Hospital Bill Help in New York

Written by: Jeneli Almonte; Lead Care Manager
Last updated: October 10, 2026
Read time: 5 min

Key points

New York hospitals must give free care to patients with household income under 200% of the poverty level. In 2026, that's $31,920 a year for one person, the Attorney General says.
Patients with income up to $63,840 a year for one person, or 400% of the poverty level, can get a discount.
People with Medicare can qualify if their medical costs in the past year were more than 10% of their household income.
Since December 13, 2023, New York hospitals, doctors and ambulance companies cannot report medical debt to credit bureaus.

If you're new to this, start with how to check and lower a medical bill.

A hospital bill you can't pay is frightening. New York's Hospital Financial Aid Law makes every licensed hospital offer free or lower-cost care to people who cannot pay. All of them use one state form. There's no deadline, so you can apply any time, even after a bill goes to collections.

You may qualify if

You got emergency or other needed care at a New York hospital.
Your household income is under $63,840 a year for one person, or $86,560 for a couple, in 2026.
You have no insurance, your benefits ran out, or your medical costs last year were over 10% of your income.

Not sure you qualify? Apply anyway, because the hospital makes the call and you can appeal if it says no. If you would rather not do it alone, a Pair Team advocate can help you apply.

What a New York hospital may charge you (2026)

Yearly household income	One person	Couple	What the hospital may charge you
Under 200% of the poverty level	Under $31,920	Under $43,280	Nothing
200% to 300%	$31,920 to $47,880	$43,280 to $64,920	Up to 10% of what you would owe through your insurance. With no insurance, up to 10% of what Medicaid would pay
301% to 400%	$47,880 to $63,840	$64,920 to $86,560	Up to 20% of those amounts
Over 400%	Over $63,840	Over $86,560	The law does not require help, but a hospital may offer it

These rules apply to care on or after October 20, 2024, the Department of Health says. The dollar lines rise each year with the federal poverty level.

Can I get help if I have Medicare?

Yes, you can get help if your costs are high. The law calls this being underinsured. You're underinsured if your deductibles, copays and other costs for needed care last year were more than 10% of your income. The law uses household income before taxes, and what you pay each month for coverage doesn't count. If you and your spouse make $30,000 a year, more than $3,000 in costs can count. The hospital may ask for proof of the bills.

If your costs are under 10%, you can still ask for help with copays and deductibles. That part is up to the hospital.

How to apply

Get the state form, the New York State Uniform Hospital Financial Assistance Application, in English and 16 other languages. Ask the billing office, or print it from the hospital's or the Department of Health's website.
Fill in your household size and income before taxes, which decide your income line.
Attach proof of income: a Social Security letter or other benefit statement, a tax return or pay stubs. If you have no income, sign a statement that says so. The hospital cannot turn you down just because you don't have bank statements or a tax return.
Send it to the hospital and keep a copy. While it reviews your form, it cannot send your bill to a debt collector. It must answer in writing within 30 days of getting a complete form.
If the answer is no, or the help is too small, appeal. The letter must tell you how.

For free help, call Community Health Advocates at 888-614-5400, weekdays 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Department of Health pays this nonprofit to help with these forms. For Medicare questions, call the Health Insurance Information, Counseling and Assistance Program (HIICAP), New York's free Medicare counseling, at 1-800-701-0501.

Limits on collecting a hospital bill

Six months before collections. A hospital cannot send a bill to a collector, or sue, until at least 180 days after the first bill.
No lawsuits under 400%. A hospital may not sue patients whose income is under 400% of the poverty level over a medical bill.
Payment plans you can afford. If you qualify, the hospital must offer a monthly plan. Each payment can be no more than 5% of your monthly income before taxes, and interest no more than 2% a year.
No turning you away. A hospital cannot refuse to admit or treat you because of an unpaid bill.
Medical debt stays off credit reports. Under the Fair Medical Debt Reporting Act, hospitals, doctors and ambulance companies cannot report medical debt to a credit bureau. What you owe on a payment plan is covered too.

Where to complain

The Attorney General's Health Care Helpline is at 1-800-428-9071. Call if a hospital didn't offer help, wrongly turned you down, sent a bill to collections too soon, or sued you.
The New York State Department of Health: fill out its hospital financial assistance complaint form and email it to HFAL@health.ny.gov.
Community Health Advocates at 888-614-5400 can help you file and talk to the hospital.

What a Pair Team advocate does

A New York patient calling us about a hospital bill often has rent or a heating bill due too. This is what we do:

Call the billing office with you and get the state form.
Gather your income papers, fill out the form, and follow up until the hospital decides.
Check if you can get the Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) program or Medicaid, which can pay your copays from now on.
Help with what usually comes with it: Medicaid, rides and the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP). We also help with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), once called food stamps.

An advocate is covered by Medicare if you qualify. It takes two minutes to find out.

Check if you qualify for a Pair Team advocate

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to live near the hospital?

For emergency care, you don't have to live near the hospital. For other needed care, a hospital only has to help people who live in its service area. Its policy says what that area is.

Does the law cover my doctor's bill?

No, the law covers only hospitals, not other kinds of providers, the Attorney General says. If a doctor's group bills you on its own, ask if it has its own help.

Does the hospital look at my house or savings?

No, a hospital cannot ask about things you own, like a house or a car. Help is based on household income.

I have QMB. Can the hospital bill me for Medicare copays?

No, with QMB no one may bill you for Medicare copays or deductibles. See Medicare Savings Programs in New York.

Does immigration status matter?

No, the hospital cannot use it to decide, and applying doesn't count as a public benefit.

A medical bill is on my credit report. What do I do?

Dispute it with each of the three credit bureaus and ask them to remove it. Tell the hospital or collector that New York law bars reporting it.

Sources

About the author

Jeneli Almonte

Lead Care Manager

Jeneli Almonte is a Lead Care Manager at Pair Team. Since 2022, she has helped patients with benefits, housing and food.

Read bio