Mercy (St. Louis) income limits
| Household size | Free care: yearly income up to 200% | Discounts: yearly income up to 300% |
|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $31,920 | $47,880 |
| 2 people | $43,280 | $64,920 |
| 3 people | $54,640 | $81,960 |
| 4 people | $66,000 | $99,000 |
| 5 people | $77,360 | $116,040 |
| 6 people | $88,720 | $133,080 |
- 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: “Level I 0 - 200% Hospital Discount 100% Physician Discount 100%” (page 10 (Exhibit A))
- Discounts
- Up to 300% of the guidelines: about $99,000 a year for a family of four.The policy says: “Level II 201% - 300% Hospital Discount 80% Physician Discount 70%” (page 10 (Exhibit A))
- Sliding scale
- 0% to 200%: 100% off hospital and physician charges. 201% to 300%: 80% off hospital charges and 70% off physician charges, applied to the patient’s share after insurance.
- With insurance
- Patients with insurance may apply, and help may apply to what they owe after other payers have paid, if they follow their plan’s rules. (Policy, pages 4 and 5.)
How to apply for Mercy (St. Louis) financial assistance
- Without a full application
- Some patients may be approved without a full application.
- Time to apply
- The policy sets no deadline after the first bill, but the discount covers services first billed in the 240 days before a complete application is submitted.The policy says: “eligible services that were first billed to the patient in the prior 240 days from the date a completed application is submitted to Mercy” (page 4)
- How to apply
- Apply verbally (on arrival for care, during phone registration or through Customer Service) or with a paper application from the Mercy financial assistance web page or on request. Submit through MyMercy upload, mail or fax; uninsured patients must first complete an insurance eligibility screening for Medicaid, and you need your latest federal tax return and proof of income such as 60 days of pay stubs, due within 15 days.
- Differences by state
- Automatic (presumptive) approval does not apply at some Mercy sites, including the Southwest Missouri and Southeast Missouri communities, Mercy Hospital Pittsburg in Kansas and JFK Clinic in St. Louis. JFK Clinic, for uninsured patients only, has its own guidelines and application.
- Also good to know
- Physician discounts apply only to the professional services listed in Exhibit C, and other professional services follow a separate policy. Help applies to the patient’s share after insurance.
Common questions about Mercy (St. Louis) financial assistance
What is the income limit for Mercy (St. Louis) financial assistance?
Mercy (St. Louis)’s policy lists free care up to 200% of the federal poverty guidelines and discounts up to 300%. 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 $47,880 for one person and $99,000 for a family of four. The policy has differences by state or hospital, so check it for your hospital. Mercy (St. Louis) decides from its own application; only the hospital can confirm what you may get.
How do I apply for Mercy (St. Louis) financial assistance?
Apply verbally (on arrival for care, during phone registration or through Customer Service) or with a paper application from the Mercy financial assistance web page or on request. Submit through MyMercy upload, mail or fax; uninsured patients must first complete an insurance eligibility screening for Medicaid, and you need your latest federal tax return and proof of income such as 60 days of pay stubs, due within 15 days. Time to apply: The policy sets no deadline after the first bill, but the discount covers services first billed in the 240 days before a complete application is submitted.
Source
MRC PSERV Financial Assistance Program Policy_Hospital and Health Services (Version 41), Approved 02/06/2026 (income table effective 02.01.2026). 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 Mercy (St. Louis). Policies change, and the hospital decides from its own form. If what you read here differs from the current policy, the policy counts.
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