Financial assistance / charity care finder
That hospital bill may be legally forgivable.
Every nonprofit hospital in the U.S. must publish a charity care policy under IRS section 501(r). Almost none of them tell you the income cut-off. We do — per hospital, with the application link and the deadline.
16 hospital policies decoded · free · no signup
What you get back
- Whether you likely qualify under that hospital's 501(r) policy
- The exact income threshold for free care and for a partial discount
- The direct application link, phone number, and filing deadline
- What to say when the billing office calls you
Nonprofit hospitals are legally required to have a written financial assistance policy. Most never mention it unless you ask.
Policies, not guesses
Thresholds are read straight from each hospital's published 501(r) policy and the applicable state law — Maryland, California, Illinois, Washington and Colorado all go further than the federal floor.
The number that matters
You get the exact income cut-off for your household size, the discount tier you land in, and an estimate of what comes off the bill.
Applies retroactively
Most hospitals accept applications for 240 days after the first bill — and must refund payments you already made if you qualify.
Don't pay a bill you were never supposed to owe.
Browse the hospitals we've decoded, or read the playbook for negotiating what charity care doesn't cover.