number is 1-877-696-6775. Use that number for general HHS routing, but use Medicare, HealthCare.gov, OCR, OIG, SAMHSA, or Eldercare Locator numbers when your issue belongs to those programs.
Where is HHS headquarters?
HHS headquarters is at the Hubert H. Humphrey Building, 200 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20201. Most services should be handled online, by phone, by mail, through a state office, or through the correct HHS agency before considering a visit.
Does HHS issue birth certificates or death certificates?
For most U.S. births, deaths, marriages, and divorces, HHS does not issue certified certificates. Contact the vital records office in the state, territory, county, city, or local area where the event occurred.
How do I request federal HHS records?
Use the HHS Freedom of Information Act page for federal HHS agency records. Your request should name the HHS agency, program, record type, topic, date range, and keywords so the office can search effectively.
How do I get my medical records from a doctor or hospital?
Ask the doctor, hospital, clinic, lab, imaging center, pharmacy, dental office, health plan, or Medicare secure account first. HHS explains your HIPAA rights, but the provider or plan usually holds the record.
Where do I file a HIPAA complaint?
Use the HHS Office for Civil Rights complaint portal if you believe a covered entity or business associate violated HIPAA or wrongly blocked access to your health information. Prepare names, dates, documents, and a clear description.
What number do I call for Medicare?
Call 1-800-MEDICARE, which is 1-800-633-4227. TTY users can call 1-877-486-2048. Use Medicare.gov or the secure Medicare account for card, claim, billing, expense, complaint, and record questions.
What number do I call for HealthCare.gov Marketplace insurance?
Call the Marketplace Call Center at 1-800-318-2596. TTY users can call 1-855-889-4325. Use HealthCare.gov for applications, enrollment, document uploads, plan comparison, and account help.
How do I report HHS fraud, Medicare fraud, Medicaid fraud or a fake HHS grant?
Use the HHS Office of Inspector General Hotline. OIG lists 1-800-HHS-TIPS, which is 1-800-447-8477, and an online complaint route for fraud, waste, abuse, mismanagement, and HHS grant scams.
How do I find a health center near me?
Use HRSA Find a Health Center to search by address, city, or ZIP code. For state or county public health services, use your state health department or county health department instead of HHS headquarters.
Is HealthDepartmentGuide.org the official HHS website?
No. HealthDepartmentGuide.org is an independent guide that helps users find the correct official route. It does not replace HHS.gov, Medicare.gov, HealthCare.gov, OCR, OIG, CDC, FDA, CMS, HRSA, SAMHSA, ACL, NIH, or state and local health departments.