A Step-By-Step Instruction Guide to Applying for Hospital Charity Care Programs

Table of Contents:

Step 1: Confirm that you are eligible

Guidelines for eligibility vary from hospital to hospital. Key things that are typically important to know if one is eligible are:

What are the income requirements to qualify?
What is the deadline for the application?
Who is important to contact if you have questions?

Step 2: Obtain the application

Most hospitals have a formal Financial Assistance Policy (FAP) and an application to fill out when applying for their charity care program. Applications are typically available from:

The hospital’s billing department
The hospital’s financial counseling office
The hospital’s website

Simply searching up the hospital’s name and adding the words “financial assistance” in a search engine also typically provides general information about the hospital’s charity care program. Generally, you can apply via:

Mail
In person with a financial counselor
Online via a patient portal (Ex. MyChart)

Step 3: Fill Out the Application and Provide Required Documentation

Applications will typically ask for:

The patient’s name and date of birth
Who is responsible for paying the bill and their contact information
Members of the household
Income of each person of the household and their place of occupation
Monthly expenses of the household
The amount of money saved in investments and bank accounts
If anyone in the family receives public assistance

Moreover, hospitals often require additional documentation for a financial screening, such as:

Photo ID
Proof of address (Ex. utility bill, lease agreement)
Proof of income (Ex. recent pay stubs, social security, pension, Federal Income Tax Return, etc.)
Proof of assets (Ex. recent bank statements)

Step 4: Submit the application

Submit the fully completed application as per instructions (via mail or online). The processing time generally takes 2-6 weeks. To follow up, check the status of your pending application and if approved, the charity care coverage can apply to current outstanding bills and typically stays within effect for a period of time.