Brattleboro Memorial Hospital is a patient-centered organization committed to treating all patients equitably, with dignity and respect regardless of the patient’s health care insurance benefits or financial resources.
Brattleboro Memorial Hospital’s Free Care program is designed to assist those patients who are either uninsured, underinsured or have limited financial resources that impact their ability to fully pay for their hospital care. When making application for Free Care, patients are first asked to investigate whether or not they may be eligible for Medicare, Medicaid, Veterans’ Benefits or other governmental or public assistance programs. Free Care should always be the payors last resort.
A. Qualifications for Free Care:
- Free Care is limited to medically necessary services. Patients receiving certain elective services, such as those considered cosmetic, investigational or experimental, are expected to make payment arrangements in advance, as these types of services are not covered by Free Care;
- Patients’ family income must be at or below 300% of the current Federal Poverty Income Guidelines for their family size;
- Patients or their guarantors must complete a Free Care application and provide the hospital with verification of income. Responsible parties may be asked to disclose the identity and amounts of any assets that could be used to pay for medical expenses. NOTE: Income verification may be waived at the discretion of the Director of Patient Financial Services, particularly in those instances in which patients have subsequently qualified for Medicaid, or are deceased, with no estate;
- Free Care applications will be processed within two weeks of the date of their receipt in our Business Office;
- Free Care applies only to those patient accounts still in active Accounts Receivable; no Free Care allowance may be applied against accounts that have been forwarded to a collection agency as Bad Debt.
B. Patients will be notified in writing of their approval or denial status within 30 days of the date of receipt of the application and any required supporting documentation. All accounts written off to Free Care must be approved by the Director of Patient Financial Services or the Vice-President of Finance.
To be considered or if you have questions regarding our financial assistance programs, please contact our Patient Financial Services office at 802-257-8230, Monday through Friday 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM.
Brattleboro Memorial Hospital
Patient Financial Services
17 Belmont Avenue
Brattleboro, VT 05301
