How to apply for Sarah Bush Lincoln Fayette County Hospital (Vandalia) — Financial Assistance (Fayette County)

Who it's for

Fayette County's hospital is Sarah Bush Lincoln Fayette County Hospital in Vandalia — a 25-bed critical-access hospital now affiliated with the Sarah Bush Lincoln Health System, with emergency, inpatient, long-term-care, and outpatient services. Sarah Bush Lincoln offers a Financial Assistance / Charity Care program with discounts on a sliding scale for income-eligible patients. DISTINCTIVE to Illinois: state law (the Hospital Uninsured Patient Discount Act + Fair Patient Billing Act) REQUIRES hospitals to provide financial assistance — uninsured patients at or below 200% (rural/critical-access) or 300% (urban) of the Federal Poverty Level generally receive free care, with capped discounts above that. Most Illinois hospitals have a robust charity-care policy as a result. Apply through Sarah Bush Lincoln Patient Financial Services (618-283-1231) or at https://www.sarahbush.org/.

What you'll need

• Proof of household income
• Proof of Fayette County / Illinois residency
• Photo identification
• Proof of uninsured status or insurance gap
• Hospital bill or pre-treatment estimate

Where to apply

Renewals

per-encounter or annual