Hospital Financial Assistance You May Be Missing
A family of 4 earning under $124,800 qualifies for free care at Inova
This analysis covers hospitals in Virginia. We're expanding to new states — check our latest findings or our Virginia and North Carolina pricing reports.
Virginia's largest nonprofit hospital systems are required to offer financial assistance to patients who can't afford care. These programs can cover 100% of the bill — but most eligible patients never apply because they don't know the programs exist.
Eligibility is based on household income relative to the Federal Poverty Level (FPL). For 2026, 100% FPL for a family of four is $31,200.
Virginia hospital financial assistance thresholds
| Hospital | System | Free Care Below | Family of 4 Limit | Charity Care Provided |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| INOVA ALEXANDRIA HOSPITAL | Inova Health System | 400% FPL | $124,800 | $23.5M |
| INOVA FAIR OAKS HOSPITAL | Inova Health System | 400% FPL | $124,800 | $13.3M |
| INOVA LOUDOUN HOSPITAL | Inova Health System | 400% FPL | $124,800 | $19.6M |
| INOVA MOUNT VERNON HOSPITAL | Inova Health System | 400% FPL | $124,800 | $12.5M |
| INOVA FAIRFAX HOSPITAL | Inova Health System | 400% FPL | $124,800 | $90.3M |
| SENTARA MARTHA JEFFERSON HOSPITAL | Sentara Health | 300% FPL | $93,600 | $5.3M |
| SENTARA RMH MEDICAL CENTER | Sentara Health | 300% FPL | $93,600 | $10.7M |
| SENTARA HALIFAX REGIONAL HOSPITAL | Sentara Health | 300% FPL | $93,600 | $2.4M |
| SENTARA LEIGH HOSPITAL | Sentara Health | 300% FPL | $93,600 | $10.7M |
| SENTARA PRINCESS ANNE HOSPITAL | Sentara Health | 300% FPL | $93,600 | $5.9M |
| SENTARA OBICI HOSPITAL | Sentara Health | 300% FPL | $93,600 | $7.6M |
| SENTARA CAREPLEX HOSPITAL | Sentara Health | 300% FPL | $93,600 | $8.1M |
| SENTARA WILLIAMSBURG REGIONAL MEDIC | Sentara Health | 300% FPL | $93,600 | $3.3M |
| SENTARA VIRGINIA BEACH GENERAL HOSP | Sentara Health | 300% FPL | $93,600 | $9.1M |
| SENTARA NORFOLK GENERAL HOSPITAL | Sentara Health | 300% FPL | $93,600 | $30.6M |
| SENTARA NORTHERN VIRGINIA MEDICAL C | Sentara Health | 300% FPL | $93,600 | $11.9M |
| UVA HEALTH HAYMARKET MEDICAL CENTER | UVA Health | 200% FPL | $62,400 | $2.1M |
| UVA HEALTH CULPEPER MEDICAL CENTER | UVA Health | 200% FPL | $62,400 | $9.0M |
| VCU HEALTH TAPPAHANNOCK HOSPITAL | VCU Health | 200% FPL | $62,400 | $1.2M |
| CARILION MEDICAL CENTER | Carilion Clinic | 200% FPL | $62,400 | $8.5M |
| CARILION GILES COMMUNITY HOSPITAL | Carilion Clinic | 200% FPL | $62,400 | $397,730 |
| CARILION NEW RIVER VALLEY MEDICAL C | Carilion Clinic | 200% FPL | $62,400 | $2.0M |
| CARILION TAZEWELL COMMUNITY HOSPITA | Carilion Clinic | 200% FPL | $62,400 | $231,523 |
| UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA MEDICAL CENT | UVA Health | 200% FPL | $62,400 | $61.8M |
| CARILION STONEWALL JACKSON HOSPITAL | Carilion Clinic | 200% FPL | $62,400 | $559,566 |
| CARILION FRANKLIN MEMORIAL HOSPITAL | Carilion Clinic | 200% FPL | $62,400 | $650,849 |
How to apply
Contact the hospital's billing department or financial counselor before your procedure. Ask for the Financial Assistance Policy (FAP) application. Under ACA Section 501(r), nonprofit hospitals are required to make these applications available and process them before sending bills to collections.
Financial assistance thresholds are shown on every hospital profile page.
Sources: hospital machine-readable files (45 CFR Part 180), CMS Hospital Compare, HCAHPS, CMS Cost Reports, and IRS Form 990 filings via ProPublica. Every number traces to a federal primary source — full methodology and direct links.
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