How to Settle your Emergency Room bill when you have no money

You or a loved one may have occasion to visit your local emergency room due to illness or accident. Fortunately, hospitals are required to provide treatment even when the patient has no insurance. However, you will be billed for services. If you have no money, here are some steps you can take.

Things You'll Need

• Proof of income or assistance.
• Access to hospital Social Work department or Patient Advocacy.
• The bill from the hospital.

Instructions

1. Take the bill to the hospital's Social Work or Patient Advocacy department.

2. Find out what pay code category the hospital assigned to your account. Usually when patients present with no insurance, the hospital will assign the pay code as "self pay". This category makes the patient personally responsible for the bill.

3. Show the social worker or patient advocate your proof of income or public assistance. Based on this information and your current responsibilities the hospital should waive the fees. If not, you can request that your account pay code be changed to indigent. Indigent patients are not held responsible for payment.

Tips & Warnings

• Be patient. You may have to make multiple contacts with the hospital's social work, patient advocacy or billing staff.

• Do not misuse this information as it could create the opposite effect. This method will help you if you are not a habitual user of emergency room services.