Even with insurance, many people struggle to afford the cost of medical care.
The federal government requires nonprofit hospitals to offer financial assistance, also known as charity care, to low-income patients to cover the cost of necessary medical treatment. Those who qualify for financial assistance may be able to get their bill waved, or discounted.
According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, nonprofit hospitals are required to offer this financial assistance to keep their tax-exempt status. They are also required to publicize the availability of the assistance and refrain from certain debt collection activities before patients have been evaluated for financial assistance.
Federal regulations do not determine how a hospital should deem who is eligible for financial assistance. That means which patients qualify and how much assistance they receive is left up to the hospital.
Generally, if you have a family income of between 250% to 400% of the Federal Poverty Level you may be eligible for help. The actual income limits and amount discounted vary between hospital systems.
Under the Affordable Care Act, nonprofit hospitals must do the following:
- Widely publicize these financial assistance policies.
- Provide a paper copy of a plain language summary of the policy as part of their patient intake or discharge process.
- Display financial assistance policies in public spaces at the hospital.
- Include website links and contact information about the financial assistance program on billing statements.
Many hospitals require patients to fill out time-consuming applications to find out if they can receive financial assistance.
“The burdensome application process often results in few patients completing the application and receiving assistance,” the CFPB said.
Are you eligible for medical care financial assistance?
To find out if you’re eligible for financial assistance, you’ll likely have to contact the hospital where you were treated.
It’s up to the hospital to determine which patients qualify, and how much assistance they’ll offer. This means the eligibility and assistance can vary between each hospital.
Financial assistance eligibility depends on the type of care you received from the hospital and your household income compared to the federal poverty guidelines.
Below is a chart with the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) data:
| Family Size | Federal Poverty Level | 250% | 400% |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $15,060 | $37,650 | $60,240 |
| 2 | $20,440 | $51,100 | $81,760 |
| 3 | $25,820 | $64,550 | $103,280 |
| 4 | $31,200 | $78,000 | $124,800 |
| 5 | $36,580 | $91,450 | $146,320 |
| 6 | $41,960 | $104,900 | $167,840 |
| 7 | $47,340 | $118,350 | $189,360 |
| 8 | $52,720 | $131,800 | $210,880 |
| 9+ | For families/households with more than 8 persons, add $5,380 for each additional person. |
Financial assistance programs at Michigan hospitals
The hospital may require you to submit a tax return, recent wage and tax statements, proof of income, a bank statement, copies of identity documents, a personal statement, and more.
A basic overview of some Michigan hospital systems is available below. Visit the links to find more information, or call the hospital about assistance options.
Ascension Southeast Michigan
Ascension Southeast Michigan offers financial assistance for all emergency and other medically necessary care.
- Who qualifies? Patients with income at or below 250% of the FPL are eligible for 100% charity care on the portion of charges they owe after the claims go through insurance. Patients who have incomes between 250% and 400% can still get financial assistance, but it’s on a sliding scale.
- How long do you have to submit a claim? Patients have to submit an application on or before the 240th day after the first discharge bill. If a claim is sent after the 240th day, and the patient is eligible for financial assistance, the hospital will only help with the remaining balance.
- Who can I call for help? The phone number to call for information varies by location. The numbers are listed on this document.
- Where can I read the financial assistance policies? You can find the full list of Ascension hospitals and the financial assistance policies at healthcare.ascension.org/financial-assistance.
Corewell Health Southeast Michigan
Corewell Health offers financial assistance to patients for emergency and other medically necessary care.
- Who qualifies? Patients who have income at or below 250% of the FPL may qualify for free care.
- How long do you have to submit a claim? You have 240 days from the date of the first post-discharge billing statement.
- Who can I call for help? You can contact Corewell Health at 877-687-7309.
- Where can I read the financial assistance policies? You can find the policies and application at corewellhealth.org/billing/financial-assistance.
Detroit Medical Center
The Detroit Medical Center offers financial assistance that covers medically necessary facility charges.
- Who qualifies? Patients at or below 200% of the FPL may qualify for free care.
- Patients with income greater than 200% of the FPL but less than 500% may be eligible to receive discounts between 40% to 80%.
- Patients with income greater than 500% whose outstanding hospital bill is greater than 50% of their annual income may also qualify for discounts between 40% to 80%.
- How long do you have to submit a claim? A timeline is not outlined in the documents.
- Who can I call for help? Patients who need help with their hospital bill can call 888-730-3989.
- Where can I read the financial assistance policies? You can read the policies at dmc.org/patients/insurance-financial-support.
Henry Ford Health
Henry Ford Health offers financial assistance for patients who received emergency and other medically necessary care.
- Who qualifies? Patients who live within a 5-mile radius of the HFH facility, or who live in Wayne, Macomb, Oakland, or Jackson county. Patients must also have an annual household income up to 400% of the FPL to receive a discount. Patients who have an annual income less than or equal to 250% of the FPL may be eligible for a 100% discount.
- How long do you have to submit a claim? Patients may apply for financial assistance any time up to 240 days after the initial billing statement was provided.
- Who can I call for help? You can contact the financial assistance team at 313-874-7800. People interested in an in-person appointment can call 313-916-4510 between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
- Where can I read the financial assistance policies? You can read the policies at henryford.com/visitors/billing/financial-assistance/documents.
McLaren Health Care
McLaren Health Care offers financial assistance for emergency, catastrophic, and medically necessary services.
- Who qualifies? Financial assistance guidelines are based on 400% of the FPL. The discount is based on family size and annual income.
- How long do you have to submit a claim? Patients have 240 days from their first post-discharge statement to apply.
- Who can I call for help? Patients can contact financial counselors at a McLaren hospital or by calling 586-710-8300 or 1-844-321-1557.
- Where can I read the financial assistance policies? You can read the policies at mclaren.org/main/financial-assistance.
Trinity Health Michigan
Trinity Health Michigan offers assistance to low-income people who live in their hospital services and received medically necessary care.
- Who qualifies? Uninsured patients whose family income is at or below 200% of the FPL may be eligible for free care. Uninsured patients whose family income is above 200% of the FPL and below 400% of the FPL may be eligible for a discount. Insured patients whose family income is at or below 400% of the FPL may be eligible for financial assistance.
- How long do you have to submit a claim? The application period begins the day that care is provided and ends 240 days after that date.
- Who can I call for help? Patients with questions can contact the customer service center at 800-494-5797 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
- Where can I read the financial assistance policies? You can read the policies at trinityhealthmichigan.org/tools-and-resources/billing-and-insurance/financial-assistance.
University of Michigan Health-Sparrow
University of Michigan Health-Sparrow offers financial assistance for patients who received medically necessary services, meet income limits, and live in the hospital’s coverage area.
- Who qualifies? Uninsured patients with a household income at or below 200% of the FPL may be eligible for free care. Insured patients with a household income at or below 300% of the FPL may be eligible for a tiered discount.
- How long do you have to submit a claim? A timeline to apply was not outlined in the documents.
- Who can I call for help? Patients can contact financial services at 517-364-7999 Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.
- Where can I read the financial assistance policies? You can read the policies at uofmhealthsparrow.org/patient-resources/financial-resources/financial-assistance.
University of Michigan Health (Michigan Medicine)
MSupport is the name of Michigan Medicine’s financial assistance program. It covers medically necessary services for people who are uninsured or cannot otherwise afford to pay.
- Who qualifies? A patient whose household income is not more than 300% of the FPL and is a resident of the state of Michigan may be eligible for financial assistance.
- How long do you have to submit a claim? A timeline to apply was not outlined in the documents.
- Who can I call for help? You can contact financial counselors by phone at 855-855-0863 or 734-615-0863, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m.
- Where can I read the financial assistance policies? You can view the policies and submit at application at uofmhealth.org/patient-visitor-guide/financial-assistance.
You can learn more about medical debt and non-profit hospital billing practices from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.