Free and discounted hospital care in Rhode Island
We list 12 hospitals and 8 health center organizations in Rhode Island. We have found income levels for 12 of the hospitals so far.
Check your own income against every hospital near you.
See also the metro area pages for Rhode Island.
State program
Rhode Island statewide hospital charity care standard (216-RICR-40-10-23, section 23.14)
Every licensed Rhode Island hospital must give free care to uninsured, low-income Rhode Island residents up to 200% of the poverty level, and a sliding-scale discount from 200% to 300%. Each hospital sets its own discount sizes. A hospital may add an asset limit. Hospitals may give more help than this, never less. It is a rule hospitals must follow. There is no state fund to apply to.
Income levels in the program are free up to 200%, discount up to 300% of poverty level.
Applies to Every licensed hospital in Rhode Island, as a condition of its license. Covers uninsured, low-income Rhode Island residents who cannot get state, federal or employer insurance, for essential inpatient and outpatient services.
Apply to the hospital itself on the state's standard Application for Hospital Financial-Aid. The hospital must decide within 14 days of a complete application and tell you in writing. If denied, ask for the hospital's written appeal process.
provide full charity care (i.e., a 100% discount) to patients/guarantors whose annual income is up to and including 200% of the Federal Poverty Levels
Program source, checked 2026-11-10
Hospitals, most generous first
Yearly income limits for a family of 4. Open a hospital for every household size. The hospital makes the final decision.
| Hospital | Free up to | Discount up to |
|---|---|---|
| Landmark Medical Center Woonsocket. Verified policy. | $115,500 | $148,500 |
| Westerly Hospital Westerly. Verified policy. | $82,500 | $181,500 |
| Butler Hospital Providence. Verified policy. | $66,000 | $99,000 |
| Emma Pendleton Bradley Hospital East Providence. Verified policy. | $66,000 | $99,000 |
| Kent County Memorial Hospital Warwick. Verified policy. | $66,000 | $99,000 |
| Newport Hospital Newport. Verified policy. | $66,000 | $99,000 |
| Our Lady of Fatima Hospital North Providence. Verified policy. | $66,000 | $99,000 |
| Rhode Island Hospital Providence. Verified policy. | $66,000 | $99,000 |
| Roger Williams Medical Center Providence. Verified policy. | $66,000 | $99,000 |
| South County Hospital Inc Wakefield. Verified policy and state program. | $66,000 | $99,000 |
| The Miriam Hospital Providence. Verified policy. | $66,000 | $99,000 |
| Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island Providence. Verified policy. | $66,000 | $99,000 |
Health centers
Under federal health center rules, these centers offer a sliding fee at or below 200% of the poverty level.
- Blackstone Valley Community Healthcare I (6 sites)
- Comprehensive Community Action Inc (6 sites)
- East Bay Community Action Program (9 sites)
- Northwest Community Health Care (7 sites)
- The Providence Community Health Centers, Inc. (12 sites)
- Thundermist Health Center (7 sites)
- Tri-County Community Action Agency (3 sites)
- Wood River Health Services, Inc (4 sites)
State laws that protect patients
Medical debt kept off credit reports (2024-H 7103A / 2024-S 2709A)
Signed June 24, 2024, in effect January 1, 2025. Debt collectors may not report medical debt to credit bureaus. It also sets rules on how collectors talk to you and stops collection while an insurance appeal is pending.
will prohibit debt collectors from reporting all medical debt to credit bureaus
Medical debt interest cap, R.I. Gen. Laws 6-26-11 (2025-H 5235A / 2025-S 0172)
Signed in 2025. Interest on new medical debt is capped between 1.5% and 4% a year, tied to a federal Treasury rate. It applies only to debt incurred after the law took effect. The Assembly press release says it also covers court judgments on medical debt.
Interest on medical debt shall be limited to the rate of interest equal to the weekly average one-year constant maturity Treasury yield
No forced home foreclosure for hospital bills (216-RICR-40-10-23, section 23.14.2)
A hospital or its collector may place a lien on your home for an unpaid hospital bill, but it may not force a foreclosure of your primary home.
may attach, but shall not force foreclosure of a patient’s/guarantor’s primary residence for non-payment of amounts owed (bad debt)