administration
Hospital Financial Assistance
病院財政支援 (byōin zaisei shien)
Hospital financial assistance programs, also called charity care programs, provide free or discounted care to patients who cannot pay their medical bills. Under the ACA, non-profit hospitals must have written financial assistance policies (FAPs), publicize them, make plain-language summaries available, and not charge patients who qualify for assistance more than the amounts generally billed to insured patients. Applications are typically income-based. Hospitals must provide financial assistance applications before sending bills to collections.
Patients should ask about financial assistance at registration or before discharge; many hospitals have financial counselors available to help with applications.
In 9 languages
| Language | Term |
|---|---|
| English | Hospital Financial Assistance |
| Japanese (日本語) | 病院財政支援 |
| Chinese (中文) | 医院财政援助 |
| Korean (한국어) | 병원 재정 지원 |
| Portuguese | Assistência Financeira Hospitalar |
| Spanish | Asistencia Financiera Hospitalaria |
| Filipino | Hospital Financial Assistance |
| Thai | ความช่วยเหลือทางการเงินของโรงพยาบาล |
| Vietnamese | Hỗ trợ tài chính bệnh viện |
| Romanization | byōin zaisei shien |
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Browse US healthcare guides →Last reviewed: September 2026