SSM 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: “patients with income below 200% of the FPL, as these patients are considered eligible for 100% financial assistance” (page 4)
- Discounts
- Up to 400% of the guidelines: about $132,000 a year for a family of four.The policy says: “351% - 400% 20% of amount over $2,000” (page 11 (Exhibit A))
- Sliding scale
- The scale for all regions lists 100% for the lowest incomes, 201% to 250% at 80%, 251% to 300% at 60%, 301% to 350% at 50% of the amount over $2,000, 351% to 400% at 20% of the amount over $2,000, and over 400% at 0%. It applies to the balance after insurance for insured patients.
- With insurance
- Patients with some insurance but unaffordable costs may qualify, with the discount applied after insurance. Non-emergency out-of-network care may be excluded if an in-network provider in the area can offer it. Insurer payments sent to the patient must be repaid. (Policy, pages 4, 5, 7 and 8.)
- Savings and assets
- Savings or other assets may count.
- Large bills
- Medical indigence is decided case by case at SSM Health’s discretion: patient liability is generally adjusted to no more than 25% of gross family income, and all patients above 200% may be considered.
How to apply for SSM Health financial assistance
- Without a full application
- Some patients may be approved without a full application.
- Time to apply
- Until the 240th day after the first bill sent after care.The policy says: “ends on the 240th day after the hospital provides the individual with the first post-discharge billing statement for the care provided.” (page 3)
- How to apply
- Fill in the financial assistance application, which you can download, ask customer service for, find in MyChart or get from the hospital financial counselor; it can also be completed verbally by phone or in person. Return it by mail, fax, email or in person, with income verification, your latest tax return or an IRS non-filing letter, and three months of bank statements.
- Also good to know
- One policy and one scale apply to all SSM Health hospitals; only the amount generally billed percentage differs by hospital. The plain language summary says help may be restricted to residents of the primary service areas.
Common questions about SSM Health financial assistance
What is the income limit for SSM Health financial assistance?
SSM 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. SSM Health decides from its own application; only the hospital can confirm what you may get.
How do I apply for SSM Health financial assistance?
Fill in the financial assistance application, which you can download, ask customer service for, find in MyChart or get from the hospital financial counselor; it can also be completed verbally by phone or in person. Return it by mail, fax, email or in person, with income verification, your latest tax return or an IRS non-filing letter, and three months of bank statements. Time to apply: Until the 240th day after the first bill sent after care.
Source
Operations - Financial Assistance Policy (Charity Care), Latest revision 06/10/2025 (original effective date 10/31/2012). 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 SSM 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 Illinois? Find your hospital by name or town (188 Illinois hospitals).
In Missouri? Find your hospital by name or town (115 Missouri hospitals).
In Oklahoma? Find your hospital by name or town (127 Oklahoma hospitals).
In Wisconsin? Find your hospital by name or town (137 Wisconsin 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.