JCH Medical Group Financial Assistance Policy

JCH Medical Group Financial Assistance Policy

The Business Office of JCH Medical Group shall allow uncompensated services to responsible parties upon request and to responsible parties who provide required documentation to support the need for assistance.

Purpose:

1. To provide consistency and equality among all patients, regardless of pay source, in regard to any balance owed to JCH/JCH Medical Group.
2. To provide the uninsured assistance in accordance with the Illinois Uninsured Act.
3. To provide partial assistance to those parties not meeting the Federal Poverty Guidelines, but have incomes less than 200% of the Federal Poverty level.
4. Patients receiving partial charity care ae provided with three (3) payment alternatives. A discount for payment in full at the time of service, payment arrangements, and electronic funds transfers.
5. The program will not discriminate on the basis of age, gender, race, sexual orientation, creed, religion, disability, color, or national origin.

Procedure: (Application Form)

1. JCH Medical Group will notify the patients of the program through communication on the web page, at the time of service, and through the applicant’s request with the Central Billing Office.
2. All applicants must complete and sign the financial statement designated by JCH/JCH Medical Group.
3. All applicants must provide all requested documentation, including but not limited to proof of income (prior-year tax return).
4. All applicants are encouraged to exhaust all other resources first. This includes any liability claims and the filing for Medicaid and Disability applications.
5. Application determination is based on the prior year’s documented income.
   1. Eligibility will be based on income and family size.
      1. Family is defined as: a group of two people or more (one of which is the householder) related by birth, marriage, or adoption and residing together:  all such people (including related sub-family members) are considered as members of one family.
   2. Income includes; earnings, unemployment compensation, workers’ compensation, Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, public assistance, veterans’ payments, survivor benefits, pension or retirement income, interest, dividends, rents, royalties, income from estates, trusts, educational assistance, alimony, child support, assistance from outside the household and other miscellaneous sources. Non Cash Benefits (food stamps and housing subsidies) do not count.
6. Partial Assistance will be granted with payment terms set by JCH/JCH Medical Group. If payment terms are not maintained, the account will be placed with a collection agency, and subject to the payment guidelines of JCH/JCH Medical Group.
   1. If the payments are not met, the account will follow the standard collection policies as all other accounts. There will contact the patients by automated phone calls, letters, and personal phone calls for the next 90 days.  If payment is not received within this 90-day period, the account will be referred to an outside agency.
7. The following guidelines are used to determine if Financial Assistance may be granted.
8. Determination of Financial Assistance remains at the discretion of the Business Office Director.
   1. The patient will be notified in writing and will include the approval/denial verification. If the patient is approved, this letter will contain the program discount percentage that is allowed or a reason for the denial.  The letter will contain the date that the patient is due for recertification for the program.  Recertification must be done every 12 months.
9. Guideline rates are subject to change without notice.
10. Please see the financial guidelines and discount information on the following page.