Help with paying hospital bills in Washington.
King County Washington
A program created by the King County Hospital District established a new hospital bill assistance program that will provide families with relief from high health care, hospital and medical bills. This new plan will help Snoqualmie Valley families save money on their hospital bills when visiting primary care physicians at area clinics, health centers, hospitals, and medical offices.
The board of directors and other management of the King County Hospital District No. 4 approved the creation of a prepaid primary health care assistance plan.
What this new plan means is that people can now pay just $30 a month, in addition to an ultra low $5 co-pay to be seen by various doctors and primary care physicians at any of the district’s three hospital or medical clinics. The hospital assistance program is intended for people who have high-deductible insurance plans and/or who do not have any insurance at all.
This prepaid assistance plan will encourage people to seek care, which should prevent more serious and costly medical issues as they will be visiting doctors and primary care physicians earlier. This prepaid plan is not health insurance. Families and individuals in King County can enroll in the assistance programs either on their own or with assistance from participating employers or companies. Find additional Washington assistance programs, or call 800-325-6165.
Project Access
This is a charity and assistance program that provides free specialty care for patients in need, and is sponsored by local hospitals and medical providers. Providence St. Peter Hospital and also Capital Medical Center are two primary, local hospitals that contribute to Project Access. It operates in Olympia and Thurston County Washington.
The official program name is Thurston County Project Access, and it was created in 2005 by the Thurston Mason County Medical Society to provide free health care, including diagnostic testing and treatment for patients with acute and other urgent and emergency medical conditions.
Over the last 3 years, Project Access has helped almost 1,500 patients and local residents, many of whom do not have insurance and may have either gone without proper medical care, or maybe they turned to hospital emergency rooms for emergency treatment.
The are some criteria to be eligible for the Project Access program, and they include patients must be 18-to-64 years of age, underinsured or uninsured and they must also be living in a household with a total household income that is 200 percent or less of the federal poverty level. Phone (800) 981-2123.
Free Health Care in Kennewick County Washington
Grace Clinic is a Tri-City nonprofit organization that provides free health care. It is a great example of what can be done right now to help both underinsured as well as uninsured people in need of medical care.
For the last ten years the health care clinic / hospital has offered free medical care to Mid-Columbians without health insurance. Grace Clinic has logged more than 20,000 patient visits since it was opened.
The clinic is run solely by volunteers since its inception. However the clinic is hiring a full-time physician in order to keep up with the need. It will now result in expanded hours to meet the growing demand and more consistent service for patients.
Grace Clinic will still depend on its vast network of specialists, volunteer physicians, and nurses to supplement the operation. Many volunteers have full time jobs at nearby hospitals, so sometimes services can be limited. The amount of care offered is extensive. It provides a host of basic health care services, prescription assistance and free medications, and even dental care. It also has a referral network to find care for patients needing to see specialists if the clinic can’t help them. Find other ways to get medical care. Click here.
The health care clinic's patients don't need to pay any money for their health care, though they're encouraged to contribute if they can as new funds are always needed to keep this charity organization up and running.
State rules and regulations on free medical care
The state of Washington has a law in place that requires that all hospitals provide income qualified patients with free health care. A number of factors are taken into consideration as part of the application process, including the individual’s income and insurance status. If your income and/or assets are low enough, the hospital will provide services to you for free. Or if you are more moderate income, then a hospital in Washington may be required to reduce the amount you need to pay. Read more on the charity and free medical care services.
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