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HELP WITH HOSPITAL BILLS  

Linda Lowe
Georgia Legal Services Program
Last Revised: June 2003

Many Georgia hospitals participate in the State's Indigent Health Care Trust Fund.  In return for money they receive, the hospitals have to give free care to many patients.  They must also help patients in other ways.

These are some of the things the hospitals must do:

• They must offer a certain amount of service free to people with incomes up to 125% of the federal poverty level, and at a discount to people with incomes between 125% and 200% of the federal poverty level.
• They must never turn away patients who need medical care because they cannot pay or because they do not have enough insurance.
• They must make sure that doctors will treat Medicaid patients at the hospital without charge.
• They must try to help people who have Medicaid find doctors who will treat them in the doctors' offices. 
• They must use 15% of the money they receive on "primary care" services.  This helps people get health care when they need it instead of having to wait until they are sick enough to be in a hospital.  Ask to see your hospital's plan.

How to find out about free care: 

Check the list on the back of this flier to find out which hospitals get money through the Trust Fund.   To find out how to apply for the services, call or visit the hospital.

Income Guidelines for Free and Reduced-Charge Services

If you ask to apply for the Indigent Care Trust Fund and you do not get help or you disagree with the hospital's
decision, tell them you want to appeal.  If you still disagree, you may send a complaint to Indigent Care Trust Fund,
Health Policy Section, Division of Medical Assistance, P.O. Box 38490, 2 Peachtree St., NW, Atlanta, GA 30303-
3159.

IF YOU NEED HELP, CONTACT YOUR LOCAL OFFICE OF GEORGIA LEGAL SERVICES OR ATLANTA LEGAL AID.

                      HOSPITALS PARTICIPATING IN
                  THE INDIGENT CARE TRUST FUND - 2003

                              (BY COUNTY)
                                   

• Appling: Appling General Hospital
• Bacon: Bacon County Hospital
• Baldwin: Oconee Regional Med. Ctr., Central State Medical Surgical Center
• Banks: Banks-Jackson-Commerce Hospital
• Barrow: Barrow Community Hospital
• Ben Hill: Dorminy Med. Ctr.
• Berrien: Berrien County Hospital
• Bibb: Medical Ctr. of Central Ga.
• Bleckley: Bleckley Memorial Hospital
• Brooks: Brooks County Hospital
• Bulloch: East Ga. Regional Medical Center
• Burke: Burke Medical Center
• Butts: Roosevelt Warm Springs Hospital, Sylvan Grove
  Hospital
• Calhoun: Calhoun Memorial Hospital
• Camden: Camden Medical Ctr.
• Carroll: Tanner Medical Ctr. - Villa Rica
• Catoosa: Hutcheson Medical Center
• Charlton: Charlton Memorial Hospital
• Chatham: Memorial Health University Medical Center
• Clarke: Athens Regional Hospital
• Coffee: Coffee Regional Hospital
• Colquitt: Colquitt Regional Hospital
• Cook: Memorial Hospital of Adel
• Coweta: Emory Peachtree Regional Hospital
• Crisp: Crisp Regional Hospital
• Decatur: Memorial Hospital of Bainbridge
• Dekalb: Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston,
  Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Scottish Rite.,
  Hughes Spalding Children's Hosp.ital, DeKalb Medical
  Center, Emory Dunwoody Medical Center
• Dodge: Dodge County Hospital
• Dougherty: Phoebe Putney Hospital
• Early: Early Memorial Hospital
• Elbert: Elbert Memorial Hospital
• Emanuel: Emanuel Medical Center
• Evans: Evans Memorial Hospital
• Fannin: Fannin Regional Hospital
• Floyd: Floyd Medical Center
• Fulton: Atlanta Medical Center, Crawford W. Long
  Hospital, Grady Health System., Hughes Spalding
  Children's Hospital, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at
  Scottish Rite., South Fulton Medical Center, Southwest
  Hospital Medical Ctr.
• Glynn: Southeast Georgia Regional Medical Ctr.
• Grady: Grady General Hospital
• Greene: Minnie G. Boswell memorial Hospital
• Habersham: Habersham County Medical Center
• Hall: Northeast Georgia Medical Center
• Haralson: Higgins General Hospital
• Hart: Cobb Memorial
• Irwin: Irwin County Hospital
• Jasper: Jasper Memorial Hospital
• Jeff Davis: Jeff Davis Hospital
• Jefferson: Jefferson Hospital
• Lanier: Louis Smith Memorial Hosp.
• Laurens: Fairview Park Hospital
• Liberty: Liberty Regional Hospital
• Lowndes: Smith Northview Hospital, South GA Medical Center
• Meriwether: Georgia Baptist Meriwether Hospital
• Miller: Miller County Hospital
• Mitchell: Mitchell County Hospital
• Monroe: Monroe County Hospital
• Murray: Murray Medical Ctr.
• Muscogee: The Medical Center, Inc. of Columbus
• Polk: Polk Medical Center
• Pulaski: Taylor Regional Hospital
• Putnam: Putnam General Hospital
• Rabun:  Rabun County Memorial Hospital
• Richmond: Medical College of GA Hospitals and Clinics,
  University Hospital
• Screven: Screven County Hospital
• Seminole: Donalsonville Hospital
• Stephens: Stephens County Hospital
• Sumter: Sumter Regional Hospital
• Thomas: John D. Archbold Memorial Hospital
• Tift: Tift Regional Medical Center
• Toombs: Meadows Regional Medical Center
• Troup: West Georgia Medical Center
• Union: Union General Hospital
• Upson: Upson Regional Medical Center
• Walker: Hutcheson Medical Center
• Walton: Walton Medical Center
• Ware: Satilla Regional Hospital
• Washington: Washington County Reg. Med. Ctr.
• Wheeler: Wheeler County Hospital
• Whitfield: Hamilton Medical Center
• Wilkes: Wills Memorial Hospital
• Worth: Phoebe Worth Medical Center

Linda Lowe
Georgia Legal Services Program
Last Revised: June 2003