Benefits · Healthcare
How to apply for UPMC + Allegheny Health Network (AHN) — Financial Assistance (Allegheny County)
Two dominant competing systems serve Allegheny County: UPMC (University of Pittsburgh Medical Center) is the academic flagship with 40+ hospitals statewide; UPMC Presbyterian + UPMC Mercy + UPMC Shadyside form the Pittsburgh academic core. Allegheny Health Network (AHN) is Highmark-owned, operates Allegheny General Hospital (AGH, the de facto urban safety-net for the North Side), West Penn Hospital, and Forbes Hospital. UPMC and AHN are direct competitors with separate provider networks tied to their respective insurance products (UPMC Health Plan vs. Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield).
Who it's for
Allegheny County's principal community hospital safety net is UPMC Presbyterian (academic Level 1 trauma) + UPMC Mercy (Catholic urban safety-net, Mercy Hospital legacy) + UPMC Shadyside (oncology + academic) — UPMC core; Allegheny General Hospital (AGH, AHN urban safety-net) + West Penn Hospital (AHN) + Forbes (AHN, Monroeville) — AHN core. Each system has its own financial assistance program. Patients are often locked into a single network by insurance.. Each system operates a Financial Assistance Program (sliding scale typically to 300-400% FPL). Note: PA Medicaid ABD is STRICT (~$989/month), so many low-income seniors fall above Medicaid and rely on hospital FAPs. In SW PA, the dominant systems are UPMC (academic flagship), AHN (Highmark-owned), Independence Health (Excela + Butler merger 2024), and Heritage Valley (Beaver). Patients are often locked into a single network by insurance (UPMC Health Plan vs. Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield). Apply at the hospital's financial counseling office or at https://www.upmc.com/patients-visitors/billing-financial-assistance. Phone: 412-647-8762.
Allegheny: UPMC Presbyterian (academic Level 1 trauma) + UPMC Mercy (Catholic urban safety-net, Mercy Hospital legacy) + UPMC Shadyside (oncology + academic) — UPMC core; Allegheny General Hospital (AGH, AHN urban safety-net) + West Penn Hospital (AHN) + Forbes (AHN, Monroeville) — AHN core. Each system has its own financial assistance program. Patients are often locked into a single network by insurance.. UPMC vs. AHN insurance-tied network split is the dominant SW PA dynamic.
What you'll need
- Proof of household income
- Proof of Allegheny County / PA 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: 412-647-8762
Renewals
per-encounter or annual
Not sure if you qualify? Run a free check first.
Find my benefitsNot legal or financial advice. The agency makes the final eligibility decision.