How to apply for Ascension financial assistance
Ascension is a nonprofit health system with hospitals in Alabama, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas and Wisconsin. Federal law requires it to have a written policy for reducing or writing off bills by income. Its policy is the Ascension Financial Assistance Policy (published per market). This is what it says.
Free care
250%
of the federal poverty level or below. The bill is written off in full.
Some help up to
400%
of the federal poverty level. Above the free line the policy discounts or caps the bill.
Apply within
240 days
of the first bill, under the policy. Later applications are often still considered.
What that means in 2026 dollars, gross household income per year
| Household | Free care, up to | Some assistance, up to |
|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $39,900 | $63,840 |
| 2 people | $54,100 | $86,560 |
| 3 people | $68,300 | $109,280 |
| 4 people | $82,500 | $132,000 |
2026 federal poverty guidelines for the 48 contiguous states and DC (91 FR 1797 (15 January 2026), effective 13 January 2026); each extra person adds $5,680. Alaska and Hawaii use higher tables. Where the policy differs by state, the state line applies, see below.
What the Ascension Financial Assistance Policy (published per market) gives at each level
| Household income | What you get | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 250% FPL | Free | Verified in the Wisconsin, Texas (Seton), Florida (Sacred Heart) and Oklahoma (St. John) policies |
| Up to 400% FPL | Capped | 251 to 400% FPL: a sliding-scale discount whose steps differ by market (Wisconsin runs 95% down to 65% in 25-point steps; Texas 95%, 90%, 85%) |
“Capped” means the policy limits the bill to the amounts the hospital generally bills insured patients (AGB) rather than naming a percentage. Eligible patients are charged no more than AGB, calculated from Medicare fee-for-service and private insurer data.
Against state law, and against the other systems
Alabama
Alabama has no state charity care law, so the only requirement is the federal one: a written policy and a cap at amounts generally billed. The lines here are Ascension's own.
Among the systems on this site with Alabama hospitals, Ascension's 250% free-care line is below Advocate Health (300%).
District of Columbia
District of Columbia has no state charity care law, so the only requirement is the federal one: a written policy and a cap at amounts generally billed. The lines here are Ascension's own.
Among the systems on this site with District of Columbia hospitals, Ascension's 250% free-care line is more generous than Kaiser Permanente (200%).
Florida
Florida has no state charity care law, so the only requirement is the federal one: a written policy and a cap at amounts generally billed. The lines here are Ascension's own.
Among the systems on this site with Florida hospitals, Ascension's 250% free-care line is more generous than Trinity Health (200%) and Mayo Clinic (200%), level with Cleveland Clinic.
Georgia
Georgia law (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 111-3-6 (Indigent Care Trust Fund)) requires covered hospitals to give free care at or below 125% of the poverty level for uninsured patients. Ascension's 250% line is above that floor, so the policy is more generous than the state minimum. Statute
Among the systems on this site with Georgia hospitals, Ascension's 250% free-care line is more generous than Kaiser Permanente (200%) and CommonSpirit Health (200%), below Advocate Health (300%).
Illinois
Illinois law (Hospital Uninsured Patient Discount Act, 210 ILCS 89/10) requires every hospital to give free care at or below 200% of the poverty level for uninsured patients. Ascension's 250% line is above that floor, so the policy is more generous than the state minimum. Statute
Among the systems on this site with Illinois hospitals, Ascension's 250% free-care line is more generous than Trinity Health (200%), below Advocate Health (300%).
Indiana
Indiana has no income floor in state law; it requires hospitals to have and publish a policy, so the lines here are Ascension's own. Statute
Kansas
Kansas has no state charity care law, so the only requirement is the federal one: a written policy and a cap at amounts generally billed. The lines here are Ascension's own.
Among the systems on this site with Kansas hospitals, Ascension's 250% free-care line is more generous than CommonSpirit Health (200%).
Kentucky
Kentucky has no state charity care law, so the only requirement is the federal one: a written policy and a cap at amounts generally billed. The lines here are Ascension's own.
Among the systems on this site with Kentucky hospitals, Ascension's 250% free-care line is more generous than CommonSpirit Health (200%).
Maryland
Maryland law (Md. Code, Health-Gen. § 19-214.1; COMAR 10.37.10.26) requires every hospital to give free care at or below 200% of the poverty level. Ascension's 250% line is above that floor, so the policy is more generous than the state minimum. Statute
Among the systems on this site with Maryland hospitals, Ascension's 250% free-care line is more generous than Kaiser Permanente (200%).
Oklahoma
Oklahoma has no state charity care law, so the only requirement is the federal one: a written policy and a cap at amounts generally billed. The lines here are Ascension's own.
Tennessee
Tennessee has no state charity care law, so the only requirement is the federal one: a written policy and a cap at amounts generally billed. The lines here are Ascension's own.
Among the systems on this site with Tennessee hospitals, Ascension's 250% free-care line is more generous than CommonSpirit Health (200%).
Texas
Texas has no income floor in state law; it requires hospitals to have and publish a policy, so the lines here are Ascension's own. Statute
Among the systems on this site with Texas hospitals, Ascension's 250% free-care line is more generous than Providence (200%) and CommonSpirit Health (200%).
Wisconsin
Wisconsin has no state charity care law, so the only requirement is the federal one: a written policy and a cap at amounts generally billed. The lines here are Ascension's own.
Among the systems on this site with Wisconsin hospitals, Ascension's 250% free-care line is more generous than Mayo Clinic (200%), below Advocate Health (300%).
State law figures come from our state-by-state charity care table, each with its statute. A state minimum is a floor under the hospital's policy, never a ceiling.
The other ways in
Medical hardship
Means test: patients above 400% FPL may qualify if their medical debt for emergency or medically necessary care equals or exceeds household gross income. Texas (Seton) applies an asset test.
Without an application
Presumptive eligibility through scoring can grant 100% charity care without an application.
With insurance
The policy applies to what you owe after insurance: deductibles, copays and coinsurance. Having a plan does not rule you out.
Check your household against the poverty line
Tell the checker your state, household size and rough income. It tells you your percentage of the federal poverty level, which you can read against the Ascension lines above, and what the law in your state requires on top. Free, no account, and your answers are not sent to advertising platforms.
Before tax, everyone in the household combined. Policies define the household themselves and the definition can move you a whole row, since a dependent who lives elsewhere may still count.
The calculation runs in your browser. Your income, household size and state are not stored, not put in the address bar, and not sent to an advertising platform. There is no account and this page carries no ad pixels or session recording.
Applying to Ascension
- 1
Get the application. Online applications are hosted per market (for example ascension.forms.r1rcm.com/wisconsin/fa). Pick your market on the financial assistance page.
- 2
Gather proof of income for everyone in the household: recent pay stubs, last year's tax return, or a benefits letter. If you have no income, the form will ask you to say so in writing.
- 3
Fill in every line. An incomplete application is the most common reason for a delay, and the hospital has to tell you what is missing rather than deny it outright.
- 4
Send it, keep a copy, and note the date. Ask the billing office to put the account on hold while the application is reviewed; under federal rules they cannot send it to collections during that time.
- 5
If you are turned down, ask for the reason in writing and ask about hardship review. Then check whether your state's law requires more than the hospital's policy.
Links and numbers
- Wisconsin: 1-877-304-6332
- Texas (Seton): 800-749-7624
- Florida (Sacred Heart): 1-866-869-9677
- Oklahoma (St. John): 800-298-8329
Financial assistance reduces the bill by income. It does not check whether the bill was right in the first place. For $49, a mediloop specialist reviews the itemized bill and EOB, if available, flags charges to dispute, and prepares a plan for the balance, including what to say to the financial assistance office.
Get the plan for your billThe general guide: how hospital charity care works and how to apply.
People also ask
Does Ascension have to offer financial assistance?
Yes. As a nonprofit hospital system it must have a written financial assistance policy under section 501(r) of the tax code, tell patients about it, and limit what it charges eligible patients to the amounts it generally bills insured patients. Ascension's policy is the Ascension Financial Assistance Policy (published per market).
What is the income limit for free care at Ascension?
In most of its hospitals, a household income at or below 250% of the federal poverty level qualifies for a 100% write-off under the policy. For a single person in the 48 contiguous states that is about $39,900 a year in 2026; for a family of four about $82,500.
Can I apply for Ascension financial assistance if I have insurance?
Yes. The policy covers the amounts you owe after insurance (deductibles, copays and coinsurance), subject to the limits described on this page.
How long do I have to apply?
240 days from the first bill under the policy (Late applications are accepted but assistance is limited to unpaid balances). Federal rules also stop the hospital from taking extraordinary collection action for at least 120 days after the first bill, and require it to consider an application received within 240 days.
Where this came from
Read from Ascension's own published policy documents on 2026-09-14. Nothing on this page comes from a third-party summary.
- Ascension, Financial assistance
- Ascension Wisconsin, Financial Assistance Policy (2025)
- Ascension Seton (Texas), Financial Assistance Policy (2025)
What we could not confirm
- Ascension publishes a separate policy per market. The 250% free-care line and the 400% ceiling were consistent across the four markets we read; the steps in between differ, so check your market's policy for the exact percentage.
- The Oklahoma policy applies small copays to free-care patients.
This page summarises a hospital policy. Eligibility is decided by the hospital against the full policy and your application; nothing here is a determination that you qualify, and the policy may have changed since we read it. mediloop is not affiliated with Ascension.