UHCAN Ohio Fact Sheet
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Free health Care at Hospitals in Columbus

Patients who need medical care, but are unable to pay for it, may be eligible for free or reduced fee care at local hospitals through HCAP or hospital financial assistance programs. For both programs, the patient must fill out an application and provide proof of income.

Hospital Care Assurance Program (HCAP) 

Under an Ohio law, HCAP (Ohio Administrative Code 5101:3-2-0717), hospitals are required to "provide, without charge to the individual, basic, medically necessary hospital-level services" for patients at or below the federal poverty level. To see the complete rule, look for 5101:3-2-0717in the Ohio Administrative Code at http://onlinedocs.andersonpublishing/com/oac 

To be eligible for HCAP: 
     1. You must be an Ohio resident, and
     2. You are not a recipient of the Medicaid program, and
     3. Your family income is at or below the 2007 Federal Poverty Guidelines. 
        Federal Poverty Guidelines are described on the next page. 
        To figure annual income, use the lower sum of: 
           * 3 months prior to date of service and multiply by 4 ; or
           * 12 months prior to date of service

Prior hospital bills - paid or unpaid, may be covered by HCAP. Patients can apply for HCAP up to 3 years after they are notified about it. Patients should contact the hospital's billing department about prior bills, and ask to apply for HCAP - even if the bill has already been sent to collections. If a patient paid a bill but was eligible for HCAP, they may be reimbursed. 

Hospital Financial Assistance Programs 

For patients who do not qualify for HCAP, all local hospitals have their own financial assistance programs. Since these programs are voluntary, each hospital has different rules and procedures. See the back of this flyer for information on Columbus hospital financial assistance policies, including who to contact and who is covered. 

These programs cover hospital services only 

Both HCAP and hospital financial assistance programs cover only hospital charges, not bills from non-hospital providers (such as x-rays, radiologists, and other medical providers who are not hospital staff members). However, many doctors may reduce or drop their fees when told that the patient qualified for HCAP. Patients should ask hospital billing departments to provide them with documentation stating they qualified for HCAP or other programs. The patient can then share this documentation with non-covered providers. 

Financial Assistance in Columbus Hospitals: 

2007 Federal Poverty Guidelines:

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