Indigent and Charity Care

Piedmont McDuffie
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 McDuffie 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 will 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 must have 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 that no patient pays 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 McDuffie also offers a “Cash Payment Discount” whereby UHM discounts certain procedures if patient pays cash up front 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 UHM 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
• 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 UHM Indigent Care Policy or UHM Catastrophic Policy. 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 Piedmont McDuffie 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 the Piedmont Augusta ICCP Application.

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