Sacred Heart Hospital is part of the Sacred Heart Health System. SHHS is a ministry of Ascension Health, which is one of the nation’s largest Catholic healthcare systems. SHHS is driven by its mission to serve all patients, with particular attention to those who are poor and vulnerable.
Every day, SHHS’s financial counselors assist the uninsured. SHHS provides assistance to patients who demonstrate immediate need, especially those who present to the emergency room, based on the patient’s income, as well as the patient’s assets and the size of the medical bill.
SHHS’s financial assistance to the indigent, poor and uninsured includes:
- Charity care: For the indigent, poor or low-income patients determined by SHHS’s financial counselors to be eligible for charity care. SHHS will provide up to the entire cost of the patient’s hospital care at no charge. The charity care guidelines take into account the patient’s total household income and the size of their medical bills.
- Uninsured Patients with Means to Pay: Not all uninsured patients are poor or qualify for charity status. However, all uninsured patients are eligible to receive a 20 percent discount on their hospital bill. They will also provide an additional 20 percent prompt pay discount to the uninsured who pay their bills on or before the date of service. The discount for the uninsured applies to all hospital care with only a key exception: those having elective, cosmetic procedures. The discount does not apply to individual physician bills, home health or other services outside of the hospital setting.
- Other assistance: SHHS assists patients in the process of qualifying for Social Security Disability, Medicaid and other medical health programs, and it offers extended payment options for those who do not qualify for charity care.
Billing and Collection Practices for the Uninsured: SHHS will not pursue liens or garnishment of wages against any patient who qualifies for charity care or financial assistance. Nor will such individuals be charged interest on unpaid balances.
Independent collection agencies associated with SHHS will adhere to SHHS’s policies and must receive approval from them before pursuing any legal action against an individual who does not qualify for charity care or financial assistance.
Financial Arrangements
If are indigent or uninsured, if your insurance policy does not cover all charges or if you anticipate difficulty paying your hospital bill, call Patient Accounts at (850) 416-7190 or call toll-free at 1-866-869-9677. One of SSH’s Patient Account Representatives will assist you with financial arrangements.
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