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Indigent Care Trust Fund in Georgia.
The state of Georgia created the Indigent Care Trust Fund in an effort to provide free medical care to the very low income, uninsured, and indigent. Some most of the financial aid goes to residents that are living in, or near poverty and can’t get health insurance from any other sources. The Indigent Trust relies on funding from the federal government and is part of the government's Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) Program, and find hospitals as well as health care centers that participate below.
Georgia is working to increase the availability of health care to the poor. Government funds are being used as part of ICTF in an effort to expand Medicaid eligibility and services and to also support rural clinics as well as other health care providers. Additional funding comes from Breast Cancer Tag Fees, nursing home provider fees, Care Management Organization (CMO) Quality Assessment Fees; ambulance rates and other a variety of other uninsured/indigent initiatives.
The goal of the statewide Indigent Care Trust Fund is to allow more residents to get their medical needs addressed. Using government funding even uninsured people in Georgia who do not qualify for medical bill assistance from Medicaid or Medicare may receive health care from participating community clinics and hospitals.
A number of hospitals participate in the Georgia Indigent Care Trust Fund. See below for examples. Every facility is required, by state law, to notify patients of the availability of free charity care as well as financial assistance programs for paying their health care bills. This is required in order for a hospital to receive government grants from the program.
ICTF was created over 20 years ago in order to expand Medicaid eligibility and services, and many urban and rural health care facilities rely on this funding. This is also run in partnership with Georgia’s Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) program. Together both of these resources can address financial losses on uninsured, under insured and low-income families and individuals.
The government funds from ICTF help finance care to low-income, indigent and uninsured patients. Other clients tend to be the disabled or elderly living on a fixed income. These payments and grants also help ensure that certain high-cost services, which can include but are not limited to burn units and trauma care, are available to everyone. One of the key reasons being is that these high cost services may be provided to the low income, and without government funding many Georgia hospitals may stop offering the high priced health care.
Applying for Indigent Care Trust Fund (ICTF)
Over 100 private hospitals, rural clinics and public hospitals participate in Georgia’s DSH program, and a sampling of the list is below. Anyone who needs assistance though should ask their health care provider if they participate in the Indigent Care Trust Fund. There are some conditions to the program as well, as follows.
The hospital needs to commit to providing free or low cost services. Patient’s also need to be given the ability to gain admittance into a facility without pre-admission deposits. An individual who goes to one of the Indigent Care Trust Fund hospitals can't be transferred solely or in significant part for economic reasons.
The program needs to be communicated out as well. The hospital needs to place easily readable signs in the admissions area, emergency room, and business office. This needs to be done in English, Spanish and any other appropriate languages for the area.
Each person who becomes a patient needs to be provided similar individual notices and it needs to clearly notify them of free or reduced-charge services. In some cases the family will be billed on a sliding fee scale; so their lower their income the more likely that the Indigent Care Trust Fund will pay for their entire cost. These notices should also be included with a patient’s bill, and should include the Georgia Department of Community Health’s toll-free number for individuals to call for questions or more information.
Hospitals that participate in Georgia Indigent Care Trust Fund
A number of clinics in Georgia, hospitals, doctors and other medical providers participate. Many of them are below. Or to get a current list of hospitals, call 1-800-436-7442.
Hamilton Medical Center, Dalton, Georgia
Upson Regional Medical Center, Thomaston, Georgia
Satilla Regional Medical Center, Waycross, Georgia
Hutcheson Medical Center, Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia
Northside Hospital Forsyth, Cumming, Georgia
St Mary's Hospital, Athens, Georgia
Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital, Albany, Georgia
Northside Hospital Cherokee, Canton, Georgia
Emory University Hospital, Atlanta, Georgia
Tanner Medical Center – Carrollton, Carrollton, Georgia
Tanner Medical Center Villa Rica, Villa Rica, Georgia
West Georgia Medical Center, Lagrange, Georgia
Newton Medical Center, Covington, Georgia
Gordon Hospital Calhoun, Georgia,
Candler Hospital, Savannah, Georgia
Southeast Georgia Health System, Brunswick, Georgia
Elbert Memorial Hospital, Elberton, Georgia
Cobb Memorial Hospital, Royston Georgia
University Hospital, Augusta Georgia
Northeast Georgia Medical Center, Inc., Gainesville, Georgia
Cartersville Medical Center, Cartersville, Georgia
Spalding Regional Medical Center, Griffin Georgia
Stephens County Hospital, Toccoa Georgia
Medical College Of Ga Hospitals And Clinic, Augusta Georgia
Wellstar Kennestone Hospital, Marietta, Georgia
Memorial Health Univ Med Center, Inc., Savannah, Georgia
John D Archbold Memorial Hospital, Thomasville Georgia
Trinity Hospital Of Augusta, Augusta Georgia
Bjc Medical Center, Commerce, Georgia
Habersham County Medical Center, Demorest, Georgia
Wellstar Paulding Hospital Dallas, Georgia
St Joseph's Hospital - Savannah Savannah Georgia
Phoebe Sumter Medical Center, Americus, Georgia
Barrow Regional Medical Center, Winder Georgia
Walton Regional Medical Center, Monroe Georgia
Murray Medical Center, Chatsworth Georgia
Union General Hospital, Blairsville Georgia
Floyd Medical Center, Rome, Georgia
Medical Center, The, Columbus, Georgia
Houston Medical Center, Warner Robins, Georgia
Appling Hospital, Baxley Georgia
Dorminy Medical Center, Fitzgerald, Georgia
Athens Regional Medical Center Athens, Georgia
East Georgia Regional Medical Center, Statesboro Georgia
Dekalb Medical Center, Decatur Georgia
Emory University Hospital Midtown, Atlanta Georgia
Grady Memorial Hospital Atlanta Georgia
Washington County Regional Medical Center, Sandersville Georgia
Gwinnett Medical Center, Lawrenceville, Georgia
Coffee Regional Medical Center, Douglas Georgia
Rockdale Medical Center, Conyers Georgia
Dodge County Hospital, Eastman, Georgia
Tift Regional Medical Center, Tifton, Georgia
Jefferson Hospital, Louisville, Georgia
Memorial Hospital Of Adel Inc., Adel, Georgia
Crisp Regional Hospital, Cordele, Georgia
Colquitt Regional Medical Center, Moultrie, Georgia
Medical Center Of Central Georgia, Macon, Georgia
Emanuel Medical Center, Swainsboro, Georgia
Mcduffie Regional Medical Center, Thomson Georgia
Berrien County Hospital, Nashville, Georgia
Burke Medical Center, Waynesboro, Georgia
Atlanta Medical Center, Atlanta, Georgia
Grady General Hospital, Cairo, Georgia
South Georgia Medical Center, Valdosta Georgia
Wayne Memorial Hospital Jesup, Georgia
Fairview Park Hospital, Dublin, Georgia
Meadows Regional Medical Center Inc., Vidalia Georgia
St Francis Hospital, Inc., Columbus, Georgia
Irwin County Hospital, Ocilla, Georgia
Memorial Hospital And Manor, Bainbridge Georgia
Taylor Regional Hospital, Hawkinsville Georgia
Evans Memorial Hospital, Claxton Georgia
Wellstar Cobb Hospital, Austell Georgia
Southeast Georgia Health System- Camden Saint Marys, Georgia
Oconee Regional Medical Center, Milledgeville, Georgia
Perry Hospital, Perry, Georgia
Northside Hospital, Atlanta Georgia
Palmyra Medical Centers, Albany, Georgia
Coliseum Medical Center, Macon, Georgia
Southern Regional Medical Center, Riverdale, Georgia
Doctors Hospital, Augusta Georgia
Emory-adventist Hospital, Smyrna Georgia
Wellstar Douglas Hospital, Douglasville, Georgia
Doctors Hospital, Columbus Georgia
Chestatee Regional Hospital, Dahlonega, Georgia
Fannin Regional Hospital, Blue Ridge, Georgia
Flint River Hospital, Montezuma, Georgia
Henry Medical Center, Inc. Stockbridge, Georgia
Emory Eastside Medical Center, Snellville, Georgia
Donalsonville Hospital Inc., Donalsonville, Georgia
North Fulton Regional Hospital, Roswell Georgia
Coliseum Northside Hospital, Macon, Georgia
North Georgia Medical Center, Ellijay Georgia
Turning Point Hospital, Moultrie, Georgia
Smith Northview Hospital, Valdosta Georgia
Piedmont Fayette Hospital, Fayetteville Georgia
South Fulton Medical Center, East Point, Georgia
Piedmont Mountainside Hospital Inc., Jasper, Georgia
Dekalb Medical Center At Hillandale, Lithonia, Georgia
Piedmont Newnan Hospital, Inc., Newnan Georgia
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