Financial Assistance

(View this page in Spanish. Usted puede ver esta pagina en Espanol.)

Assisting Those in Need

UC Health is committed to extending financial assistance to qualified individuals.  We assist underinsured and uninsured patients in navigating federal and state health insurance programs and help enroll those patients in the programs for which they are eligible.

We provide financial counselors who assist patients to determine eligibility and to complete the application process. We have also taken additional steps to build a convenient and patient-friendly process that maximizes enrollment in certain government-sponsored health insurance programs, to include Medicaid.

How to Apply for Financial Assistance

1. Print and fill out or download and fill out the Financial Assistance Application. Spanish version available here.
2. Call Customer Service at (513) 585-6200 or (800) 277-0781. A customer service representative will advise you and investigate other sources that might provide financial assistance.
3. Pick up an application from any financial counseling office in any of our hospitals.

Criteria for Financial Assistance

• Before any financial assistance is granted, you must have already exhausted all other sources of payment including insurance, public assistance, litigation or third-party liability.
• Family income in relation to income guidelines
• Assets
• Any additional financial hardship
• You must be receiving non-elective, medically necessary, hospital-level services as defined by OAC 5160-2-07.17

The determination of eligibility applies to each individual hospital or long-term care center, and only with respect to basic, medically necessary hospital-level services ordered by a registered physician.

To determine if you may be eligible for available financial assistance programs, you must provide a completed Financial Assistance Application, along with a copy of one of the documents identified from Proof of Income and Proof of Residency.  Upon receipt, we will process your application and notify you of our determination.

INCOME GUIDELINES

Proof of Income:

• If you are claiming that you have no income, a sworn statement from the person providing you with basic financial support, validating your lack of income must be completed. Proof of residency for the support person dated within 60 days of service must also be provided.
• Check stubs for three months prior to the date of service (including payroll, Social Security, Workers’ Compensation, unemployment compensation, etc.) or comparable payment record. If you are self-employed, please send a notarized statement of income and expenses for the three-month period prior to the date of service.
• A letter from your employer setting forth compensation details on official employer letterhead with contact information.
• Court support order.
• Copy of benefits letter/check (ex. Social Security Benefits Letter).
• Letter from tenant setting forth rental income.
• Strike pay.

Proof of Residency:

• Driver’s license or vehicle registration matching your current address.
• Voter registration.
• Rent receipts for rent paid within 60 days of when the services are rendered.
• Mortgage book.
• Utility bill, credit card bill or bank statement postmarked or dated by the issuer within 60 days of when the services are rendered.
• Confirmation of address if a home visit is made by hospital staff.
• Copy of most recent Hamilton County property tax bill.
• Address confirmation by collection agency.
• Letter from management, Mortgage Company or person providing patient with shelter, including homeless shelters.
• Credit report.

Notification

You will receive written notice of approval or denial of your request for financial assistance within approximately 14 days from the time we receive your completed application and supporting documentation. Incomplete applications will not be processed. If you are denied, it means that you did not meet the criteria by which to qualify for financial assistance and you are responsible for payment of the care you received. If you wish to appeal, you may call Customer Service and ask to speak to a supervisor.

UC Health treats all patients with dignity and respect from registration to the billing office. We will not discriminate in the determination of financial assistance eligibility on the basis of race, color, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, marital status, creed, age, sex or disability.

Discount to Self-Pay Patients Who Do Not Qualify for Financial Assistance

UC Health provides discounted pricing to uninsured patients who do not qualify for charity assistance.

The discount is equal to 40 percent of the estimated gross charges for anticipated services. It is automatically applied at the time of billing to all accounts designated as “self-pay” when charity assistance criteria are not met.

Patients without medical insurance or, in some cases those whose plan coverage does not pay for an anticipated hospital service, qualify for the uninsured discount. Whenever possible, financial counseling and discounted pricing will be discussed with patients prior to admission or before discharge from the hospital.

The UC Health uninsured discount applies to both hospital and physician services. Most services provided by physicians at a UC Health facility are covered by the UC Health Financial Assistance Policy. Physicians working at a UC Health facility who are not covered under the policy are identified in a separate document online at https://www.uchealth.com/financial/financial-assistance/.