UCHealth income limits
| Household size | Free care: yearly income up to 250% | Discounts: yearly income up to 400% |
|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $39,900 | $63,840 |
| 2 people | $54,100 | $86,560 |
| 3 people | $68,300 | $109,280 |
| 4 people | $82,500 | $132,000 |
| 5 people | $96,700 | $154,720 |
| 6 people | $110,900 | $177,440 |
- 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: “Patients approved for Financial Assistance with an annual Family Income of 250% of FPL guidelines or less will receive a 100% discount on gross charges” (page 4)
- Discounts
- Up to 400% of the guidelines: about $132,000 a year for a family of four.The policy says: “annual Family Income ("Family Income") is not more than four hundred percent (400%) of the current federal poverty level (FPL) guidelines.” (page 2)
- Sliding scale
- 251% to 400% of the poverty guidelines: discount on gross charges that differs by facility. Hospital charges at 251% to 300%: 83% to 96% off; 301% to 350%: 66% to 91% off; 351% to 400%: 49% to 87% off, depending on the hospital. Professional services: 88%, 76% and 64% off for those three bands. Appendix A lists each facility.
- With insurance
- Residents with insurance and unaffordable out-of-pocket costs may get discounts up to 400% of the guidelines, or when a single account balance after insurance exceeds half of income plus savings. Care a third party must pay is excluded. (Policy, pages 1, 2 and 7.)
- Savings and assets
- Savings or other assets may count.
- Large bills
- Catastrophic balance: if a single account balance after insurance and discounts is more than 50% of annual Family Income and Financial Resources combined, the patient may get the 351% to 400% discount rate or a balance capped at 50% of annual Family Income, whichever leaves the lesser balance. Financial Resources (cash and bank accounts) are asked about only for this catastrophic test.
How to apply for UCHealth financial assistance
- Without a full application
- Some patients may be approved without a full application.
- Time to apply
- The later of 365 days from the first post-discharge bill, or 30 days after notice that collection actions are starting.The policy says: “Applicants have the later of (a) 365 days from the date of the first post-discharge Billing Statement” (page 3)
- How to apply
- Contact Financial Counseling, apply in person, online or by mail, and include income proof and one proof of Colorado residency. The policy and application are posted online in English and Spanish.
- Also good to know
- The patient must be a Colorado resident, though clinics outside Colorado are covered. Some physicians at UCHealth facilities are not covered, and a provider list is updated every quarter.
Common questions about UCHealth financial assistance
What is the income limit for UCHealth financial assistance?
UCHealth’s policy lists free care up to 250% 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 $39,900 for one person and $82,500 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. UCHealth decides from its own application; only the hospital can confirm what you may get.
How do I apply for UCHealth financial assistance?
Contact Financial Counseling, apply in person, online or by mail, and include income proof and one proof of Colorado residency. The policy and application are posted online in English and Spanish. Time to apply: The later of 365 days from the first post-discharge bill, or 30 days after notice that collection actions are starting.
Source
UCHealth Financial Assistance Policy, Appendix A rates apply as of 2/1/26. Read with AI reading tools on November 6, 2026, and checked by a second one against the same document.
We are not part of UCHealth. 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 Colorado? Find your hospital by name or town (93 Colorado 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.