Most Florida non-profit hospitals offer free or discounted care to uninsured and low-income patients under IRS Section 501(r), and the application window stays open for 240 days from your first post-discharge bill. To find a hospital social worker, call 211 Florida. For ACA coverage going forward, apply at HealthCare.gov. If you live in Miami-Dade, Broward, Hillsborough, or any Florida county and have a hospital bill you cannot pay, you almost certainly qualify for some discount. Most people just never ask.
This guide covers who qualifies, how to apply at the largest Florida hospital systems in 2026, documents to bring, and what to do if denied. It also covers the Florida Health Care Responsibility Act (HCRA), a state program for out-of-county emergency care.
General information, not legal or financial advice. Hospital policies and FPL thresholds change. Confirm specifics with the hospital's financial assistance office and the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) before applying.
What Is Florida Hospital Charity Care?
Every non-profit hospital in the US must, under IRS Section 501(r), maintain a written Financial Assistance Policy (FAP), publicize it in plain language, and stop charging eligible uninsured patients more than "amounts generally billed" (AGB), the rate insured patients pay for the same care. The rule binds every 501(c)(3) hospital in Florida, including Jackson Health, Memorial Healthcare, Broward Health, Tampa General, AdventHealth, BayCare, Lee Health, and Sarasota Memorial.
Most Florida non-profit hospitals translate 501(r) into two tiers:
- Free care at or below roughly 200% of the Federal Poverty Level (some go higher: AdventHealth and BayCare to 250% FPL, Broward Health and Jackson Health up to 300% FPL on a sliding scale).
- Discounted care on a sliding scale, usually capped at 400% FPL, where the patient pays no more than what Medicare or a typical insurance plan would pay.
Florida adds one extra layer: the Health Care Responsibility Act (HCRA), run by the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration. HCRA makes a patient's home county financially responsible for qualified indigent out-of-county emergency care at participating hospitals. Patients do not apply for HCRA directly. The hospital and the county work it out. But knowing it exists is useful if you got emergency care while traveling within Florida.
2026 Income Thresholds for Florida Hospital Charity Care
Most Florida hospitals use the federal poverty guidelines published by HHS in January 2026 to determine eligibility. Free care typically cuts off at 200% FPL, and sliding-scale discounted care typically caps at 400% FPL. The table below uses the 2026 HHS poverty guidelines for the 48 contiguous states.
| Household Size | 200% FPL (free care threshold) | 400% FPL (sliding-scale cap) |
|---|
| 1 | $31,920 | $63,840 |
| 2 | $43,280 | $86,560 |
| 3 | $54,640 | $109,280 |
| 4 | $66,000 | $132,000 |
| 5 | $77,360 | $154,720 |
| 6 | $88,720 | $177,440 |
| 7 | $100,080 | $200,160 |
| 8 | $111,440 | $222,880 |
| 9 | $122,800 | $245,600 |
| Each additional | +$11,360 | +$22,720 |
If your household income is at or under the 200% FPL column, your bill at most Florida non-profit systems will be reduced to zero for emergency and medically necessary care. If your income falls between the two columns, you almost certainly qualify for a partial discount under the AGB rule. You can check your eligibility for Florida benefits in 2 minutes. If you qualify for charity care, you may also qualify for Florida Medicaid or ACA subsidies going forward.
How to Apply for Florida Hospital Charity Care (7 Steps)
Every hospital handles the paperwork a little differently, but the federal 501(r) framework forces them all through roughly the same flow.
1. Request the Financial Assistance Policy (FAP) from the billing department
Call the patient financial services line on your bill and ask for the Financial Assistance Policy, the FAP application, and the Plain Language Summary. Federal rule requires the hospital to provide all three free, in your primary language if it is widely spoken in the community. Spanish materials are standard at every major Florida system.
2. Confirm you are inside the 240-day application window
The IRS gives you 240 days from your first post-discharge billing statement to submit a complete FAP application. Inside that window, the hospital must process your application and refund any payments above the discounted amount. After 240 days the hospital can still accept your application, but federal protection ends.
3. Apply for Medicaid and ACA first if eligible
Most Florida hospital FAPs require you to apply for any government coverage you might qualify for (Florida Medicaid through ACCESS Florida, Florida KidCare, Medicare, or ACA marketplace plans through HealthCare.gov) before they finalize charity care. Broward Health and Jackson Health both list this as a prerequisite. The Florida Medicaid application walkthrough covers the SMMC enrollment process in detail.
4. Gather your financial documentation
The hospital will ask for proof of household income, residency, identity, and family size (full checklist below). Self-employed applicants need a profit-and-loss statement or last year's tax return. Cash-economy households can usually substitute a sworn statement plus 90 days of bank records.
5. Submit the FAP application
Most Florida systems accept applications by mail, fax, in person at a financial counseling office, or through a secure patient portal. Keep a dated copy and the name of the person who received it.
6. Wait for the eligibility determination
Florida systems generally complete review in 30 to 60 days. BayCare commits to 30 days. The hospital must pause "extraordinary collection actions" (collections, credit reporting, lawsuits) while your application is pending.
7. Apply any retroactive refund
If the hospital approves charity care after you already paid part of the bill, federal rule requires the hospital to refund any amount paid above the AGB-discounted price when the overpayment is greater than $5. Request the refund in writing.
Top Florida Hospital Charity Care Programs in 2026
Income thresholds, application phone numbers, and program names verified May 2026. Confirm current details directly with each hospital before applying.
| Hospital System | Free Care Up To | Discounted Care Up To | Apply / Phone |
|---|
| Jackson Health System (Miami-Dade) | Sliding scale from 100% FPL | Up to 300% FPL | 305-585-6000 |
| Memorial Healthcare System (Hollywood / Broward) | 200% FPL (100% discount) | 400% FPL (balances over $1,500) | 954-276-5500 |
| Broward Health (Fort Lauderdale countywide) | 300% FPL (full assistance) | Capped at AGB above 300% FPL | 954-767-5344 |
| Tampa General Hospital | 200% FPL (no bill) | 400% FPL Tier 1 + Charity Catastrophic if bill exceeds 25% of income | 813-844-8084 |
| AdventHealth (statewide) | 250% FPL (100% reduction) | 400% FPL sliding-scale | adventhealth.com/legal/financial-assistance |
| BayCare Health System (Tampa Bay) | 250% FPL (owe nothing) | 400% FPL expanded charity for emergency | 855-233-1555 |
| Lee Health (Fort Myers) | Free care under system FAP (~$168M in charity care in 2025) | Sliding-scale above free-care threshold | leehealth.org/billing/financial-assistance |
| Sarasota Memorial Hospital | Charity Assistance with income + means test | Discounts above free-care threshold | 941-917-7570 |
Memorial Healthcare's expanded policy only applies to balances over $1,500. Jackson Health uses internal "J-code" classifications (J02 and higher) to decide where on the sliding scale you land. Sarasota Memorial requires you to exhaust all other coverage and includes an asset test, which most Florida systems do not.
What Makes Florida Different in 2026
Three things make Florida hospital charity care a bigger deal here than in most states.
- Non-expansion Medicaid coverage gap. Florida has not expanded Medicaid, so adults ages 19 to 64 without dependent children generally cannot qualify for Medicaid at any income, and parents qualify only at very low income. That leaves a large population of uninsured working adults whose only realistic path to free hospital care is the 501(r) FAP at the hospital that treated them.
- The HCRA program. AHCA's Health Care Responsibility Act holds your home county responsible for qualified indigent out-of-county emergency care at participating hospitals. If a hospital outside your county is trying to collect from you after an emergency visit, ask whether they have filed an HCRA claim with your county of residence.
- Hurricane and disaster medical aid. After a federally declared disaster (which Florida sees most years), FEMA's Disaster Distress Helpline (1-800-985-5990) and FEMA medical assistance programs can cover prescriptions, durable medical equipment, and other hospital-related costs that insurance and charity care do not. Ask the hospital social worker whether a current FEMA declaration applies to your case.
Documents You Need for a Florida Hospital Charity Care Application
Gather these before you submit. Missing paperwork is the most common reason FAP applications stall.
- Proof of household income for the last 30 days (pay stubs, employer letter, Social Security or SSI award letter, unemployment determination, pension statement)
- Government-issued photo ID (Florida driver's license, Florida ID, passport, consular card)
- Proof of Florida residency (utility bill, lease, mortgage statement, or government letter from the last 60 days)
- Proof of dependents (birth certificates, school enrollment, custody documents)
- Prior-year tax return (Form 1040 plus schedules, or an IRS verification-of-non-filing letter)
- Current medical bills from the hospital and any related providers (anesthesia, radiology, lab often bill separately)
- Asset disclosure (bank statements, vehicle titles, real estate; required by Sarasota Memorial and others)
- Insurance denial letter if uninsured by choice, denied a marketplace plan, or denied Medicaid
You do not need every document to start. You do need to submit them within the window the hospital gives you, usually 30 days from the request letter, or the application is closed.
What If You Are Denied Charity Care
A denial is not the end. Three things to try, in order:
- Appeal in writing to the hospital within 30 days. Ask for the specific reason for denial, the income calculation used, and a written re-determination. Common reversible reasons: pre-tax instead of gross income, missed a household member, miscounted self-employment expenses, or wrong year's FPL.
- File an IRS 501(r) compliance complaint. If the hospital is not following its own FAP (collections while your application is pending, charging above AGB, or refusing the FAP in your language), report it to the IRS Tax Exempt Hospital Compliance program. The IRS can revoke 501(c)(3) status for repeat violations.
- Contact AHCA. The Florida Agency for Health Care Administration handles hospital licensure and HCRA. File a complaint at ahca.myflorida.com.
You can also call the Florida Health Justice Project for free advocacy help, or 211 Florida for a hospital patient advocate referral.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who qualifies for Florida hospital charity care?
Any uninsured or underinsured patient who received emergency or medically necessary care at a Florida non-profit hospital and whose income falls within the hospital's FAP thresholds, typically up to 200% FPL for free care and 400% FPL for discounted care. AdventHealth, BayCare, Broward Health, and Jackson Health extend free or near-free care above 200% FPL. You also need to be a Florida resident, exhaust other coverage, and apply within 240 days of your first post-discharge bill.
Does charity care apply to emergency room visits in Florida?
Yes. IRS 501(r) requires every Florida non-profit hospital's FAP to cover emergency and other medically necessary care, including ER visits, admissions through the ER, ambulance arrivals, and follow-up tied to the original emergency. Elective cosmetic procedures and some ancillary services (anesthesia, radiology) often bill separately and are usually excluded. Ask each physician group whether it follows the hospital's FAP.
Can I get charity care retroactively for old medical bills in Florida?
Yes, within the 240-day window from your first post-discharge bill. If you already paid part of the bill, federal rule requires a refund of any amount paid above the AGB rate, as long as the overpayment is more than $5. Some Florida systems accept applications past 240 days at their discretion. If the bill has gone to collections, the hospital must pause collection while a complete application is pending.
What is the income limit for free hospital care in Florida 2026?
Most Florida non-profit hospitals set the free-care threshold at 200% of the 2026 Federal Poverty Level: about $31,920 for one person, $43,280 for two, $54,640 for three, and $66,000 for a family of four. AdventHealth and BayCare extend 100% relief to 250% FPL; Broward Health and Jackson Health go to 300% FPL on a sliding scale. Above the free-care threshold, hospitals discount up to roughly 400% FPL and cannot charge any FAP-eligible patient more than AGB.
Do undocumented immigrants qualify for charity care in Florida?
In most cases, yes. IRS 501(r) does not condition charity care on immigration status, and most Florida FAPs require only proof of identity, household income, and Florida residency. Jackson Health, Memorial Healthcare, and Broward Health all serve large undocumented populations. Florida Medicaid is limited to qualified non-citizens, but Emergency Medicaid covers emergency services for undocumented Floridians who meet the income test. Apply through ACCESS Florida. Bring any ID you have (consular card, foreign passport, ITIN documents).
How long does a Florida charity care application take?
Most Florida systems complete review in 30 to 60 days. BayCare commits to 30 days. Federal rule requires the hospital to pause all collections while a complete application is pending. If you are still waiting after 60 days, call the financial assistance office for a written status update. If the hospital ignores follow-ups, file a 501(r) compliance complaint with the IRS and copy AHCA.
Check Your Eligibility for Other Florida Benefits
Hospital charity care covers the bill already in front of you. It does not give you ongoing coverage. If you qualify for charity care in Florida in 2026, you may also qualify for Florida Medicaid, Florida KidCare, ACA marketplace subsidies, SNAP, and the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). Those programs prevent the next hospital bill from blowing up your life.
Check your eligibility for Florida benefits in 2 minutes with Benefits USA's free screener. It checks every major federal and Florida-specific program in one pass and links you to the right application for each one.
For one-on-one help with a hospital bill, call 211 Florida to reach a hospital social worker or community navigator in your county, or contact the hospital's financial counseling office using the phone numbers in the table above.
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