Poverty Guidelines and Financial Assistance Policy
Meadville Medical Center offers a Financial Assistance Program for medical care to eligible individuals and families. The Financial Assistance Program is a part of MMC’s Mission Statement of providing healthcare services to all patients, regardless of their ability to pay. Click here for the Financial Assistance Application.
The following is a summary of the MMC Financial Assistance Policy. This is a general overview of the policy. MMC will review each application individually to determine qualification for Financial Assistance.
MMC’s policy is to provide financial assistance for patients who:
- Have limited or no health insurance
- Have applied for governmental assistance, such as Medicare or Medicaid, but did not qualify
- Demonstrate financial need
- Supply MMC with necessary information about household income and resources
Financial Assistance is available for eligible patients who require:
- Emergency medical services
- Non-elective services for urgent life-threatening conditions, outside the Emergency Department
- Other medically necessary services, on a case-by-case basis
MMC does not have the authority to waive any charges from physicians or other health professionals who are not employed by MMC.
How do I Apply for Financial Assistance?
MMC encourages patients to apply for financial assistance if they believe that they are unable to pay their MMC bill. To apply:
- Complete the Meadville Medical Center Financial Assistance Application form
- Attach supporting documents, listed on the application, to prove your income and resources
- Finally, mail your completed application and necessary documents to:
Meadville Medical Center
CBO Mail Processing Center
1643 Lewis Avenue, Suite 203
Billings, MT 59102
Determination of Eligibility for Financial Assistance
To request financial assistance, patients submit the MMC Financial Assistance Application form, disclosing household income and resources. Applicants are treated with dignity and respect throughout the process. All information is handled with confidentiality. The patient’s cooperation in providing MMC with necessary information is imperative to the process.
Typically, a patient is not eligible for MMC Financial Assistance until he or she has applied for and been deemed ineligible for Federal and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania governmental assistance programs. MMC has Financial Counselors available to assist patients in applying for Pennsylvania State Medicaid.
MMC reserves the right to process the Financial Assistance Application without this determination, provided enough information is available to make an accurate assessment of the patient’s financial situation.
Determination of Assistance
In determining a reasonable and fair level of assistance, MMC applies a sliding scale. If a patient’s household income is below 300% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, with completion and approval of a MMC Financial Assistance Application the patient will receive 100% financial assistance after the first $200.00 of billed charges.
Exclusions
While MMC’s Financial Assistance Program covers most services, there are some exclusions, such as, but not limited to:
- Cosmetic services
- Elective reproductive services
- Services deemed non-covered by Medicare or Medicaid
- Other services, at MMC’s decision
Financial Assistance is typically not available for:
- Insurance co-payments
- Insurance deductibles
- Services lacking insurance requirements, such as obtaining authorizations or referrals
- People who opt out of available insurance coverage
Assister for Pennsylvania Insurance Marketplace
Lisa Cox is a Pennie®-certified Assister who is able to assist customers in their search for high-quality health coverage options. Pennie is Pennsylvania’s official health insurance marketplace and the only source for financial savings to lower the cost of coverage and care. The plans sold through Pennie are for individuals and families who do not have access to health coverage from their job and otherwise are not eligible for Medical Assistance (Medicaid).
Contact Lisa if you need help enrolling through Pennie, Medicaid, or CHIP. Her services with finding healthcare are FREE to customers!
Lisa Cox
Outreach and Enrollment Coordinator
Meadville Medical Center
Community Health Services
461 Pine Street
Meadville, PA 16335
Phone: 814-333-1758
Fax: 814-333-1757
Email: lcox@mmchs.org