# [Charity care: the hospital discount nobody mentions](https://trymumm.com/guides/charity-care-eligibility) > Request the hospital’s written financial-assistance policy and application. Tax-exempt hospitals must maintain a policy under IRS Section 501(r); the policy sets the eligibility criteria, covered care and application process. Compare your circumstances with that policy and submit the required documents. - **Updated:** 2026-07-20 - **Category:** Medical Bills - **Read time:** 7 min ## What charity care actually is Tax-exempt hospitals must maintain a written financial-assistance policy under IRS Section 501(r). Request the policy that covers your care and check its provider list, eligibility criteria and application process. Ask other providers about their own assistance programs. ## The eligibility math Read the hospital’s current policy for household-size rules, income thresholds, assets and covered services. Use the poverty-guideline year specified by the policy rather than an old online estimate. Ask a financial counselor to explain how the criteria apply to your bill. ## How to apply (and what actually gets approved) Request the financial-assistance application from billing or the hospital website. Follow its documentation requirements and ask when to expect a decision. Keep the submission receipt and confirm how the application affects billing while it is reviewed. ## If you are denied Ask for the decision and its reason in writing. Compare that reason with the policy and your application, correct missing or inaccurate documents, and follow the hospital’s review or appeal process. Track the deadline and ask what happens to billing while the review is pending. ## Questions people actually ask ## Does charity care apply to insured patients? Often, yes. Many policies cover the patient-responsibility portion after insurance — deductibles, coinsurance, and non-covered services. If your share is large relative to your income, apply anyway; the policy's own language decides, not the billing rep's first answer. ## Will applying for charity care hurt my credit? Ask the hospital to explain how a pending application affects billing and collections, and request written confirmation of any hold. Keep all notices and meet the application deadlines. Do not assume that sending an application has paused every collection step. ## How far back can charity care apply? For tax-exempt hospitals, the federal application period generally runs at least 240 days from the first post-discharge billing statement, not the service date. Read the hospital’s policy and ask about applying assistance to older balances. ## Is charity care the same as Medicaid? Charity care is financial assistance from the hospital. Medicaid is a separate coverage program. Ask the hospital’s financial counselor to help you check eligibility and any retroactive coverage rules for your situation. ## Related - [How to negotiate a medical bill \(the actual playbook\)](https://trymumm.com/guides/how-to-negotiate-a-medical-bill) - [How to request an itemized medical bill \(and read it\)](https://trymumm.com/guides/itemized-bill-request)