Become a Member
It is the diversity of the National Health Council’s (NHC) more than 160 members that enables us to create a collaborative environment and develop consensus public policy solutions that are patient-centered. The membership team looks forward to speaking with interested health-related organizations about joining our wide-ranging and dynamic roster of current members.
To be eligible for membership in the NHC, organizations must meet the following criteria:
- The organization is national in scope.
- The organization has been in operation for more than three years.
- Nonprofit organizations must be incorporated in the United States.
The NHC membership dues cycle follows the calendar year. Dues may be prorated based on when an application is approved. The NHC membership dues cycle follows the calendar year. Dues may be prorated based on when an application is approved. For information on the current membership dues schedules, please see the documents at the bottom of the Membership page.
All new member applications are reviewed and must be approved by the NHC Board of Directors. The approval process follows these steps:
- Membership staff works with each applicant to build a membership summary for review by the Membership Committee and NHC Board.
- The NHC Membership Committee reviews, discusses, and votes on the application.
- Once the Membership Committee has approved the application, the NHC Board of Directors takes a final vote to confirm new members.
- Generally, new member applications are reviewed and approved during the Board of Directors’ regular meetings three times a year.
The NHC is made up of more than 170 national health-related organizations, divided into three membership categories. Applications for each category can be found in the dropdown text.
Patient Organizations (POs) are comprised of individuals who live with chronic disease(s) and/or disability(ies) and their family caregivers. They engage in an array of direct-service programs, which can include membership, support, advocacy, education, and research. Organizations in this category focus on specific patient and caregiver communities, are established as a tax-exempt nonprofit, and gain support for their mission from a wide range of the public.
Patient Organization members must meet the National Health Council’s minimum Standards of Excellence Certification Program® (SOE) requirements to be accepted into membership. Once welcomed into membership, PO members must meet the full SOE criteria within an appropriate timeframe, set collaboratively with the membership team.
Partners of Patient Organizations members (PPOs) may provide research, clinical, regulatory and/or policy expertise that impacts the health ecosystem in ways that are collaborative with patients and family caregivers managing chronic diseases and disabilities. Current organizations in this member category represent providers, researchers, and advocacy organizations with a broad focus on an underserved community and/or category of health consumers. Organizations in this category must be established as a tax-exempt nonprofit.
Organizations whose primary interest is to represent a business sector within the health ecosystem should use the application form under the Business and Industry section below.
Business and Industry (B&I) members share a focus on providing goods, services, and knowledge that are disseminated through the health ecosystem to aid in the treatment and management of chronic conditions and disabilities. Also included in this category are nonprofit associations that represent the business interests of certain sectors within the health ecosystem.