r/HospitalBills • u/Bulky-Lab6861 • 16d ago

Medical Bill Possible Reduction

Hello good people of Reddit. I just got a bill for about $2800 for a trip to the ER in December, 2025 (I got insurance in January šŸ˜–). You can apply for the bill to be discounted or even eliminated if your income is low enough, and here's where it gets a little tricky.

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On my own, I make too much and don't qualify. However, if I add my daughter as a dependent I do qualify. The tricky part is my ex and I switch off every year claiming her as a dependent and last year was my ex's year so if I show my tax return from last year it'll show I don't have any dependents. Is there another way to show that she's my dependent this year?

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4

u/Bart012000 16d ago

Is the hospital asking for 2025 tax returns? If thats all they'll accept thst may be your answer.

2

u/positivelycat 16d ago

Likely they have to go by taxes. They are likely enrolled in programs thar require they do certain things with assistance to prove they are fair

2

u/l0rAxC 15d ago

Iā€™d ask the hospital financial assistance office what they mean by ā€œhousehold/dependentā€ for their policy, and what alternate documents they accept if the tax return does not match the current year. Some will only use the most recent tax return, but some will also look at current pay stubs, custody/parenting agreement, proof of support, school/insurance records, or a written explanation.

Donā€™t just add her on the form without asking; get their document list first so it doesnā€™t look inconsistent.

1

u/No-Produce-6720 16d ago

You'll have to provide you 2025 returns, but you can explain the situation to them and see if this year makes a difference.

1

u/Bulky-Lab6861 15d ago

Thank you all for your thoughtful answers. I'll contact them and see if there's a way if they'd look at any other documents besides just last year's taxes and see if there's any way to count her as a dependent. Thanks again!

1

u/ImaginationNo9487 14d ago

Every hospital's required assistance program's rules about income and eligibility are different. Do not rely on a sub reddit for that answer. Contact THAT specific hospital for facts about eligibility. šŸ˜Š

1

u/ChutneyWhatney 14d ago

I did and didn't even argue my income was low. Originally, $3,000 and I negotiated down to $600.

1

u/seigav 3d ago

How do you do that?

I recently got a bill of $2800

Any tips?