In Marion County, one in five families has medical debt in collections. Hospitals in Indianapolis have programs to help you pay your bills and save money on upcoming medical care. Mirror Indy is sharing a series of how to get that assistance at each hospital.
This is part of a series of stories on how Indianapolis hospitals can help patients pay their medical bills. Here are guides to financial aid in the other Indianapolis hospital systems.
Here’s how you can get help paying for care from Ascension St. Vincent, in three steps.
See if you’re eligible
To get financial assistance, you have to live in Marion County. The amount of money you can get off your bill depends on your income, as compared to the federal poverty level. If you make 250% of the federal poverty level or less, you can get 100% of your bill covered. That means if a family of four brings in about $5,500 a month or less, the care is free.
If your income is higher than that, between 250% and 400% of the federal poverty level, you’ll get a discount on a sliding scale. Your medical debts and assets can affect how much you get.
How much you pay for medical services is calculated to be about the same amount that a person with insurance would pay. On all the forms, you’ll see a term called amount generally billed, or AGB.
Fill out an application
To get help paying your bills, you have to fill out an application. If you have questions about any part of the process, you can talk to a financial counselor by calling 317-338-2358. They can also help you find other programs to help, if you don’t qualify for the Ascension St. Vincent program.
There are English, Arabic, Chinese, French and Spanish versions of all the documents you need to understand Ascension St. Vincent’s billing policies.
Here’s what you’ll need for the application:
- Gather your budget information. There’s a section of the form that asks for every source of income you have and how you use that money each month.
- Proof of income and any assets you have.
- If you live with a friend or family member, or they support you financially, they have to fill out and sign a letter of support.
Mail the form to Ascension St. Vincent
When you’re done with the form, the hospital asks that you don’t submit it through email, because you have to put your Social Security number on the form and email isn’t secure. Instead, you should print it out and mail it to one of these two addresses:
For hospital accounts with Ascension St. Vincent
5763 Reliable Parkway
Chicago, IL 60680-5763
For medical group accounts
PO Box 80278
Indianapolis, IN 46240
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Mirror Indy reporter Sophie Young covers services and resources. Contact her at sophie.young@mirrorindy.org.
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