If you are having trouble paying your bill, payment plans are available. You can also be assisted in applying for charity programs that take into account the State/Federal poverty guidelines to determine if applicant is qualified for seeking help with financial obligations. Contact Jennifer Haywood at 970.625.6621 for more information.
GRAND RIVER HEALTH is dedicated to providing medically necessary health care services; these services are accessible to all, regardless of age, gender, geographic location, cultural background, physical mobility, or ability to pay. We are committed to providing health care services and acknowledge that in some cases the patient will not be financially able to pay for the services received. In those particular cases the patient will be screened, and a determination of eligibility for financial assistance or charity will be initiated prior to or at the time of admission.
DEFINITIONS:
- Financial Assistance or Charity: Defined as the inability to pay for medical care
- Discount: Reduction of total charges
- Elective: Defined as cosmetic surgery: not medically necessary
- Emergent/Urgent Medical Care: Unexpected, sudden on-set health condition; could result in serious body dysfunction/or failure that would put person in serious jeopardy
- Uninsured/Self Pay: Without coverage by a commercial third-party payer
PROCEDURE:
Grand River Health will explore other means of payment prior to offering Financial Assistance. This includes but not limited to :
1. Identification process for persons seeking financial assistance/charity care will need to be identified prior to the appointment or arrival for care. Grand River Health may make available services, without charge or at a reduced charged, and based on the person(s) ability to pay as determined by Grand River Health.
2. Patient Financial Services Director or designated personnel will request from persons seeking assistance under this policy: To apply for State Medicaid, if applicable, must apply for CICP prior to Sliding Scale and be denied: Once denied the patient/guarantor must provide secure evidence of income and names, ages and social security numbers (if available) of any dependents. Solely for purposes of income verification, a recent pay stub or a federal or state W-2 will suffice. Grand River Health reserves the right to investigate and inquire as to the available assets, income and other factors which would assist Grand River Health in making the determination of ability to pay.
3. Grand River Health’s Sliding Scale is based on 400% of the Federal Poverty Level Guidelines.
4. This policy will be reviewed yearly and may be amended from time to time for purposes of determining the level of financial assistance offered to the patient.
5. The Patient Financial Services Director or designated personnel will notify the persons seeking assistance under this policy, to their level of financial assistance/charity care they qualify for prior to their service.
6. Hospital inpatients without insurance or another source of third party payment will be identified by Registration and reported to the Patient Financial Services Director or designated personnel. The Patient Financial Services Director/Financial Counselor will provide the hospital inpatient with an application and requirements for possible financial assistance/charity care.
7. Grand River Health also offers a “one-time” charity care program for services the patient may require. The Patient Financial Services Director and/or Financial Counselor will fill out a confidential financial statement if it is determined at the time of registration or pre-registration the patient/guarantor is unemployed. The Patient Financial Services Director or Financial Counselor will then determine the payment category the patient/guarantor is responsible for. The Patient Financial Services Director/Financial Counselor will use the Federal Poverty Guidelines ability to pay Scale for each rating level.
8. In the event that the patient dies, Grand River Health reserves the right to pursue all possible claims against the decedent’s estate or against any other person(s) or entity having a legal obligation to pay for the decedent’s medical service to recover all, or as much as possible, amounts owing to Grand River Health by the decedent for services rendered which were unpaid at the time of the decedent’s death.
9. Patients who are homeless or transient are generally considered automatically eligible for 100% charity care.
10. If circumstances are such that an illness makes it impossible to meet financial obligations; charity care maybe extended with hospital administrative approval.
Charity Care:
Grand River Health reserves the right to revoke financial assistance if it determines person applying for financial assistance/charity care, has knowingly mis-represented their financial needs, or any other information necessary to determine financial status for purposes of this policy.
Grand River Health reserves the right to extend or deny financial assistance/charity care to persons for other administrative, legal reasons.
However, Grand River Health will not deny or extend financial assistance on the basis of race, color, creed, age, religion or national origin. The Chief Financial Officer will exercise final discretion regarding the use of financial assistance/charity care for GRHD patients.
