A Working Checklist for Hospital Financial Assistance
Hospital Financial Assistance: what is worth doing, what is worth avoiding, and when to stop and see a doctor.
Charity care and discount programs that hospitals offer to reduce or cancel bills for patients with limited income. Many patients who qualify never apply, even though nonprofit hospitals are required to have a written financial assistance policy.
Key takeaways
- Nonprofit hospitals: must have a written financial assistance policy and make it publicly available
- Who qualifies: set by each hospital, usually based on income and household size
- Most useful single change: Ask the billing office for the financial assistance policy and application.
- Commonest mistake: Putting a large hospital bill on a high-interest credit card before asking about assistance.
- See a doctor if any of the signs under "When to speak to a doctor" below apply to you.
Do
- Ask the billing office for the financial assistance policy and application
- Request an itemized bill and check it against your Explanation of Benefits
- Apply even after you receive a bill, and ask for collection to be paused while it is reviewed
- Check whether you qualify for Medicaid, which may cover recent bills in some states
Do not
- Putting a large hospital bill on a high-interest credit card before asking about assistance
- Ignoring bills, which can lead to collections
- Assuming you earn too much without reading the hospital's income limits
The numbers behind the list
The reasoning behind both lists, in numbers.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Nonprofit hospitals | must have a written financial assistance policy and make it publicly available |
| Who qualifies | set by each hospital, usually based on income and household size |
| Insured patients | can often apply for help with deductibles and coinsurance too |
| Price information | hospitals must post prices for shoppable services under federal price transparency rules |
| Payment plans | most hospitals offer interest-free payment plans on request |
If you change one thing
Ask the billing office for the financial assistance policy and application. Start there. The rest of the list keeps.
Related topics
- What the Guidance Really Says About Benefits and Financial Support (Long-Term Conditions)
- Medicaid Eligibility: Sorting the Evidence From the Noise (Medicare and Medicaid)
- What the Guidance Really Says About When to Go to the ER (Using Health Services)
- The Evidence on Travel Insurance and Healthcare Abroad, Without the Hype (Travel Health)
Where to go next
- What People Get Wrong About Hospital Financial Assistance
- Hospital Financial Assistance for Beginners: Where to Start
- Hospital Financial Assistance — the reference entry
- Health Insurance: The Complete Guide
- Premiums, Deductibles and Copays: What the Evidence Actually Says
- Out-of-Pocket Maximum: Sorting the Evidence From the Noise
When to speak to a doctor
Do not avoid the emergency room because you cannot pay; hospitals with emergency departments must screen and stabilize anyone who comes in with an emergency. Call 911 for chest pain, trouble breathing, severe bleeding or signs of stroke.
Where this comes from
How this page was put together
Every figure, recommendation and warning above is taken from the guidance named in Where this comes from. Nothing on this page is inferred, summarized or generalized beyond what those bodies publish: where they give a number, it is their number, and where they are silent, so are we. Pages are rebuilt whenever the underlying record changes. Sign-off by a named clinician, where it has happened, is shown at the top of the page along with the date.
Medical disclaimer
This article is general information, not medical advice. It cannot account for your own history, medication or circumstances. Always speak to your doctor, pharmacist or another qualified health professional before making changes that affect your treatment, and never delay seeking medical advice because of something you have read here. In an emergency, call 911.
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