Charity care is a form of financial assistance that helps Americans pay their hospital bills. Nonprofit hospitals are required to offer charity care under the Affordable Care Act as a condition of keeping their tax-exempt status. For-profit hospitals are not required to offer financial assistance but may choose to do so.
Policies on charity care differ by state. Here’s a quick overview of New York’s charity care program, which provides free or discounted healthcare to both insured and uninsured New Yorkers on a sliding income scale. (Aquí hay un resumen de la asistencia financiera hospitalaria en Nueva York en español.)
What To Keep in Mind:
- Check Your Hospital’s Policy: While New York state law sets income requirements for charity care, some individual hospitals may opt to have more generous policies. That’s why it’s always worth checking out the policy for your specific hospital to see if you’re eligible. You can usually find a copy of the hospital’s policy by doing a search online for the name of your hospital and “charity care” or “hospital financial assistance.” Alternatively, you can reach out to the hospital directly and ask for information
- Different Ways to Apply:
- You can apply for charity care directly through the hospital where you received care., All New York hospitals are required to use a standardized form called the Uniform Hospital Financial Assistance Application.
OR
You can apply using Dollar For, a nonprofit website that contains a database of charity care policies for thousands of hospitals across the country. Dollar For will submit your application to the hospital on your behalf for free (their work is sponsored by donors). Dollar For’s team will also check in with you through the process, help you submit additional documents as needed, or help you file an appeal if your application is rejected.
ORYou can reach out to community health organizations that specialize in resolving medical bills like Community Health Advocates. This option can come in handy if you’re having trouble figuring out if your medical bill is from a hospital or if you’re dealing with a variety of bills from different providers. CHA caseworkers will also know about other policies governing medical bills such as balanced billing and surprise bills
- You can apply for charity care directly through the hospital where you received care., All New York hospitals are required to use a standardized form called the Uniform Hospital Financial Assistance Application.
- When You Can Apply: There is no minimum amount you need to owe before you apply for charity care. There is also no minimum waiting period. Patients may apply for financial assistance starting from the date of service. The IRS requires hospitals to accept charity care applications for 240 days (8 months) after you receive your first post-discharge bill. But hospital policies vary, and some facilities may consider bills older than eight months. You can still apply for charity care even if your bills are in collections or if you’re already on a payment plan with the hospital. Dollar For Founder Jared Walker said that patients will sometimes receive refunds from previously paid bills as a result of being approved for charity care. You can also request a refund for any overpayments.
- Immigration Status: In New York state, information about immigration status or assets are NOT collected in the application process for charity care.
- Avoid Credit Cards: Consumer advocates recommend patients avoid medical credit cards, which may be offered by hospitals as a way for patients to pay their bills. Once medical bills are paid using credit cards, the debt becomes credit card debt and loses a slate of federal and state protections. For example, New York state law caps interest rates on medical debt at 2 percent annually and prohibits providers from reporting medical debt to credit agencies. State law also prohibits hospitals from filling out applications for medical credit cards on your behalf. Providers cannot require patients to have a credit card on file as a condition of receiving emergency or necessary medical services.
- Beware of Billing Errors: Billing mistakes are more common than you might think. Requesting an itemized version of your medical bill can help you spot common errors and ensure you’re being billed only for treatments you received. Here’s a guide to spotting bill errors, which may even carry over to charity care approvals. Dollar For recommends patients that get approved for charity care ask for an updated bill with a final balance, even if the balance is $0, and review that bill for any mistakes.
- How Long Does the Process Take? While your application for charity care is pending, you do not have to pay any bills associated with that care. It can take up to 30 days for a hospital to process your charity care application in New York state. If rejected, patients have 30 days after being notified to file an appeal. Each hospital will lay out its own appeals process.
- Your Rights as a Patient: Patients cannot be denied hospital admission or medically necessary treatment or services because of an unpaid medical bill. Here’s a webpage listing your rights as a health insurance consumer in New York, including notifications about in-network versus out-of-network care.
- Limits on Debt Collection: Monthly payment plans for medical bills are limited to a maximum of 5 percent of the patient’s income in New York. Interest on medical debt is also capped at 2 percent annually regardless of missed or delayed payments.
- Other Negotiation Strategies: Here are some tips on how to negotiate lower medical bills from various organizations.
*This information is up to date as of June 2025. For the latest information regarding charity care or hospital financial assistance in New York, contact New York State’s Department of Health at HFAL@health.ny.gov
