How to apply for Providence financial assistance
Providence is a nonprofit health system with hospitals in Washington, Oregon, California, Alaska, Montana, Texas and New Mexico. Federal law requires it to have a written policy for reducing or writing off bills by income. Its policy is the Providence Financial Assistance (Charity Care) Policy. This is what it says.
Free care
300%
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 | $47,880 | $63,840 |
| 2 people | $64,920 | $86,560 |
| 3 people | $81,960 | $109,280 |
| 4 people | $99,000 | $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 Providence Financial Assistance (Charity Care) Policy gives at each level
| Household income | What you get | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 300% FPL | Free | WA, OR, CA, AK and MT |
| Up to 400% FPL | 80% off | WA and MT, 301 to 400% FPL, capped at AGB |
| Up to 400% FPL | 70% off | OR, 301 to 400% FPL, capped at AGB |
| Up to 400% FPL | 85% off | Southern California, 301 to 400% FPL (Northern California 87%) |
| Up to 350% FPL | 87% off | AK, 301 to 350% FPL |
“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 not charged more than amounts generally billed, calculated from Medicare and commercial claims (Medicare or Medi-Cal in California, whichever is higher).
State differences
Texas: The Texas (Covenant) policy is narrower: free care at or below 200% FPL with no sliding scale published. Free care there is at or below 200% FPL.
New Mexico: The New Mexico policy PDF was not read. Providence's billing page describes a system-wide range of 175 to 400% FPL, so New Mexico may sit at the lower end. Check the NM policy before relying on the 300% figure.
Against state law, and against the other systems
Washington
Washington law (RCW 70.170.060(5)) requires every hospital to give free care at or below 300% of the poverty level. Providence's policy sits exactly on that floor. Statute
Among the systems on this site with Washington hospitals, Providence's 300% free-care line is more generous than Kaiser Permanente (200%) and CommonSpirit Health (200%).
Oregon
Oregon law (ORS 442.614) requires covered hospitals to give free care at or below 200% of the poverty level for uninsured patients. Providence's 300% line is above that floor, so the policy is more generous than the state minimum. Statute
Among the systems on this site with Oregon hospitals, Providence's 300% free-care line is more generous than Kaiser Permanente (200%) and CommonSpirit Health (200%) and Trinity Health (200%).
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 Providence's own policy, not the state. Statute
Among the systems on this site with California hospitals, Providence's 300% free-care line is more generous than Kaiser Permanente (200%) and CommonSpirit Health (250%), below Sutter Health (400%).
Alaska
Alaska 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 Providence's own.
Montana
Montana 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 Providence's own.
Texas
Texas has no income floor in state law; it requires hospitals to have and publish a policy, so the lines here are Providence's own. Statute
Among the systems on this site with Texas hospitals, Providence's 200% free-care line is below Ascension (250%), level with CommonSpirit Health.
New Mexico
New Mexico has no income floor in state law; it requires hospitals to have and publish a policy, so the lines here are Providence's own. Statute
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
Catastrophic medical expenses: a 100% write-off for households at or below 400% FPL (350% in Alaska) whose medical expenses in the previous 12 months exceeded 20% of annual family income (WA, OR, CA, MT).
Without an application
Uninsured patients estimated at or below 300% FPL by a financial assessment tool can be approved without an application. Approvals are good for six months.
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 Providence 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 Providence
- 1
Get the application. A downloadable PDF application, chosen by state and language. No online form.
- 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 Providence 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. Providence's policy is the Providence Financial Assistance (Charity Care) Policy.
What is the income limit for free care at Providence?
In most of its hospitals, a household income at or below 300% 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 $47,880 a year in 2026; for a family of four about $99,000. Some regions differ; see the table on this page.
Can I apply for Providence 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 (240 days after the first statement for hospital services, 90 days for clinic services. Decisions within 30 days (14 in Washington)). 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 Providence's own published policy documents on 2026-09-14. Nothing on this page comes from a third-party summary.
- Providence, Help paying your bill
- Providence, Financial assistance policy, Washington (2025)
- Providence, Financial assistance policy, Oregon (2026)
- Providence, Financial assistance policy, California (2026)
- Providence, Financial assistance policy, Texas (Covenant)
What we could not confirm
- The New Mexico policy was not read; the 300% figure is not confirmed for New Mexico.
- The policy PDFs list 1-866-747-2455 as the financial assistance line; the public billing page lists 1-855-229-6466. Either should reach the right team.
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 Providence.