How to apply for CommonSpirit Health financial assistance
CommonSpirit Health is a nonprofit health system (Dignity Health, CHI, CHI Memorial, St. Luke's Health, Virginia Mason Franciscan) with hospitals in Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Washington. Federal law requires it to have a written policy for reducing or writing off bills by income. Its policy is the CommonSpirit Health Financial Assistance Policy (Finance G-003). This is what it says.
Free care
200%
of the federal poverty level or below. The bill is written off in full.
Some help up to
500%
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 | $31,920 | $79,800 |
| 2 people | $43,280 | $108,200 |
| 3 people | $54,640 | $136,600 |
| 4 people | $66,000 | $165,000 |
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 CommonSpirit Health Financial Assistance Policy (Finance G-003) gives at each level
| Household income | What you get | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 200% FPL | Free | System policy |
| Up to 400% FPL | Capped | System policy, 201 to 400% FPL: balance reduced to no more than the facility's AGB on a sliding scale |
| Up to 250% FPL | Free | California (Dignity Health hospitals) |
| Up to 400% FPL | Capped | California, 251 to 400% FPL: bill reduced to the highest amount a government payer would pay |
| Up to 500% FPL | Capped | California, 401 to 500% FPL: bill reduced to AGB |
“Capped” means the policy limits the bill to the amounts the hospital generally bills insured patients (AGB) rather than naming a percentage. No eligible patient is charged more than AGB, calculated facility by facility from Medicare and private insurer allowances.
State differences
California: California hospitals use a more generous schedule: free care at or below 250% FPL and assistance up to 500%. Free care there is at or below 250% FPL.
Against state law, and against the other systems
Arizona
Arizona 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 CommonSpirit Health's own.
Among the systems on this site with Arizona hospitals, CommonSpirit Health's 200% free-care line is level with Mayo Clinic.
Arkansas
Arkansas 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 CommonSpirit Health's own.
California
California law (Cal. Health & Safety Code § 127405 (Hospital Fair Pricing Act)) requires a discount up to 400% of the poverty level but does not mandate free care, so the free-care line here comes from CommonSpirit Health's own policy, not the state. Statute
Among the systems on this site with California hospitals, CommonSpirit Health's 250% free-care line is more generous than Kaiser Permanente (200%), below Providence (300%) and Sutter Health (400%).
Colorado
Colorado law (C.R.S. §§ 25.5-3-501 to 25.5-3-505) requires a discount up to 250% of the poverty level but does not mandate free care, so the free-care line here comes from CommonSpirit Health's own policy, not the state. Statute
Among the systems on this site with Colorado hospitals, CommonSpirit Health's 200% free-care line is level with Kaiser Permanente.
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. CommonSpirit Health's 200% 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, CommonSpirit Health's 200% free-care line is below Ascension (250%) and Advocate Health (300%), level with Kaiser Permanente.
Iowa
Iowa 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 CommonSpirit Health's own.
Among the systems on this site with Iowa hospitals, CommonSpirit Health's 200% free-care line is level with Trinity Health.
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 CommonSpirit Health's own.
Among the systems on this site with Kansas hospitals, CommonSpirit Health's 200% free-care line is below Ascension (250%).
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 CommonSpirit Health's own.
Among the systems on this site with Kentucky hospitals, CommonSpirit Health's 200% free-care line is below Ascension (250%).
Minnesota
Minnesota has no income floor in state law; it requires hospitals to have and publish a policy, so the lines here are CommonSpirit Health's own. Statute
Among the systems on this site with Minnesota hospitals, CommonSpirit Health's 200% free-care line is level with Mayo Clinic.
Nebraska
Nebraska 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 CommonSpirit Health's own.
Nevada
Nevada has no income floor in state law; it requires hospitals to have and publish a policy, so the lines here are CommonSpirit Health's own. Statute
Among the systems on this site with Nevada hospitals, CommonSpirit Health's 200% free-care line is below Cleveland Clinic (250%).
North Dakota
North Dakota 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 CommonSpirit Health's own.
Ohio
Ohio law (Ohio Rev. Code § 5168.14 (Hospital Care Assurance Program)) requires every hospital to give free care at or below 100% of the poverty level for uninsured patients. CommonSpirit Health's 200% line is above that floor, so the policy is more generous than the state minimum. Statute
Among the systems on this site with Ohio hospitals, CommonSpirit Health's 200% free-care line is below Cleveland Clinic (250%), level with Trinity Health.
Oregon
Oregon law (ORS 442.614) requires covered hospitals to give free care at or below 200% of the poverty level for uninsured patients. CommonSpirit Health's policy sits exactly on that floor. Statute
Among the systems on this site with Oregon hospitals, CommonSpirit Health's 200% free-care line is below Providence (300%), level with Kaiser Permanente and Trinity Health.
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 CommonSpirit Health's own.
Among the systems on this site with Tennessee hospitals, CommonSpirit Health's 200% free-care line is below Ascension (250%).
Texas
Texas has no income floor in state law; it requires hospitals to have and publish a policy, so the lines here are CommonSpirit Health's own. Statute
Among the systems on this site with Texas hospitals, CommonSpirit Health's 200% free-care line is below Ascension (250%), level with Providence.
Utah
Utah has no income floor in state law; it requires hospitals to have and publish a policy, so the lines here are CommonSpirit Health's own. Statute
Washington
Washington law (RCW 70.170.060(5)) requires every hospital to give free care at or below 300% of the poverty level, which is higher than the 200% line in the policy we read. If CommonSpirit Health's hospital is covered by the statute, the state minimum applies; ask for it by name. Statute
Among the systems on this site with Washington hospitals, CommonSpirit Health's 200% free-care line is below Providence (300%), level with Kaiser Permanente.
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
Underinsured patients qualify where paying the expected out-of-pocket amount would be a financial hardship, to the extent the insurance contract allows.
Without an application
Presumptive eligibility without a full application for indicators such as homelessness, WIC or SNAP eligibility, a Medicaid referral, subsidized housing, or a state prescription program.
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 CommonSpirit Health 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 CommonSpirit Health
- 1
Get the application. Applications and phone numbers are per market. The landing page links to each hospital's application.
- 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.
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 CommonSpirit Health 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. CommonSpirit Health's policy is the CommonSpirit Health Financial Assistance Policy (Finance G-003).
What is the income limit for free care at CommonSpirit Health?
In most of its hospitals, a household income at or below 200% 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 $31,920 a year in 2026; for a family of four about $66,000. Some regions differ; see the table on this page.
Can I apply for CommonSpirit Health 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 (The later of 365 days from discharge or 240 days from the first bill after discharge). 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 CommonSpirit Health's own published policy documents on 2026-09-14. Nothing on this page comes from a third-party summary.
- CommonSpirit Health, Financial assistance
- CommonSpirit Health, Financial Assistance Policy G-003 (effective July 2026)
- Dignity Health Southern California, financial assistance
What we could not confirm
- There is no single system-wide phone number; each hospital lists its own on the CommonSpirit financial assistance page.
- The Oregon and Washington state addenda were not read.
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 CommonSpirit Health.