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Hospital financial assistance in Illinois

Illinois law requires hospitals to reduce or write off bills for patients whose household income falls below set levels. This is usually called charity care. Below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level the bill must be written off in full. Brightbill tracks 208 Illinois hospitals and shows the statute behind every answer.

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Free-care income limits in Illinois (2026 guidelines)

Annual household income at 200% of the Federal Poverty Level: at or below these figures, Illinois law requires the bill to be written off in full.

Household of 1
$31,920
Household of 2
$43,280
Household of 3
$54,640
Household of 4
$66,000
Household of 5
$77,360
Household of 6+
$88,720

Discounts and payment protections continue above this level, up to 600% of the Federal Poverty Level.

Hospitals in Illinois

  • Up to 200% of the Federal Poverty Level

    Bill written off in full

    210 ILCS 89

  • 200%–600% of the Federal Poverty Level

    Monthly payments capped at 25% of monthly household income

    210 ILCS 89

Rural and critical-access hospitals in Illinois

  • Up to 125% of the Federal Poverty Level

    Bill written off in full

    210 ILCS 89

  • 125%–300% of the Federal Poverty Level

    Monthly payments capped at 25% of monthly household income

    210 ILCS 89

What Illinois nonprofit hospitals reported to the IRS

Nonprofit hospitals that file IRS Form 990 report their financial assistance policy every year on Schedule H. These are the income limits each one reported in its most recent filing, as a percentage of the Federal Poverty Level. Where Illinois law sets a higher limit, the law applies. Policies can change after a filing, so the hospital's current written policy decides.

Financial assistance limits reported on IRS Form 990 Schedule H by Illinois nonprofit hospitals
HospitalFree care up toDiscounted care up toAsset testPresumptive eligibilityTax year
Advocate Condell Medical CenterLibertyville300%600%Not statedYes2024
Advocate Sherman HospitalElgin300%600%Not statedYes2024
Anderson HospitalMaryville200%600%YesYes2024
Ann & Robert H Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago - DBA Lurie Children'sChicago300%400%YesYes2024
Central DuPage Hospital - DBA Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage HospitalWinfield250%600%YesYes2024
Community Hospital of StauntonStaunton125%300%Not statedYes2024
Decatur Memorial HospitalDecatur300%301%YesYes2024
Edward HospitalNaperville200%600%Not statedYes2024
Elmhurst Memorial HospitalElmhurst200%600%Not statedYes2024
Fairfield Memorial HospitalFairfield200%300%Not statedYes2024
Ferrell Hospital Community FoundationEldorado200%300%YesYes2024
Genesis Medical Center AledoAledo200%400%Not statedYes2024
Good Samaritan Hospital - AdvocateDowners Grove300%600%Not statedYes2024
Graham Hospital AssociationCanton180%300%Not statedYes2024
Hardin County General HospitalRosiclare125%400%Not statedYes2024
Harrisburg Medical Center, Inc.Harrisburg200%600%Not statedYes2024
Herrin HospitalHerrin200%600%Not statedYes2024
Holy Cross HospitalChicago300%600%Not statedYes2024
HSHS Good Shepherd Hospital, Inc.Shelbyville200%600%YesYes2024
HSHS Holy Family Hospital, Inc.Greenville200%600%YesYes2024
Humboldt Park HealthChicago200%600%YesYes2024
Ingalls Memorial HospitalHarvey200%600%YesYes2024
Jackson Park HospitalChicago200%200%Not statedYes2024
Kishwaukee Community Hospital - DBA Northwestern Medicine Kishwaukee HospitalDekalb250%600%YesYes2024
Lawrence County Memorial HospitalLawrenceville200%400%YesNot stated2024
Lutheran General Hospital - AdvocatePark Ridge300%600%Not statedYes2024
Marshall Browning HospitalDu Quoin200%300%Not statedYes2024
Memorial Hospital of CarbondaleCarbondale200%600%Not statedYes2024
Midwest Medical CenterGalena150%300%YesYes2024
Midwestern Regional Medical Center, Inc.Zion200%600%Not statedYes2024
Northwest Community HospitalArlington Heights200%600%Not statedYes2024
Northwestern Lake Forest HospitalLake Forest250%600%YesYes2024
Northwestern Memorial HospitalChicago250%600%YesYes2024
OSF Holy Family Medical CenterMonmouth250%400%Not statedYes2024
OSF Little Company of Mary Medical CenterEvergreen Park250%600%Not statedYes2024
OSF Saint Anthony's Health CenterAlton250%600%Not statedYes2024
OSF Saint Luke Medical CenterKewanee250%400%Not statedYes2024
Palos Community HospitalPalos Heights250%600%YesYes2024
Pana Community HospitalPana200%300%Not statedYes2024
Riverside Medical CenterKankakee200%600%Not statedYes2024
Rochelle Community HospitalRochelle200%300%Not statedYes2024
Roseland Community HospitalChicago300%600%YesYes2024
Rush Oak Park Hospital, Inc.Oak Park300%600%YesYes2024
Rush University Medical CenterChicago300%600%YesYes2024
Saint Anthony HospitalChicago200%600%Not statedYes2024
Saint Anthony Medical CenterRockford250%600%Not statedYes2024
Saint Francis Medical CenterPeoria250%600%Not statedYes2024
South Shore HospitalChicago200%400%YesYes2024
St Alexius Medical CenterHoffman Estates250%600%YesYes2024
St Joseph Memorial HospitalMurphysboro200%600%Not statedYes2024
St Joseph's HospitalHighland200%600%YesYes2024
St. Anthony's Memorial HospitalEffingham200%600%YesYes2024
St. Bernard HospitalChicago200%600%Not statedYes2024
St. Francis HospitalLitchfield200%600%YesYes2024
St. John's HospitalSpringfield200%600%YesYes2024
St. Joseph Medical CenterBloomington250%600%Not statedYes2024
St. Joseph's HospitalBreese200%600%YesYes2024
St. Mary Medical CenterGalesburg250%400%Not statedYes2024
St. Mary's Hospital - DBA SSM Health St. Mary's Hospital - CentraliaCentralia200%400%YesYes2024
Taylorville Memorial HospitalTaylorville300%301%YesYes2024
The Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital - DBA Lincoln Memorial HospitalLincoln300%301%YesYes2024
The University of Chicago Medical CenterChicago200%600%YesYes2024
Thomas H. Boyd Memorial HospitalCarrollton200%300%Not statedYes2024
Thorek Memorial HospitalChicago200%600%YesYes2024

Source: IRS Form 990 Schedule H, Part V, from the IRS e-file data, most recent filing since 2022 for each hospital. "Presumptive eligibility" means the hospital reported deciding eligibility for some patients without an application before starting collection actions. "Not stated" means the filing gave no figure or left the box unchecked.

Illinois hospitals covered in detail

157 Illinois hospitals with their own page.

Every other Illinois hospital is in the checker too, including hospitals in Aledo, Alton, Anna, Arlington Heights, Aurora, Barrington, Belleville, Belvidere.

If an Illinois hospital does not follow the law

Illinois complaints are handled by Office of the Illinois Attorney General: Health Care Bureau. Brightbill will soon prepare that complaint for you, free.

Common questions

Who qualifies for free hospital care in Illinois?

Under 210 ILCS 89, Hospital Uninsured Patient Discount Act, a household with income up to 200% of the Federal Poverty Level qualifies to have the bill written off in full. Using the 2026 federal poverty guidelines, that is about $31,920 a year for a household of one and about $66,000 a year for a household of four.

What if my income is above the free-care limit in Illinois?

Illinois rules still reach higher incomes. 200%–600% of the Federal Poverty Level: monthly payments capped at 25% of monthly household income. The protections run up to 600% of the Federal Poverty Level.

Which Illinois hospitals have to offer financial assistance?

Brightbill tracks 208 hospitals in Illinois. The Illinois rule applies to hospitals in the state, and nonprofit hospitals nationwide must also have a written financial assistance policy to keep their federal tax exemption.

Is the Illinois eligibility check free?

Yes. The Brightbill eligibility check is free and anonymous. It needs no account and no sign-in, and never asks for your name, hospital records, bill number or contact details. Coming soon: Brightbill will do it for you, free: the financial assistance application to the hospital and any surprise bill dispute, followed through to the answer. Leave your email after your check and we'll tell you when it opens.

Can I still apply after my Illinois bill has gone to collections?

Often yes. Many state charity-care laws let you apply after the bill is issued, and applying can pause collection activity or lead to a refund if you already paid more than the law allows. The exact window is set by 210 ILCS 89, Hospital Uninsured Patient Discount Act, and Office of the Illinois Attorney General: Health Care Bureau handles complaints when a hospital does not follow it.

Does the No Surprises Act protect me in Illinois?

Yes. The federal No Surprises Act applies in every state, including Illinois. If you have health insurance, it protects you from surprise out-of-network bills for emergency care, for care from out-of-network doctors at an in-network hospital or surgery center (unless you signed a valid consent for certain non-emergency care), and for air ambulance flights: you owe only your in-network share. If you are uninsured or paying yourself, you can ask for a written Good Faith Estimate before scheduled care, and if the final bill is at least $400 more than that estimate you can dispute it through the federal process within 120 days of the bill. Brightbill's free check covers both charity care and these protections.

Can Brightbill send the letters for me?

Soon. Brightbill's full service opens soon, and it will be free. When it opens: Brightbill applies to the hospital for financial assistance, follows up, reads the reply and checks the decision against the law and the hospital's own policy. For a surprise bill or a bill above your Good Faith Estimate, it walks you through the government dispute form step by step, writes any letter your case needs, sends it with your approval and tracks the deadlines. It sends by email first. If an office only accepts mail, Brightbill mails it at no cost (the application and one follow-up for each provider). For charity care, you check and sign once and Brightbill sends the application, follows up and asks you before any appeal or complaint. For a surprise bill, you approve each letter before it is sent. Letters go from a secure case address, so the reply comes back to you and into your case. The free check stays free and anonymous.

Does Brightbill give legal advice about Illinois hospital bills?

No. Brightbill is an eligibility estimate to act on, not legal advice, and it is not affiliated with any hospital. It shows the statute behind every result so you can check it yourself; the hospital's financial assistance office makes the final decision.

Check my Illinois hospital bill

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Legal basis: 210 ILCS 89, Hospital Uninsured Patient Discount Act requires Illinois hospitals to offer charity care and discount payment to eligible patients.

This is an estimate, not legal advice. Each hospital's financial assistance office makes the final decision. Terms · Health Data Privacy Policy.