Most Generous Hospital Charity Care in Salt Lake City (2026)
Salt Lake City 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 Salt Lake City hospitals would give you free or discounted care.
Salt Lake City 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intermountain Health Full assistance minus nominal patient responsibility | ≤ 250% FPL $82,500/yr (family of 4) | ≤ 500% FPL Sliding scale | Yes | Full guide |
| University of Utah Health Utah law requires ALL hospitals (including for-profit) to offer charity care and 0% payment plans. | ≤ 200% FPL $66,000/yr (family of 4) | ≤ 300% FPL Sliding scale | No | Full guide |
What You Need to Apply
Most Salt Lake City 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.
Utah Law Protections
Utah has unusually strong protections for patients facing medical bills. Key laws that protect Salt Lake City patients:
- All hospitals must offer charity care: Utah is one of the only states where ALL hospitals (including for-profit) are required to offer financial assistance programs. This is rare nationally, where most states only require nonprofit hospitals to provide charity care.
- 0% interest payment plans: Utah law mandates that all hospitals offer 0% interest payment plans to patients, regardless of whether you qualify for charity care.
- Pre-collection screening required: Hospitals must check your financial assistance eligibility before sending you to collections. If they skip this step, they are violating state law.
- No emergency copay: Utah law prohibits hospitals from requiring a copay for emergency services before providing care.
- Medicaid expansion: Utah expanded Medicaid in 2020 to 138% FPL, covering more low-income adults.
- Statute of limitations: Utah has a 6-year statute of limitations on medical debt. Wage garnishment is capped at 25% of disposable income.
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.