Hospital Charity Care in Texas: Financial Assistance Guide

Texas is home to some of the largest nonprofit hospital systems in the country, including Baylor Scott & White, Houston Methodist, Memorial Hermann, and numerous hospitals in the HCA system. Each of these systems maintains financial assistance programs that can significantly reduce or eliminate medical bills for qualifying patients.

Most Texas nonprofit hospitals provide free care for patients at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level. Some extend sliding-scale discounts to patients earning up to 300-400% FPL. Baylor Scott & White, the largest nonprofit health system in Texas, provides full charity care below 200% FPL with discounts up to 300% FPL.

Texas does not have state-level charity care laws as strong as some states like Washington or California. However, federal IRS 501(r) requirements still apply to all nonprofit hospitals in Texas, mandating that they maintain and publicize financial assistance policies, screen patients before pursuing extraordinary collection actions, and limit charges for eligible patients.

If you received care at a Texas hospital, check the hospital's nonprofit status and apply for financial assistance if your income qualifies. BillDelete creates customized financial assistance applications that reference the specific policies of major Texas hospital systems.