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Hospital Charity Care: Free or Discounted Care Nonprofit Hospitals Must Offer

By CalculateBenefits Editorial Team · Reviewed by Mark Phaneuf, Publisher · September 2026

A big hospital bill may not be the final price. Ask the hospital for financial aid or charity care. These words mean free or lower-cost care.

A tax-free hospital must have a written aid plan. The plan must say who can get help. It must also say how to apply. This rule comes from the IRS.

You can ask for help even if you have health insurance. You can also ask after a bill goes to a debt firm. Do not wait if you can act now.

What is hospital charity care?

Charity care is help with a hospital bill. The hospital may lower the bill. It may also wipe out the full bill.

Each hospital sets its own rules. The rules are called a financial assistance policy, or FAP. You can ask for a free copy. It should be on the hospital's site too.

The plan must cover emergency care. It must also cover other care that you need for your health. The plan will list its income rules. It will tell you which doctors are part of the plan. Some doctors who work at the hospital may bill on their own.

Who can get help?

The answer depends on the hospital. Many plans use your pay and home size. Some also look at high health bills. Some plans help people with insurance. Others help people who have no insurance.

Do not guess based on your pay. Ask for the form. A family that earns too much for free care may still get a lower bill.

The hospital cannot charge a person who gets aid more than the usual insured rate for emergency care or needed care. The IRS calls this the “amounts generally billed” rule.

How do I apply?

1. Call the billing office. Say, “I want to apply for financial aid.” Ask for the full aid plan and the form.
2. Ask for a hold. Tell the office to pause billing while it checks your form. Get the answer in writing if you can.
3. Gather the papers. The form may ask for pay stubs, a tax return, bank records, proof of benefits, and proof of home size.
4. Explain what changed. Add a short note if you lost work or had a new cost. The form may not show what is true now.
5. Keep proof. Save a copy of the form. Save each paper you send. Write down the date and the name of the person you spoke with.

You do not need to pay a firm to fill out this form. Help from the hospital is free.

What if the bill is in collections?

Apply at once. A tax-free hospital has to take steps before it uses harsh ways to collect. These steps may include a lawsuit, a lien, or a bad mark on your credit.

The hospital must wait at least 120 days after the first bill sent after you leave. It must also give you at least 240 days from that first bill to send an aid form.

Before a harsh step, the hospital must send a notice. The due date in that notice must be at least 30 days away. The notice must tell you that aid may be offered.

These dates do not mean you should wait. An early form is easier to track. It may also stop more calls and letters.

What if the hospital says no?

Ask for the reason in writing. Then compare it with the aid plan. Check the pay, home size, and dates used in the choice.

Ask how to appeal. Send proof of any fact that was missed. You can also ask a patient guide or social worker at the hospital for help.

If the hospital did not follow its own plan, send a written complaint to the billing office. You may also call your state health office or state lawyer's office.

What should I do today?

1. Find the hospital's billing phone number.
2. Ask for its financial aid plan and form.
3. Ask the office to pause the bill.
4. Send the form with copies of your proof.
5. Keep a log of each call and letter.

Start with the hospital. Do not put the bill on a card just to make the calls stop. You may have a right to free or lower-cost care. You can also check our health cost guides for other ways to lower a bill.

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