Medically Necessary Care for the Uninsured

All of these hospitals offer some type of financial help. This includes ignoring all or part of their costs for needed health care given to uninsured patients. These patients must meet both asset and income tests to qualify. In most cases, help is secondary to all other financial resources offered to the patient. Several hospitals do not provide financial aid to patients who have access to health insurance, third party refunds for health services, or publicly funded medical treatment, if they choose not to sign up, or fail to keep up coverage.

Residency Requirements

Southwest Washington, OHSU, Providence, and Adventist hospitals only offer financial aid to people in their areas. Providence has a six month residency requirement (ignored for emergency medical care). Providence also requires that patients’ household income be less than 400% Federal Poverty Level (FPL) for at least 12 months before the time of service.

A Variety of Discounts

If these requirements are met, twelve of the thirteen hospitals offer patient discounts on pre-tax household incomes up to 400% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL). The thirteenth hospital, SW Washington Medical Center, offers discounts on incomes up to 300% FPL.

All hospitals in the region offer 100% financial aid to uninsured patients whose total family income is at or below 200% of the current FPL. Willamette Falls offers 100% aid to qualified patients at or below 220% FPL, and Tuality Community Hospital, to patients at or below 219% FPL.

Providence and Willamette Falls hospitals offer an Uninsured Discount to all eligible patients. Providence hospitals discount charges are based on rates they have talked with Preferred Providers, and Willamette Falls Hospital discounts all uninsured bills by 20%.

Financial Hardship

In both cases, financial aid is offered if the reduced bill continues to be a hardship. At Willamette Falls and Adventist financial aid is available to both insured and uninsured patients. If the patient asks, Legacy will reduce bills paid on time; 10% within 7 days, 5% within 14 days.

Discounts for Hospital Services, Clinics or Medical Providers?

In some cases financial aid is offered just for hospital services. For OHSU, SW Washington Medical Center, Tuality Healthcare, and Willamette Falls, discounts include services offered by hospital clinics and/or related healthcare providers. OHSU uses OMAP’s priority list of medical services as a guide for deciding covered services. Adventist uses Medicaid and Medicare guidelines. Most hospitals offer flexible aid for patients going through a terrible event or diagnosis.

Requirements to Inform Patients

Hospitals have to tell patients about available financial aid and make application supplies available. Hospitals are not responsible for starting the offer. Patients, or their advocates, must first apply. In most cases, patients may start an application before getting services, during a hospital stay, or after getting services. All hospitals have their own process and timeline for applying for financial aid.

Always Check With the Hospital – Information Changes

The information on this page was found in the financial aid policies and procedures provided by each of the thirteen hospitals and health systems. However, things change, and final decisions should not be based on this information. Final decisions about financial aid can be only given by hospital financial aid employees.