Indigent and Charity Care

Need Help Getting Health Care Service?

This hospital participates in the Georgia Indigent Care Trust Fund. Georgia residents with qualifying financial need are eligible to receive certain benefits under the Trust Fund.

You have a right to:

• The availability of free and reduced–charge services.
• The ability to gain admittance without pre-admission deposits.
• Not be transferred solely or in significant part for economic reasons.
• The availability of services provided.
• The terms of eligibility for free and reduced services.
• The application process for free and reduced-charges.
• The person or office to whom complaints or questions about the hospital’s participation in or operation of the program may be directed.

Piedmont Augusta Health Services Indigent and Charity Care (ICCP) Summary

• No individual shall be denied medically necessary services (those services Georgia Medicaid would pay) based solely upon lack of ability to pay for services.  All policies shall be implemented in accordance with State and Federal rules and regulations.  Individuals shall be granted impartial consideration regardless of race, creed, sex, national origin, handicap, or age.
• Piedmont Augusta offers hospital services free of charge to patients who are
  • US citizens and
  • Georgia residents with income levels of 0% up to 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines with no other payor source. (Poverty Guidelines will be updated on April 1st every year.)   
• Free Care will be determined using an electronic financial eligibility/predictability (EES) system after patient has received services and  patient has been sent at least one statement and one bill.
  • The EES uses the patient’s data from tax returns, Credit Bureau, property values, mortgage loans, credit card usage, etc. to predict the ability to pay for the needed hospital services.  
  • The Free Care may be effective for one (1) year if patient completes application. 
  • If approved for Free Care only hospital facility charges will be covered as indigent with no expected patient payment.  Note:  If patient chooses to assist with his/her bill by paying the copayments then the patient payment will reduce the amount the hospital recognizes as indigent care (no refund of copay will be given). In order for a patient to be considered for the Free Care program, the patient should first applied for all other appropriate State or Federal programs. 
• Non-insured (Self-pay) patients, regardless of their State of residence,  will be eligible for the Hospital’s Charity Care Discount labeled “Self-pay Discount” which ensures no patient is billed more than amounts generally billed for emergency and other medically necessary care.   
  • The “Self-pay/Charity Care Discount” will be determined and updated no later than April 1st of each year and applies to Hospital facility charges only. 
  • The Self-pay/Charity Care Discount is calculated using the percentages that the hospital expects to get paid from Contracted insurers and traditional Medicare for inpatient and outpatient hospital facility services.
  •  Note: Piedmont Augusta also offers a “Cash Payment Discount” whereby UH discounts certain procedures if patient pays cash upfront for procedure. If patient elects the Cash Payment Discount then the Self-pay Discount will not apply to these procedures nor will the Self-Pay Discount apply to specific procedures which UH states the gross charges at a discounted rate due to the combination with another procedure.
  • Patients may only receive one discount per service visit.
• Other Discounts include catastrophic liabilities as outlined in the Catastrophic Indigent and Charity Care Policy (G-134).
• All patients who seek reduced cost of care give consent for the Hospital to use Personal Health Information data as well as financial data.

From here, you can print a copy of the full Indigent Care Policy (Policy G-130) or Catastrophic Policy (Policy G-134). Click here for the calculation for the Charity Care Discount or call Patient Accounting Service Center at 706.828.2333.  You may also choose to have a copy emailed by requesting a copy by email or you can request a copy through the US Postal service by mailing a request to the Care Line, 1350 Walton Way, Augusta, GA  30901. Please note in your request if you need the policy in Spanish otherwise the Policy will be provided in English. In addition, click here for a copy of Piedmont Augusta's ICCP application. Click here for the calculation for the Charity Care Discount.

Click here for Appendix A ---- Listing of Physicians  (note none of the physicians practicing at UH participates in the assistance program stated here.  If assistance is needed with your Physician bill please contact your Physician's office directly.)