Northwestern Medicine income limits
| Household size | Free care: yearly income up to 250% | Discounts: yearly income up to 600% |
|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $39,900 | $95,760 |
| 2 people | $54,100 | $129,840 |
| 3 people | $68,300 | $163,920 |
| 4 people | $82,500 | $198,000 |
| 5 people | $96,700 | $232,080 |
| 6 people | $110,900 | $266,160 |
- 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: “An Applicant with Household Income equal to or less than 250% of the then current Federal Poverty Guideline applicable to the Applicant's Family Size shall be eligible for Free Care.” (page 15)
- Discounts
- Up to 600% of the guidelines: about $198,000 a year for a family of four.The policy says: “Household Income more than 250% and up to and including 600% of the then current Federal Poverty Guideline” (page 15)
- Sliding scale
- More than 250% up to 600%: discounted care. Charges for people up to 600% shall not be more than the amounts generally billed to insured patients.
- With insurance
- Illinois residents with insurance may have coinsurance and deductibles cancelled at incomes up to 250% of the guidelines, after insurance benefits are exhausted. Copays and out-of-network care are left out. (Policy, pages 4, 13 and 14.)
- Savings and assets
- Savings or other assets may count.
- Large bills
- For insured patients above 250% up to 600%, total payments are capped at 25% of household income in any twelve-month period.
How to apply for Northwestern Medicine financial assistance
- Without a full application
- Some patients may be approved without a full application.
- Time to apply
- The application period ends on the 240th day after the first post-discharge billing statement.The policy says: “ends on the 240 th day after the date the NMHC Hospital Affiliate provides” (page 8)
- How to apply
- Applications are free by mail and at admission or registration areas and the Emergency Department. The Financial Counseling Department helps applicants.
- Also good to know
- Free and discounted care is for Illinois residents, except for emergency services. If assets look to be over 600% of the poverty level, the committee may consider them.
Common questions about Northwestern Medicine financial assistance
What is the income limit for Northwestern Medicine financial assistance?
Northwestern Medicine’s policy lists free care up to 250% of the federal poverty guidelines and discounts up to 600%. 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 $95,760 for one person and $198,000 for a family of four. Northwestern Medicine decides from its own application; only the hospital can confirm what you may get.
How do I apply for Northwestern Medicine financial assistance?
Applications are free by mail and at admission or registration areas and the Emergency Department. The Financial Counseling Department helps applicants. Time to apply: The application period ends on the 240th day after the first post-discharge billing statement.
Source
Financial Assistance (Policy FIN 03.0012), Effective 02/06/2025, next review 09/01/2026. Read with AI reading tools on November 6, 2026, and checked by a second one against the same document. There is also a plain language summary.
We are not part of Northwestern Medicine. 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.
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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.