Bon Secours Mercy Health income limits
| Household size | Free care: yearly income up to 200% | Discounts: yearly income up to 400% |
|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $31,920 | $63,840 |
| 2 people | $43,280 | $86,560 |
| 3 people | $54,640 | $109,280 |
| 4 people | $66,000 | $132,000 |
| 5 people | $77,360 | $154,720 |
| 6 people | $88,720 | $177,440 |
- Free care
- Up to 200% of the federal poverty guidelines: about $66,000 a year for a family of four in 2026.The policy says: “Individuals with an income level at 200% FPG or below receive free care.” (page 4)
- Discounts
- Up to 400% of the guidelines: about $132,000 a year for a family of four.The policy says: “HFA eligibility is based upon expanded income levels of up to 400% of FPG and is prorated on a sliding scale applicable to the respective market area.” (page 4)
- Sliding scale
- 201% to 300% and 301% to 400% get the same discount, which differs by hospital from 59% (Rappahannock General) to 91% (Bon Secours Southside, Petersburg). The discount for uninsured patients applies to gross charges, and for insured patients to the remaining balance.
- With insurance
- Patients with only partial insurance may qualify, and balances from deductibles, copays and coinsurance may get a discount based on household income. They must supply the information needed to settle claims, such as coordination of benefits. (Policy, pages 1, 5, 6 and 14.)
- Savings and assets
- Savings or other assets may count.
- Large bills
- Medical or hospital bills left after all other payments that are more than 25% of the patient’s total reported income may qualify, if the patient is unable to pay the rest.
How to apply for Bon Secours Mercy Health financial assistance
- Without a full application
- Some patients may be approved without a full application.
- Time to apply
- 240 days after the first bill sent after care, or 30 days after a written deadline notice if that is later.The policy says: “BSMH will allow patients to submit complete HFA applications during a 240-day Application Period (as defined herein).” (page 4 (Billing and Collections Policy 503))
- How to apply
- Get a paper application online, by mail request or in person at the hospital financial counseling office, and send it with proof of income for 3 to 12 months unless the patient is presumptively eligible. Maryland patients use a different state-required application.
- Differences by state
- The percent discount at 201% to 400% differs by hospital (Harbour View in Virginia is case by case). Ohio residents are screened first under the state Hospital Care Assurance Program, and Virginia’s Southern hospitals give uninsured patients a 70% self-pay discount against 40% at most hospitals.
- Also good to know
- Assets may be reviewed when no income is reported, and patients who may qualify for Medicaid may need to apply and be denied first. The 240-day period is defined in the separate Billing and Collections Policy 503.
Common questions about Bon Secours Mercy Health financial assistance
What is the income limit for Bon Secours Mercy Health financial assistance?
Bon Secours Mercy Health’s policy lists free care up to 200% of the federal poverty guidelines and discounts up to 400%. With the 2026 guidelines for the 48 states and Washington, DC, that is for free care, a yearly income up to about $31,920 for one person and $66,000 for a family of four; for discounts, a yearly income up to about $63,840 for one person and $132,000 for a family of four. The policy has differences by state or hospital, so check it for your hospital. Bon Secours Mercy Health decides from its own application; only the hospital can confirm what you may get.
How do I apply for Bon Secours Mercy Health financial assistance?
Get a paper application online, by mail request or in person at the hospital financial counseling office, and send it with proof of income for 3 to 12 months unless the patient is presumptively eligible. Maryland patients use a different state-required application. Time to apply: 240 days after the first bill sent after care, or 30 days after a written deadline notice if that is later.
Source
Healthcare Financial Assistance (HFA), Policy and Procedure 502, Version 7.0, Effective 3/1/2026 (last reviewed 1/23/2026). Read with AI reading tools on November 1, 2026, and checked by a second one against the same document. There is also a plain language summary.
We are not part of Bon Secours Mercy Health. Policies change, and the hospital decides from its own form. If what you read here differs from the current policy, the policy counts.
Ask in writing
The free financial assistance letter asks the hospital for its policy, the application and the plain language summary. Already paid? How applying after you have already paid works. Compare other systems on the hospital list.
Have insurance? See what 38 policies say about patients with insurance.
In Kentucky? Find your hospital by name or town (97 Kentucky hospitals).
In Ohio? Find your hospital by name or town (188 Ohio hospitals).
In South Carolina? Find your hospital by name or town (63 South Carolina hospitals).
In Virginia? Find your hospital by name or town (91 Virginia hospitals).
Other health systems nearby
Check the bill itself
Financial assistance may lower what you owe, but it does not look at the charges. Open your bill in MedBillCheckup: it is read on your device, never uploaded, and the free check shows how many things are worth asking the billing office about, and names the first. The full list, with the exact questions to ask, is $6.99 for one bill, or included with Pro at $9.99 a month.
Check my bill, freeMedBillCheckup provides informational assistance only. It does not determine whether a charge is medically necessary, fraudulent, illegal, or definitively incorrect, and it is not a substitute for advice from a lawyer, doctor, insurer, or certified medical billing specialist.