We have not yet read Rhode Island’s own laws on hospital bills; this page covers each hospital’s own policy and the federal rules for nonprofit hospitals.
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12 Rhode Island hospitals, by town.
Nonprofit and government hospitals
Emma Pendleton Bradley Hospital
East Providence, Providence County · Nonprofit, psychiatric · Brown University Health
- 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
“EMMA PENDLETON BRADLEY HOSPITAL CHARITY CARE SLIDING FOR INPATIENTS and OUTPATIENTS per INCOME LEVEL and FAMILY SIZE % Based on Federal Poverty Level, at or below: <200% 201%-300% 301%+ Outpatient % Discount FREE 90% 70% Inpatient % Discount FREE 90% 46%”
Read on this document, 2026-11-09.
- Discounts
- Up to 300% of the federal poverty guidelines: about $99,000 a year for a family of four in 2026.
The policy says
“EMMA PENDLETON BRADLEY HOSPITAL CHARITY CARE SLIDING FOR INPATIENTS and OUTPATIENTS per INCOME LEVEL and FAMILY SIZE % Based on Federal Poverty Level, at or below: <200% 201%-300% 301%+ Outpatient % Discount FREE 90% 70% Inpatient % Discount FREE 90% 46%”
Read on this document, 2026-11-09.
Financial assistance policyHospital’s financial assistance pageApplication
Newport Hospital
Newport, Newport County · Nonprofit, general acute care · Brown University Health
- 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
“NEWPORT HOSPITAL CHARITY CARE SLIDING SCALE FOR INPATIENTS and OUTPATIENTS per INCOME LEVEL and FAMILY SIZE % Based on Federal Poverty Level, at or below: <200% 201%-300% 301%+ Outpatient % Discount FREE 90% 82%”
Read on this document, 2026-11-09.
- Discounts
- Up to 300% of the federal poverty guidelines: about $99,000 a year for a family of four in 2026.
The policy says
“NEWPORT HOSPITAL CHARITY CARE SLIDING SCALE FOR INPATIENTS and OUTPATIENTS per INCOME LEVEL and FAMILY SIZE % Based on Federal Poverty Level, at or below: <200% 201%-300% 301%+ Outpatient % Discount FREE 90% 82%”
Read on this document, 2026-11-09.
Financial assistance policyHospital’s financial assistance pageApplication
Butler Hospital
Providence, Providence County · Nonprofit, psychiatric · Care New England
- 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
“Full financial assistance will be granted to patients whose gross family income is less than or equal to 200% of the Federal Poverty Levels (FPL), adjusted for family size, provided such patients are not eligible for other private or public health coverage and do not exceed the assets protection threshold.”
Read on this document, 2026-11-09.
- Discounts
- Up to 300% of the federal poverty guidelines: about $99,000 a year for a family of four in 2026.
The policy says
“Patients with gross income between 201% and 300% of the FPL and who do not exceed the assets protection threshold are also eligible for financial assistance for a portion of the medical bill, based upon a sliding scale (Exhibit 3).”
Read on this document, 2026-11-09.
- Timing
- 240 days from the first post-discharge billing statement
The policy says
“To satisfy the criteria outlined in IRC §501(r)(6), CNE allows individuals up to 240 days from the date the individual is provided with the first post-discharge billing statement to apply for financial assistance.”
Read on this document, 2026-11-09.
Financial assistance policyPlain language summaryApplication
Rhode Island Hospital
Providence, Providence County · Nonprofit, general acute care · Brown University Health
- 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
“RHODE ISLAND HOSPITAL CHARITY CARE SLIDING SCALE FOR INPATIENTS and OUTPATIENTS per INCOME LEVEL and FAMILY SIZE % Based on Federal Poverty Level, at or below: <200% 201%-300% 301%+ Outpatient % Discount FREE 90% 78%”
Read on this document, 2026-11-09.
- Discounts
- Up to 300% of the federal poverty guidelines: about $99,000 a year for a family of four in 2026.
The policy says
“RHODE ISLAND HOSPITAL CHARITY CARE SLIDING SCALE FOR INPATIENTS and OUTPATIENTS per INCOME LEVEL and FAMILY SIZE % Based on Federal Poverty Level, at or below: <200% 201%-300% 301%+ Outpatient % Discount FREE 90% 78%”
Read on this document, 2026-11-09.
Financial assistance policyHospital’s financial assistance pageApplication
The Miriam Hospital
Providence, Providence County · Nonprofit, general acute care · Brown University Health
- 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
“THE MIRIAM HOSPITAL CHARITY CARE SLIDING SCALE FOR INPATIENTS and OUTPATIENTS per INCOME LEVEL and FAMILY SIZE % Based on Federal Poverty Level, at or below: <200% 201%-300% 301%+ Outpatient % Discount FREE 90% 80%”
Read on this document, 2026-11-09.
- Discounts
- Up to 300% of the federal poverty guidelines: about $99,000 a year for a family of four in 2026.
The policy says
“THE MIRIAM HOSPITAL CHARITY CARE SLIDING SCALE FOR INPATIENTS and OUTPATIENTS per INCOME LEVEL and FAMILY SIZE % Based on Federal Poverty Level, at or below: <200% 201%-300% 301%+ Outpatient % Discount FREE 90% 80%”
Read on this document, 2026-11-09.
Financial assistance policyHospital’s financial assistance pageApplication
Women & Infants Hospital
Providence, Providence County · Nonprofit, general acute care · Care New England
- 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
“Full financial assistance will be granted to patients whose gross family income is less than or equal to 200% of the Federal Poverty Levels (FPL), adjusted for family size, provided such patients are not eligible for other private or public health coverage and do not exceed the assets protection threshold.”
Read on this document, 2026-11-09.
- Discounts
- Up to 300% of the federal poverty guidelines: about $99,000 a year for a family of four in 2026.
The policy says
“Patients with gross income between 201% and 300% of the FPL and who do not exceed the assets protection threshold are also eligible for financial assistance for a portion of the medical bill, based upon a sliding scale (Exhibit 3).”
Read on this document, 2026-11-09.
- Timing
- 240 days from the first post-discharge billing statement
The policy says
“To satisfy the criteria outlined in IRC §501(r)(6), CNE allows individuals up to 240 days from the date the individual is provided with the first post-discharge billing statement to apply for financial assistance.”
Read on this document, 2026-11-09.
Financial assistance policyPlain language summaryApplication
South County Health
Wakefield, Washington County · Nonprofit, general acute care
- Timing
- 240 days
The policy says
“Applicants must file their applications for financial assistance within 240 days of the date of service or in the case of an inpatient stay, at date of discharge.”
Read on this document, 2026-11-09.
Financial assistance policyPlain language summaryApplication
Westerly Hospital
Westerly, Washington County · Nonprofit, general acute care
We could not read its financial assistance policy on 2026-11-09 (its website did not open for us). Ask the billing office for the policy and the application.
Landmark Medical Center
Woonsocket, Providence County · Nonprofit, general acute care
We could not read its financial assistance policy on 2026-11-09 (its website did not open for us). Ask the billing office for the policy and the application.
For-profit hospitals
The federal rules for nonprofit hospitals do not apply to a for-profit hospital. Ask whether it has a financial assistance or charity care policy.
Our Lady of Fatima Hospital
North Providence, Providence County · For-profit, general acute care
Ask whether it has a financial assistance or charity care policy.
Roger Williams Medical Center
Providence, Providence County · For-profit, general acute care
Ask whether it has a financial assistance or charity care policy.
Kent County Memorial Hospital
Warwick, Kent County · For-profit, general acute care
Ask whether it has a financial assistance or charity care policy.
Federal rules for nonprofit hospitals
- A nonprofit hospital must have a written financial assistance policy. There is no federal income level: the policy sets its own criteria.
- It must accept applications for at least 240 days after the first bill sent after you leave.
- For patients it finds eligible, charges for emergency and other medically necessary care are limited to the amounts generally billed to people with insurance.
- These rules apply to hospitals recognized as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3), including government hospitals with that status.
More in the hospital charity care guide.
What to ask the billing office
- Ask for the financial assistance policy, the application and the plain language summary.
- Ask which income limit applies to your household and what counts as income.
- Ask whether the doctors who treated you are covered by the policy or bill separately.
- Ask until when you can still apply for the bill you have, and ask for the answer in writing.
The free financial assistance letter asks for all three papers. Denied? How to appeal or reapply. Already paid? How applying after you have paid works. Compare large health systems on the hospital list.
Helping people with hospital bills in Rhode Island?
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Sources
The list of hospitals, their towns, counties and ownership come from Hospital General Information (CMS Provider Data Catalog), modified 2026-07-22. Ownership is CMS’s label, not a tax ruling. We left out the 1 hospitals the CMS file lists under federal ownership, such as VA and military hospitals.
Each figure comes from the hospital’s own policy, which every figure links to, with the policy’s words and the day we read it (2026-11-09). We used AI reading tools, and a second independent check compared each quote and figure with the policy text. A figure that was not confirmed is left out. Dollar amounts use the 2026 federal poverty guidelines for the 48 states and Washington, DC (91 FR 1797).
We are not part of any of these hospitals. Policies change, and the hospital decides from its own form, with conditions such as assets or residency that the policy sets. If what you read here differs from the current policy, the policy counts. A correction? Tell us on the Support page.
MedBillCheckup 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.