Benefits · Healthcare
How to apply for HCA Florida Fort Walton-Destin Hospital Financial Assistance
HCA Florida Fort Walton-Destin Hospital (formerly Fort Walton Beach Medical Center) — HCA Florida Healthcare affiliate; 257-bed acute-care hospital at 1000 Mar-Walt Drive, Fort Walton Beach FL 32547; principal hospital safety net serving Okaloosa County and the broader Emerald Coast region
Who it's for
HCA Florida Fort Walton-Destin Hospital — formerly Fort Walton Beach Medical Center — is a 257-bed acute-care HCA Florida Healthcare affiliate at 1000 Mar-Walt Drive in Fort Walton Beach. The hospital is the principal acute-care safety net for Okaloosa County and serves the broader Emerald Coast region. The hospital follows the HCA Florida Healthcare system-wide Financial Assistance Policy: patients without health insurance who are between 0% and 200% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) and provide sufficient supporting documentation receive a 100% charity discount. For patients with balances greater than $1,500 whose documented income is between 201% and 400% FPL, the expanded financial assistance policy may reduce the amount owed (typically a sliding-scale discount). HCA requires that all federal, state, and third-party payer sources (Medicare, Medicaid, private insurance) be billed and resolved before charity is applied. Medicare accounts and non-Medicare inpatient accounts require income verification documentation. The Uninsured Discount is available for patients with no third-party payer who do not qualify for Medicaid, Charity, or other discount programs. Apply by contacting Patient Financial Services or via the HCA Florida system financial-assistance portal. Sister HCA Florida hospital in Okaloosa: North Okaloosa Medical Center in Crestview serves the northern county.
HCA Florida Fort Walton-Destin Hospital uses the standard HCA Florida tiered FAP: 0-200% FPL receives 100% charity (with documentation); 201-400% FPL receives sliding-scale discounts for balances greater than $1,500. The modeled $31,200 income gate is the 200% FPL single-person 2026 threshold for the 100% charity tier — patients above this may still qualify for partial assistance on the expanded program. HCA cannot apply charity until all payer sources (Medicare, Medicaid, private insurance) have been billed and resolved — bills appearing during the Medicaid pending phase are normal but charity processing waits. For tertiary care beyond Fort Walton-Destin's 257-bed scope (complex cardiac, level-1 trauma, specialized oncology), Okaloosa patients may be referred to Ascension Sacred Heart Pensacola or other regional referral hospitals — each with their own FAP. For seniors in northern Okaloosa (Crestview area), the sister HCA Florida hospital — North Okaloosa Medical Center — uses the same HCA Florida system FAP and may be geographically closer.
What you'll need
- Completed HCA Florida Patient Financial Assistance Application
- 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 (denial letter, Medicaid denial, or proof of uninsured status)
- For inpatient + Medicare accounts: full income verification required
Where to apply
Apply online: official application
By phone: 850-862-1111
Renewals
per encounter; documentation refresh required for ongoing patients
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Find my benefitsNot legal or financial advice. The agency makes the final eligibility decision.