Updated September 2, 2026. Quick answer: To apply for Pennsylvania Hospital Uncompensated Care Program payment, a hospital must maintain a plan that serves uninsured patients.
This guide is limited to the cited Pennsylvania hospital-assistance source and its stated scope.
What changes in Pennsylvania
- To apply for Pennsylvania Hospital Uncompensated Care Program payment, a hospital must maintain a plan that serves uninsured patients.
- The plan must accept every person for emergent medically necessary service within hospital scope regardless of ability to pay and may not delay emergency admission or treatment pending coverage, prepayment, or a deposit.
- Under the bulletin's model-application standard, the hospital may not collect applicant information beyond the Model Application.
Where this rule stops
This is a program-participation procedure for covered hospitals, not a universal statewide income threshold.
How to verify before you apply
- Identify the hospital or facility covered by the source and obtain its current policy.
- Ask for the current written policy and application instructions.
- Compare the policy with the official source below before relying on any threshold, discount, or deadline.
Related hospital-assistance guides
Primary source
Read Pennsylvania DHS Medical Assistance Bulletin 01-10-24. Verify the current official text and the facility’s current policy before acting; this is a source-backed planning guide, not individualized legal advice.