Charity care is the older name for what New York hospitals now call financial assistance: a legally required program that reduces or eliminates what a patient is charged, based on income.
In New York this is a statute, not a courtesy. Every hospital, including for-profit ones, must have a program. The floor set by state law:
- At or below 200% of the federal poverty level — a hospital may not charge an uninsured patient out-of-pocket costs for medically necessary care.
- Between 201% and 300% — charges may not exceed 10% of what Medicaid would have paid.
- Insured patients qualify when their medical bills over twelve months exceed 10% of gross annual income.
Two rules that decide cases:
Immigration status may not be considered. It is not a permitted factor in the decision.
You can apply at any point in the collection process — after the bill, after the calls, after it went to an agency.
The statutory floor is a minimum. Many New York hospitals publish more generous thresholds through the Indigent Care Pool, which is why the hospital’s own written policy is worth requesting in every case. How to apply, step by step.
Also called: financial assistance, hospital financial aid. Reference: Charity care on Wikipedia — general definition, not New York specifics.
More in Glossary of health coverage and billing terms
- Prior authorization — Approval the insurer requires before it will pay for a service — and a common reason care gets delayed.
- Explanation of benefits (EOB) — The statement from your insurer showing what was billed, what was paid, and what you may owe. It is not a bill.
- Chargemaster — A hospital's internal list price for every service. Almost nobody pays it — except the uninsured who don't ask.
This page explains how the system works. It is not medical advice. More.