Sentara Health income limits
| Household size | Free care: yearly income up to 300% | Discounts: yearly income up to 400% |
|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $47,880 | $63,840 |
| 2 people | $64,920 | $86,560 |
| 3 people | $81,960 | $109,280 |
| 4 people | $99,000 | $132,000 |
| 5 people | $116,040 | $154,720 |
| 6 people | $133,080 | $177,440 |
- Free care
- Up to 300% of the federal poverty guidelines: about $99,000 a year for a family of four in 2026.The policy says: “Household Income at or below 300% of the then-current Federal Poverty Guidelines and with less than $50,000 in Available Assets are eligible for a full, 100% write-off” (page 4)
- Discounts
- Up to 400% of the guidelines: about $132,000 a year for a family of four.The policy says: “Household Income above 300%, but at or below 400%, of the then-current Federal Poverty Guidelines and with less than $50,000 in Available Assets qualify for a discount of 80% off” (page 4)
- Sliding scale
- 301% to 400%: 80% off Gross Charges, for uninsured and self-pay patients. Uninsured and self-pay patients above 400% are outside this policy but a 50% discount applies under a separate policy.
- With insurance
- Patients with insurance may have the balance after insurance cancelled at incomes up to 300% of the guidelines with assets under $50,000, unless they skipped insurer requirements or have a third-party claim. Patients without insurance may get a discount up to 400%. (Policy, page 4.)
- Savings and assets
- Savings or other assets may count.
- Large bills
- When the patient balance is more than 100% of household income, the policy says it is adjusted to 25% of household income.
How to apply for Sentara Health financial assistance
- Without a full application
- Some patients may be approved without a full application.
- Time to apply
- The application period runs from the service date through 240 days after the first billing statement.The policy says: “Period of time beginning on the service date through 240 days” (page 1)
- How to apply
- Get the application at registration areas, download it from sentara.com/financialassistance, or ask for it by mail. Return it by mail, through MyChart, or at a registration area.
- Also good to know
- Free care needs less than $50,000 in available assets, which exclude the home, main vehicle and retirement accounts. Insured patients may only get the free write-off up to 300%.
Common questions about Sentara Health financial assistance
What is the income limit for Sentara Health financial assistance?
Sentara Health’s policy lists free care up to 300% 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 $47,880 for one person and $99,000 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. Sentara Health decides from its own application; only the hospital can confirm what you may get.
How do I apply for Sentara Health financial assistance?
Get the application at registration areas, download it from sentara.com/financialassistance, or ask for it by mail. Return it by mail, through MyChart, or at a registration area. Time to apply: The application period runs from the service date through 240 days after the first billing statement.
Source
Financial Assistance Policy (#2247), Revision date 3/26/2026. 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 Sentara 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.
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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.