ClearCarePulse › Care Rights › Hospital Financial Assistance

Nonprofit hospitals must offer financial assistance — here's the FAP, the shield, and your FPL number

The answer: 26 CFR §1.501(r)-4 — the hospital MUST have a written financial assistance policy (FAP), widely publicized, with plain-language summaries and applications available free 26 CFR §1.501(r)-5 — FAP-eligible patients may not be charged more than the "amounts generally billed" (AGB) to insured patients for emergency/medically necessary care — NOT the chargemaster sticker price After your first post-discharge billing statement, the hospital may take NO extraordinary collection action for at least 120 days (26 CFR §1.501(r)-6(c)(3)(i) — NO extraordinary collection actions for at least 120 days from the first post-discharge billing statement), and your FAP application window stays open for at least 240 days (26 CFR §1.501(r)-6(c)(4)(iii)(A) — the FAP application period runs at least 240 days from the first post-discharge billing statement).

What counts as an extraordinary collection action

26 CFR §1.501(r)-6(b)(1) — extraordinary collection actions include: selling the debt, adverse credit-bureau reporting, deferring/denying care over prior unpaid FAP-eligible bills, liens, foreclosure, bank attachment/seizure, civil suits, arrest/body attachment, wage garnishment

2026 Federal Poverty Level guideline, by household size

2026 HHS Poverty Guidelines — 91 FR 1797-1798 (Jan 15, 2026), FR Doc. 2026-00755 (verified against aspe.hhs.gov + govinfo.gov 2026-07-07)

Household sizeContiguous USAlaskaHawaii
1$15,960$19,950$18,360
2$21,640$27,050$24,890
3$27,320$34,150$31,420
4$33,000$41,250$37,950
5$38,680$48,350$44,480
6$44,360$55,450$51,010
7$50,040$62,550$57,540
8$55,720$69,650$64,070

Hospitals publish FAP eligibility as percentages of the Federal Poverty Level (commonly free care to 200% FPL and discounts to 300–400%) — thresholds are EACH HOSPITAL'S OWN published policy; the FPL table below computes your percentage so you can read their table with your number in hand.

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Generated 2026-07-07 by ClearCarePulse (The Aslan Group LLC) from the same source-cited legal reference data our paid engine uses. Informational, not legal or medical advice — rules change; verify with the cited CFR/USC sections. Contact: info@theaslangroupllc.com