Benefits · Healthcare
How to apply for UF Health Shands Hospital Financial Assistance — 185% FPL Charity + 79.41% AGB Discount + 45% Uninsured Discount
UF Health Shands Hospital — academic medical center + Level I Trauma Center operated by UF Health (University of Florida Health); 1,162-bed flagship of the UF Health system at 1600 SW Archer Road, Gainesville FL 32610; principal tertiary referral hospital for North Central Florida and a national leader in transplant, cardiac, neurosurgery, and pediatric specialty care
Who it's for
UF Health Shands Hospital is the academic medical center and Level I Trauma Center anchoring UF Health (University of Florida Health) — a 1,162-bed flagship at 1600 SW Archer Road in Gainesville. Shands is North Central Florida's premier tertiary referral center, providing complex transplant, cardiac, neurosurgery, oncology, pediatric specialty, and trauma care. The Financial Assistance Policy is stricter than peer FL hospital records: patients with gross income below 185% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) qualify for 100% charity care; UF Health does NOT offer sliding-scale charity assistance to applicants whose gross family income exceeds 200% FPL. The modeled $28,860 income gate uses the 185% FPL single-person 2026 threshold for the 100% charity tier. Patients eligible for charity care receive a minimum 79.41% discount on gross charges based on AGB (Amounts Generally Billed) calculation. Additionally, uninsured patients NOT eligible for the standard FAP may receive a 45% self-pay discount off gross charges — a meaningful baseline reduction. Applications are processed within 7 business days. Apply by contacting Patient Financial Services at 352-265-7906 OR in person at UF Health Professional Park (3300 SW Williston Road, Gainesville 32608) OR at UF Health Shands Hospital UF Health Admissions Department (1600 SW Archer Road, Room 1331, Gainesville 32610). Applications are available in English, Spanish, and Mandarin.
UF Health Shands' 185% FPL threshold for 100% charity is STRICTER than peer FL hospital records (HCA Florida 200%, Ascension 200%, AdventHealth 250%, Baptist Jax 300%). The modeled $28,860 income gate is the 185% FPL single-person 2026 threshold; scales up by household size. CRITICAL: UF Health explicitly does NOT offer sliding-scale charity assistance above 200% FPL — patients with income between 185% and 200% may still qualify for the 79.41% AGB discount, but patients above 200% FPL get no charity-tier assistance at all (they may still receive the 45% uninsured self-pay discount if uninsured). The 7-business-day application processing is fast for an academic medical center. As a tertiary referral hospital, Shands often handles patients referred from smaller FL community hospitals — the FAP applies to Shands' bill regardless of the referring hospital. Patients should ALWAYS ask about financial assistance during admission; the multilingual applications (English/Spanish/Mandarin) reflect Gainesville's diverse patient population. For Shands inpatient stays involving high-acuity care, the dollar value of FAP coverage can be substantial — easily $50,000+ for complex transplant or cardiac surgery cases.
What you'll need
- Completed UF Health Shands Financial Assistance Application (available free in English, Spanish, Mandarin)
- Proof of household income (recent pay stubs, Social Security award letter, tax return, SSA-1099)
- Proof of family/household size
- Photo identification
- Documentation of insurance status (insurance denial letter, Medicaid denial, or proof of uninsured status)
Where to apply
Apply online: official application
By phone: 352-265-7906
Renewals
per encounter; documentation refresh required for ongoing patients; applications processed in 7 business days
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