Most Generous Hospital Charity Care in Denver (2026)
Denver hospitals ranked by how generous their financial assistance programs are. Enter your income and household size below to see which hospitals would cover your bills for free or at a discount.
What is FPL? The Federal Poverty Level is a government-set income threshold used by hospitals to determine who qualifies for free or discounted care. For example, 400% FPL for a family of four is about $132,000 per year. The higher a hospital's FPL threshold, the more people qualify.
Do You Qualify? Check Now
Enter your annual household income and household size. We will show you which Denver hospitals would give you free or discounted care.
Denver Hospitals with Most Generous Charity Care
Sorted by the income level at which you qualify for completely free care. Higher FPL thresholds mean more people qualify.
| Hospital | Free Care | Discounted Care | Hardship | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kaiser Permanente 350% in some California regions | ≤ 300% FPL $99,000/yr (family of 4) | ≤ 400% FPL Sliding scale | Yes | Full guide |
| Intermountain Health Full assistance minus nominal patient responsibility | ≤ 250% FPL $82,500/yr (family of 4) | ≤ 500% FPL Sliding scale | Yes | Full guide |
| CommonSpirit Health (Dignity Health) 250% FPL in California | ≤ 200% FPL $66,000/yr (family of 4) | ≤ 400% FPL Sliding scale | No | Full guide |
| Banner Health | ≤ 200% FPL $66,000/yr (family of 4) | ≤ 400% FPL Sliding scale | Yes | Full guide |
What You Need to Apply
Most Denver hospitals require similar documentation. Gather these before you apply:
- Proof of income for all household members (recent pay stubs, tax returns, Social Security or disability award letters, or a signed statement of no income)
- Proof of household size (tax return showing dependents, birth certificates, or lease agreement)
- Government-issued ID (driver's license, state ID, or passport). Citizenship is not required.
Colorado Law Protections
Colorado passed the Affordable Health Care Option Act and has strong patient billing protections. Key laws that protect Denver patients:
- Hospital Discounted Care: Colorado's Hospital Discounted Care program requires hospitals to provide discounted care to eligible patients based on income.
- Medical debt interest cap: Colorado limits medical debt interest to 2% per year, protecting patients from excessive charges on unpaid balances.
- Surprise billing protections: Colorado state law includes protections against surprise medical billing for out-of-network services.
- Expanded Medicaid: Colorado expanded Medicaid, providing coverage to individuals and families with income up to 138% FPL.
Not sure where to start? Let us handle it.
CareRoute Bill Defense applies for financial assistance on your behalf, negotiates with the hospital, and monitors your account to keep it out of collections. No upfront cost, and no fee if we can't reduce your bill.
Get help with your billHow we rank: Hospitals are sorted by the income threshold at which they offer 100% free care (higher = more generous). FPL figures are based on 2026 Federal Poverty Level guidelines.
Data is sourced from each hospital's published financial assistance policy. Last updated May 2026. For the most current information, see each hospital's full guide or contact their financial assistance office directly.