Cleveland Clinic income limits
| Household size | Free care: yearly income up to 250% | Discounts: yearly income up to 400% |
|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $39,900 | $63,840 |
| 2 people | $54,100 | $86,560 |
| 3 people | $68,300 | $109,280 |
| 4 people | $82,500 | $132,000 |
| 5 people | $96,700 | $154,720 |
| 6 people | $110,900 | $177,440 |
- Free care
- Up to 250% of the federal poverty guidelines: about $82,500 a year for a family of four in 2026.The policy says: “If your Annual Family Income is up to 250% of the FPG, you will receive free care.” (page 6)
- Discounts
- Up to 400% of the guidelines: about $132,000 a year for a family of four.The policy says: “If your Annual Family Income is between 251% and 400% of the FPG, you will receive care discounted from gross charges to the “amount generally billed” to Insured Patients” (page 6)
- Sliding scale
- 251% to 400%: charges are reduced from gross charges to the amount generally billed; as of 1/1/2026 that percentage is 21.2%, a 78.8% discount. These tiers are for uninsured patients, including insured patients whose benefits are used up or do not cover the service, who live in Ohio or Nevada.
- With insurance
- Patients with insurance may get limited help, mainly when the balance due is above 25% of income. The hospital must be in network, with narrow exceptions, and the patient must have met the insurer’s requirements. (Policy, pages 2 and 3.)
- Large bills
- A balance for one episode of care that is greater than 25% of annual family income may qualify even if income is too high, for insured or uninsured patients, but not when Cleveland Clinic is out of network.
How to apply for Cleveland Clinic financial assistance
- Without a full application
- Some patients may be approved without a full application.
- Time to apply
- At least 240 days after the first bill sent after care. Patients may also apply at any point in the scheduling or billing process, including after an account goes to a collection agency.The policy says: “a written response to any Financial Assistance Application for assistance under this Policy submitted within 240 days of the first billing statement” (page 6)
- How to apply
- Fill out the application in person with a Patient Financial Advocate, by phone with an advocate, online at clevelandclinic.org/financialassistance, or mail a paper copy to the address on the application. Uninsured patients may also be approved automatically through third-party income data, and Ohio applicants may be asked to take part in Medicaid screening.
- Differences by state
- This policy covers Ohio and Nevada (Nevada outpatient care only). Cleveland Clinic Florida has its own policy with the same 250% and 400% limits, for residents of Broward, Indian River, Martin and St. Lucie counties who have lived there at least six months.
- Also good to know
- Some other sites, such as Ashtabula Regional Medical Center, have their own policies, which were not read.
Common questions about Cleveland Clinic financial assistance
What is the income limit for Cleveland Clinic financial assistance?
Cleveland Clinic’s policy lists free care up to 250% 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 $39,900 for one person and $82,500 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. Cleveland Clinic decides from its own application; only the hospital can confirm what you may get.
How do I apply for Cleveland Clinic financial assistance?
Fill out the application in person with a Patient Financial Advocate, by phone with an advocate, online at clevelandclinic.org/financialassistance, or mail a paper copy to the address on the application. Uninsured patients may also be approved automatically through third-party income data, and Ohio applicants may be asked to take part in Medicaid screening. Time to apply: At least 240 days after the first bill sent after care. Patients may also apply at any point in the scheduling or billing process, including after an account goes to a collection agency.
Source
Financial Assistance Policy (Cleveland Clinic Health System, Ohio and Nevada), Rev. 1/1/26. 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 Cleveland Clinic. 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 Florida? Find your hospital by name or town (212 Florida hospitals).
In Nevada? Find your hospital by name or town (43 Nevada hospitals).
In Ohio? Find your hospital by name or town (188 Ohio 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.