Which Richmond hospitals offer the most generous charity care?

Bon Secours Mercy Health hospitals (St. Mary's, Memorial Regional, St. Francis, Richmond Community) offer the most generous free care in Richmond at 300% FPL with discounts up to 400% FPL. VCU Health and HCA Virginia hospitals offer free care at 200% FPL with discounts to 400% FPL.

What is Virginia's Medical Debt Protection Act?

Virginia's Medical Debt Protection Act (HB1725), effective July 1, 2026, caps interest on medical debt at 3% per year, requires 30-day notice before collection actions, prohibits wage garnishment for patients eligible for financial assistance during the first 120 days, and restricts debt sales. Violations are enforceable under the Virginia Consumer Protection Act.

How long do I have to apply for financial assistance in Richmond?

Deadlines vary by system. Bon Secours allows 240 days from the first billing statement. VCU Health allows a full 365 days from the date of service. HCA Virginia hospitals allow 240 days from discharge. You can apply retroactively for bills already received.

Does Virginia have Medicaid expansion?

Yes. Virginia expanded Medicaid in 2019 to cover adults at or below 138% FPL. If your income is below 138% FPL, apply for Medicaid first, as it provides broader ongoing coverage than one-time charity care.

Most Generous Hospital Charity Care in Richmond (2026)

Richmond hospitals ranked by how generous their financial assistance programs are. Bon Secours leads with free care at 300% FPL, while VCU Health and HCA Virginia cover patients up to 200% FPL for free. All offer discounts to 400% FPL.

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 Richmond hospitals would give you free or discounted care.

Richmond 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
Bon Secours St. Mary's Hospital Bon Secours Mercy Health	≤ 300% FPL $99,000/yr (family of 4)	≤ 400% FPL Sliding scale	Yes	Coming soon
Bon Secours Memorial Regional Medical Center Bon Secours Mercy Health	≤ 300% FPL $99,000/yr (family of 4)	≤ 400% FPL Sliding scale	Yes	Coming soon
Bon Secours St. Francis Medical Center Bon Secours Mercy Health	≤ 300% FPL $99,000/yr (family of 4)	≤ 400% FPL Sliding scale	Yes	Coming soon
Bon Secours Richmond Community Hospital Bon Secours Mercy Health	≤ 300% FPL $99,000/yr (family of 4)	≤ 400% FPL Sliding scale	Yes	Coming soon
VCU Medical Center VCU Health System	≤ 200% FPL $66,000/yr (family of 4)	≤ 400% FPL Sliding scale	Yes	Coming soon
Chippenham Hospital (CJW Medical Center) HCA Virginia	≤ 200% FPL $66,000/yr (family of 4)	≤ 400% FPL Sliding scale	No	Coming soon
Henrico Doctors' Hospital HCA Virginia	≤ 200% FPL $66,000/yr (family of 4)	≤ 400% FPL Sliding scale	No	Coming soon

Richmond Insider Tips

Bon Secours is most generous. At 300% FPL for free care, a family of four earning up to $99,000 qualifies for a full write-off. Their policy applies across all five Richmond hospitals, so choose Bon Secours for non-emergency care if possible.

VCU Health has the longest deadline. You have a full 365 days from service to apply. If you missed the window at an HCA hospital (240 days), VCU may still accept retroactive applications for its own services.

HCA Virginia covers 201-400% FPL too. For patients with balances over $1,500 whose income is between 201% and 400% FPL, HCA has an expanded policy that can significantly reduce your balance. You must provide documentation to qualify.

Check Medicaid first. Virginia expanded Medicaid in 2019 to 138% FPL. If your income is below that threshold, Medicaid provides much broader coverage (prescriptions, ongoing care, specialists) than one-time charity care. Apply at coverva.org.

What You Need to Apply

Most Richmond 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.
Bank statements (Bon Secours and VCU may request 2-3 months of statements to verify assets)

Tip: Bon Secours uses a single application for all their Richmond hospitals. If you have bills from multiple Bon Secours facilities, submit one application and list all account numbers. Call 1-877-342-1500 to confirm.

Application Deadlines

Hospital System	Deadline	Phone
Bon Secours (all Richmond locations)	240 days from first billing statement	1-877-342-1500
VCU Medical Center	365 days from date of service	(804) 828-0966
HCA Virginia (Chippenham, Henrico Doctors')	240 days from discharge	(804) 267-3700

Virginia Law Protections

Virginia has strong and improving protections for patients facing medical bills. Key laws that protect Richmond patients:

Medical Debt Protection Act (effective July 1, 2026): Caps interest on medical debt at 3% per year. Prohibits wage garnishment for FA-eligible patients during the first 120 days. Requires 30-day written notice before any collection action. Restricts how hospitals can sell medical debt.
Medicaid expansion: Virginia expanded Medicaid in 2019 to 138% FPL, covering approximately 500,000 adults. If your income is below 138% FPL, apply for Medicaid first at coverva.org.
Certificate of public need requirement: Virginia law ties hospital licensing to charity care. Hospitals must report charity care data annually as a condition of their certificate of public need.
Financial assistance disclosure: Virginia Code 32.1-137.01 requires hospitals to post charity care information in admissions areas, emergency departments, and waiting rooms.
Statute of limitations: Virginia has a 5-year statute of limitations on medical debt. After 5 years, the debt becomes legally unenforceable.
Wage garnishment cap: Creditors can garnish a maximum of 25% of disposable wages. The new Medical Debt Protection Act adds further restrictions during the initial 120-day period.
Homestead exemption: Virginia provides a $25,000 homestead exemption to protect property from debt collection.

See all Virginia medical bill rights

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Richmond hospital offers the most generous charity care?

Bon Secours Mercy Health hospitals offer free care at 300% FPL, the highest threshold in the Richmond metro. A family of four earning up to $99,000 per year qualifies for a complete bill write-off at any of their five Richmond hospitals. VCU and HCA Virginia offer free care at 200% FPL.

Can I apply for charity care after I already received a bill?

Yes. All Richmond hospitals accept retroactive applications. Bon Secours gives you 240 days from your first billing statement. VCU Health gives you a full year (365 days) from your date of service. Even if your bill is in collections, ask whether the hospital will still accept an application. Many will.

What happens after July 2026 when the Medical Debt Protection Act takes effect?

Starting July 1, 2026, hospitals cannot charge more than 3% annual interest on medical debt. They must give you 30 days written notice before any collection action. They cannot garnish wages of financially-eligible patients for the first 120 days. And any debt sold to a buyer is subject to the same restrictions. This applies to all large healthcare facilities in Virginia.

I have insurance but still cannot afford my bill. Can I apply?

Yes. Both Bon Secours and VCU Health extend financial assistance to insured patients who have high out-of-pocket costs after insurance. Your eligibility is based on your total household income and family size, not your insurance status. Apply the same way as uninsured patients.

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How 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.