How to apply for Carle Richland Memorial Hospital (Olney) — Financial Assistance (Richland County)

Who it's for

Richland County's hospital is Carle Richland Memorial Hospital in Olney — a 45-bed critical-access hospital, part of the Carle Health system, with emergency, inpatient, surgical, and outpatient services. Carle 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 Carle Patient Financial Services (618-395-2131) or at https://carle.org/locations/carle-richland-memorial-hospital.

What you'll need

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

Where to apply

What to say when you call

“Hello, I'm calling to ask about Carle Richland Memorial Hospital (Olney) — Financial Assistance (Richland County). I'd like to know whether I may qualify, what documents I need, and whether I can apply online, by mail, by phone, or in person. I understand I may need proof of household income, proof of richland county / illinois residency, photo identification — is anything else required? What is the best next step?”

Tip: have a pen ready, ask for the person's name, and write down any case or reference number they give you.

Renewals

per-encounter or annual