Benefits · Healthcare

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

Carle Health (Carle Richland Memorial Hospital) — Illinois critical-access hospital financial assistance

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.

Richland = Carle Richland Memorial Hospital (Olney, 45-bed CAH, Carle Health — carle.org reused) Charity Care. Illinois LAW mandates financial assistance (free care to ~200-300% FPL).

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

Apply online: official application

By phone: 618-395-2131

Renewals

per-encounter or annual

Official source →Last verified · June 14, 2026

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Not legal or financial advice. The agency makes the final eligibility decision.