How to apply for HCA Florida Putnam Hospital Financial Assistance (Palatka)

Who it's for

HCA Florida Putnam Hospital (formerly Putnam Community Medical Center) is the principal hospital serving Putnam County, located at 611 Zeagler Drive in Palatka. As a 99-bed acute care facility within the HCA Florida Healthcare network, the hospital follows HCA's system-wide Financial Assistance Policy: patients with income between zero and 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Level may have a 100 percent charity discount processed if they provide sufficient supporting documentation. For patients with balances greater than $1,500 and income between 201 and 400 percent FPL, an expanded financial assistance policy provides sliding-scale relief. HCA also provides an Uninsured Discount for patients with no third-party payer coverage. As HCA Putnam is the sole acute-care hospital in Putnam County, it functions as the county's de facto safety-net facility — there is no public hospital district or county indigent care plan in Putnam, so HCA's §501(r)-equivalent policy is the principal hospital-side safety net. For specialty/tertiary care, Putnam residents typically travel to UF Health Shands in Gainesville (Alachua), UF Health Jacksonville (Duval), or Flagler Hospital in St. Augustine (St. Johns) — each operating under its own financial assistance policy. Call (386) 328-5711 to start.

What you'll need

• Completed HCA Florida Healthcare Financial Assistance Application
• Proof of household income (pay stubs, Social Security award letter, tax return, SSA-1099)
• Proof of family/household size
• Photo identification
• Documentation of insurance status (or proof of uninsured status for Uninsured Discount)
• For sliding-scale relief 201-400% FPL: documented balance greater than $1,500

Where to apply

Renewals

per encounter; annual recertification for ongoing patients