Medical Bill Financial Assistance Tips

Medical Bill Financial Assistance

What is medical bill financial assistance?

More than half of all U.S. hospitals are nonprofits. Nonprofit hospitals must have medical bill financial assistance programs to keep their tax-exempt status. These financial aid programs, also called charity care, relieve or decrease hospital bills for low and middle-income patients.

That hospital bill for $15,000. It could become $150, or even $0.

Who qualifies for medical debt financial assistance?

IRS code 501(r) requires hospitals to:

Have a charity care policy that explains who qualifies and how to apply;
Post the financial aid policy on their website, flyers, billing statements, and signs in the hospital;
Give patients at least 240 days to submit a charity care application after they receive a bill, and a reasonable chance to fix incomplete applications;
Pause sending a bill to collections while they are reviewing the financial assistance application; and
Send the patient a letter with the final charity care decision and reason.

Each hospital runs its own financial aid program. They get to decide how patients must apply and who qualifies. Hospitals typically consider the patient’s income, the number of people in the household, and the bill’s age when deciding who qualifies. Some hospitals also look at the patient’s insurance status, county or state residency, and the size of the bill.

How can i get free help applying for charity care?

Dollar For is a national nonprofit that crushes medical bills. We help patients check if they are eligible for charity care, prepare and submit applications, and eliminate hospital bills. Our services are completely free–no strings attached.

Learn what to expect when you get help from Dollar For.

WHY DON’T YOU CALL IT DEBT FORGIVENESS?

Dollar For believes a medical crisis shouldn’t become a financial crisis. If you go to the hospital for medical care, you have done nothing wrong, so there is nothing to “forgive.”

That’s why we talk about charity care as a medical debt financial assistance program. Your bill can be waived, written off, eliminated, or reduced by the hospital. But it doesn’t need to be forgiven.

HOW CAN I APPLY FOR CHARITY CAre at my hospital?

Dollar For can help for free. Use our quick assessment tool to see if you are likely to qualify for financial assistance at your hospital. You’ll then have a choice to either apply on your own with tips from Dollar For, or have us apply on your behalf. Either way-it’s free.