Tennessee charity care
The state figures below apply at hospitals in the named state program; at other nonprofit hospitals the federal 501(r) rules and the hospital's own policy govern. Below: the five things that decide your bill in Tennessee — the free-care line, the discount line, whether the hospital must screen you, your application window, and your credit-report protection — each with its source.
The law: Tennessee indigent care requirements
State figures rest on the named secondary sources cited (state program trackers and hospital-assistance references) rather than our own read of the statute text — verify against the hospital's current policy, which controls individual cases. Checked October 19, 2026.
| Household size | Poverty guideline | Free-care line | Discount line |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $15,960 | $27,930 175% | $47,880 300% (typical policy) |
| 2 | $21,640 | $37,870 175% | $64,920 300% (typical policy) |
| 4 | $33,000 | $57,750 175% | $99,000 300% (typical policy) |
| 6 | $44,360 | $77,630 175% | $133,080 300% (typical policy) |
Guidelines: 2026 HHS Poverty Guidelines (Federal Register, January 2026). Lines shown use Tennessee's statutory percentages where the state sets them; "typical policy" marks the most common hospital-policy lines where it doesn't. Your hospital's policy is the deciding document — the kit shows you how to get it and read it.
At any nonprofit hospital in Tennessee: a written financial assistance policy must exist and be publicized; you have 240 days from the first post-discharge bill to apply; no extraordinary collection actions for 120 days or while a complete application is decided; charges for eligible patients are capped at amounts generally billed; and money paid above what you owed comes back when a submitted application is approved. The full plain-words version.
Get the HospitalBillDecoded Kit — $49
One payment of $49. No subscription. The kit is a web page you can return to and print — the application pack, the error checklist, the scripts, the deadline tracker, and the escalation ladder.
Free care reaches 175% of the poverty guidelines under Tennessee law — $57,750 a year for a household of four in 2026. The hospital decides individual cases from the application.
The federal period controls: 240 days from your first post-discharge billing statement, with no extraordinary collection actions in the first 120 days.
No state ban found. Federal bureau practice still keeps paid medical collections and collections under $500 off reports, and any medical collection gets a 1-year waiting period before it can appear.