Financial Assistance at Ingalls

UChicago Medicine Ingalls Memorial recognizes that patients and their families may need help paying for health services if they do not have health insurance or if their insurance does not cover their entire bill. We offer discounts based on financial need, which may cover all or part of a patient’s account balance(s).

All patients may apply for financial assistance if they have a balance due after their insurer has paid its share of a bill(s). In some cases, such as for children, the individual responsible for paying the patient’s bills (known as the guarantor) can apply for financial assistance.

Financial Assistance Criteria

Proven financial need, household income, family size and other resources determine if a patient can get a discount on their balance due:

Patients with household incomes at 200 percent or less of the federal poverty level can receive a 100 percent discount.
Patients with household incomes above 200 percent but below 600 percent of the federal poverty level can receive an 80 percent discount.
In addition, patients whose Ingalls Memorial bills for one year total 20 percent or more of their annual adjusted gross income will not have to pay more than 20 percent of their income for all of those bills.
Discounts only apply to emergency treatment and medically necessary health care services. Non-medically necessary services, such as cosmetic procedures, are not discounted.

Patients who receive financial assistance cannot be charged more than the amounts generally billed by UChicago Medicine Ingalls Memorial.

Applying for Financial Assistance

How to Apply for Financial Assistance

The best way to start your Financial Assistance application is through our patient portal MyChart. There you can complete the application and upload all of the necessary documents for our team to review.

If MyChart isn’t an option for you, you can also follow the process below to apply for financial assistance.

The process for applying for financial assistance is as follows:

Download and fill out the application for financial assistance, which is available in English or in Spanish.
Supply supporting documents listed on the application, including copies of tax returns and proof of income (e.g., pay stubs).
Sign the application and return it with required documentation as soon as possible to the following address:

The University of Chicago Medicine
150 Harvester Dr., Ste 300
Burr Ridge, IL 60527-5965

We will review the application and back-up documents and notify you if additional information is required.
You will receive written notification of an approval for financial assistance or a denial (and the reason the request is denied), typically within 10 business days of our receipt of all required documents.

Contact Us

Financial Assistance Frequently Asked Questions

We also offer the options of monthly payment plans and applying for financial assistance based upon family size and income.

We know most medical costs are unexpected, and understanding your medical bills can be complicated. Our financial team wants to help you meet your treatment needs and billing specialists and financial counselors are available to help answer your questions.

What is financial assistance?

The hospital is committed to providing all of our patients with high-quality care and services. As part of this commitment, the hospital works with individuals with limited incomes and resources to find available options to cover the cost of their care.

Financial Counselors will help uninsured and underinsured individuals apply for health coverage through a public assistance program or the hospital’s financial assistance program, and work with individuals to enroll as appropriate. Assistance for these programs is determined by reviewing, among other items, an individual’s household income, assets, family size, expenses, and medical needs.

If you think you might qualify for assistance, we encourage you to contact us and apply.

Who qualifies for financial assistance?

Financial assistance is available for patients with limited incomes and who are uninsured or under insured.

Patients may be eligible to receive financial assistance for non-emergency, medically necessary services at UChicago Ingalls if they meet the income limits.

If approved, financial assistance reduces your bill. How much it is reduced is based on established guidelines that include: income level, existing debts, medical situation, and other indicators of inability to pay.

If your income is at or below 200% of the current Federal Poverty Guidelines and you meet program guidelines, you may be eligible for care at a reduced cost or no cost to you.

Income based discount eligibility

What if I do not meet the income limits for financial aid?

What do I need to apply for financial assistance?

You will need to supply the financial counselor with one of the following documents to qualify for financial assistance:

Required Supporting Documentation			Examples of acceptable documentation
Confirmation of Annual Income			Last 2 pay stubs Recent Federal Income Tax Return Most recent W-2 or 1099 Social Security Award Letter Unemployment Statement Workers Compensation Award Letter Pension or Annuity Statement
Identity Proofing Verification			One of the following: Driver's license School identification card Voter registration card U.S. military card or draft record Identification card issued by federal, state or government including: U.S. passport or U.S. passport card Illinois ID Military dependent's identification card Native American Tribal document U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Mariner card Permanent resident card or alien registration receipt card (Form I-551) Employment Authorization document that contains a photograph (Form I-766) Foreign passport or identification card issues by a foreign embassy or consulate that contains a photograph OR any two of the following: Birth certificate Social security card Marriage certificate Divorce decree Employer identification card High school diploma or college diploma Proper deed or title
Verification of residency			Utility bill Rental agreement/lease Mortgage statement Tax bill Rooms & board statement Written verification from landlord

Can someone explain the financial assistance program and help me apply?

Can someone explain the Financial Assistance Program and help me apply?

Yes, free confidential help is available. Call our Financial Assistance Program at 708-333-1100, or visit the financial counselors at your preferred location.
Si usted no habla inglés, los servicios de interpretes están disponibles con cita previa.

The Financial Counselor can tell you if you qualify for free or low-cost insurance such as Medicaid. The Financial Counselor will help you complete all the forms and tell you which documents you need to bring.