How to apply for SIH (Memorial Hospital of Carbondale + St. Joseph Memorial Murphysboro) — Financial Assistance (Jackson County)

Who it's for

Jackson County hospital safety net: Southern Illinois Healthcare (SIH) is the dominant anchor for the region — Memorial Hospital of Carbondale (the SIH flagship and regional referral center) and SIH St. Joseph Memorial Hospital (Murphysboro), with SIU Medicine also based in Carbondale. SIH's Healthcare Assistance Program (HAP) provides discounts on a sliding scale up to 100% of hospital charges 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 SIH Patient Financial Services (1-800-457-1393) or at https://www.sih.net/patients-and-visitors/financial-resources/healthcare-assistance-program.

What you'll need

• Proof of household income
• Proof of Jackson 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