Information for Patients
Washington’s hospitals are committed to ensuring patients get the hospital care they need regardless of their ability to pay for that care. Providing health care to those that cannot afford to pay is part of the mission of Washington’s hospitals, and state law requires hospitals to provide free and discounted inpatient and outpatient care.
If you need help paying a hospital bill, there are things you can do:
Contact the hospital billing office and ask for information about financial assistance and charity care. You may qualify for financial support that will reduce your bill. Every hospital in 
Washington State is required to offer charity care; contact them directly for their policies and application.
- If you don’t have health insurance at all, contact www.wahealthplanfinder.org. There are a broad variety of plans available, and if you qualify for the state’s Apple Health program, you may be able to get coverage for bills already incurred—even though you didn’t have insurance at the time you were in the hospital.
- Learn more about how to understand your hospital bill by downloading this brochure.
- You can also contact the Washington State Department of Health, which regulates hospitals. See their webpage here or call 360-236-4210.
