Last Updated: January 2005

FREE OR DISCOUNTED INPATIENT SERVICES FROM PRIVATE HOSPITALS

Q. Is it ever possible for a person without health coverage to get free inpatient services from hospitals?

A. A small number of New York City’s dozens of public and private hospitals and nursing homes are subject to the “Hill-Burton law,” which means that every year, they are required to provide free or low cost health care to everyone who is eligible until they have given their quota for that year. This responsibility is in return for money they have received from the federal government to build and modernize their facilities. This service is often referred to as the Free Care Obligation.

Each of these hospitals or nursing homes must supply a different amount of care during the year, and the facility decides who is eligible, and what types of services it will provide for free or at a discount. This right to free or discounted services does not apply to:

• Services for which you could be covered by health insurance or a government program, like Medicaid
• Deductibles or co-insurance payments (copayments)
• Prescriptions filled at a private drugstore
• Bills from individual doctors are not covered

Q. How can I find out if the services I need are provided for free or at a discount by a particular hospital?

A. Hospitals, ambulatory care facilities, and nursing homes that are subject to the Hill-Burton law are required to post a sign saying, "Notice: Medical Care for Those Who Cannot Afford to Pay," in their Admissions Office, Business Office and Emergency Room. The particular hospitals subject to Hill-Burton are listed on page 17. You can ask, at the facility’s Admissions Office or Business Office, for information about the procedures to apply for free or reduced care at that facility. Participating hospitals and nursing homes must give you a written Individual Notice informing you that Hill-Burton coverage is available, and explaining how to apply for it.

Q. Who is eligible for free or discounted care?

A. Low-income patients without health coverage for the requested services are eligible, but the exact requirements are different in different facilities. Some hospitals require your income to be below the Federal Poverty Level, while others allow you to qualify with twice that level. Nursing homes may use a cutoff point of three times the Federal Poverty Level. The facility’s Individual Notice should say which income levels qualify for free care. The Federal Poverty Level changes every year, and varies with the size of your household.

Q. What if I'm being billed for hospital care I already received?

A. If you have received, or want to receive, care from one of the facilities listed below, you can apply for free or discounted care any time after you find out that you need a particular medical service. You may apply before or after you receive the service, and even after a bill has been turned over to a collection agency.

Q. How can I apply for free or discounted care?

A. Ask the facility’s Admissions Office or Business Office to give you an Individual Notice explaining how to apply for this care. If the facility requires it, you will have to apply for Medicaid, Medicare or another financial assistance program, and/or provide proof of your income.

The Individual Notice should tell you how long that facility can take to decide whether you are eligible. When you submit your completed application to the facility, you should tell them you want a Determination of Eligibility, which is a written statement of whether your request has been approved or denied, and for denials, gives the reasons why.

Q. What might be the reasons why a facility would deny my application for free or discounted services? 

A. If the hospital or nursing home is not subject to the Hill Burton law, they will not even give you an individual notice or accept your application. A participating hospital or nursing home can deny your application if you:

• Do not provide proof of your income
• Do not cooperate with the facility in applying for Medicaid, Medicare, or another financial assistance program
• Have an income that is more than the current Federal Poverty Level guidelines
• Request coverage for services that are not included in that particular facility's allocation plan.

Your request can also be denied if the facility has already given out its required amount of free care for that year, as specified in its allocation plan. It may help to know the starting date of the facility’s fiscal year.

HOSPITALS AND NURSING HOMES IN NEW YORK CITY WHICH MUST  PROVIDE "UNCOMPENSATED CARE" UNDER THE HILL-BURTON LAW:

HOSPITALS:

• Calvary Hospital: 718-818-2064, 1740 Eastchester Road, Bronx
  
• Harlem Hospital Center: 212-939-1000, 506 Lenox Avenue, Manhattan
  
• Interfaith Medical Center - St. John’s Hospital 718-613-4000, 1545 AtlanticAvenue, Brooklyn
  
• Kings County Hospital Center: 718-245-3131, 451 Clarkson Avenue, Brooklyn
  
• Lutheran Medical Center: 718-630-7000, 150-55th Street, Brooklyn
  
• Wyckoff Heights Medical Center: 718-963- 7272, 374 Stockholm Street, Brooklyn

NURSING HOMES:

• Bronx-Lebanon SP CC: 718-590-1800, 1265 Fulton Avenue, Bronx
  
• Coler-Goldwater Memorial Hospital: 212-318-8000 (Goldwater Campus) / 212-848-6000 (Coler Campus), Roosevelt Island, Manhattan
  
• Highbridge-Woodycrest:718-293-3200, 936 Woodycrest Avenue, Bronx
  
• Rivington Health Care Facility: 212-539-6450, 45 Rivington Street, Manhattan