Dollar For
Erase or lower your hospital bill
What it pays or provides
Oregon law requires hospitals to give free or discounted care to patients under certain income levels — the state sets a floor where hospitals must give 100% assistance up to 200% of the federal poverty level, and a smaller discount (75% assistance) for people between 201% and 300%, with reduced help continuing up to 400%. Individual hospitals can be more generous than this floor. Dollar For itself doesn't pay anything — it's a free service that checks whether you qualify for your hospital's charity care and prepares and files the application for you.
Who qualifies
This applies to anyone with a bill from a hospital in Oregon, whether or not you have insurance — Oregon law requires hospitals to screen and assist insured patients too, and applies regardless of immigration status. Nonprofit hospitals are required by law to offer a charity-care program; many for-profit hospitals also offer help.
Where you have to live
Oregon's charity-care law applies to hospitals operating in Oregon.
How other benefits affect it
Oregon law says hospitals cannot require a minimum bill amount before you can apply, and they cannot require a copay for emergency services. Before sending a bill to collections, hospitals must screen you for financial assistance and give you a copy of their financial assistance policy.
How to apply
Start with Dollar For's free screener at dollarfor.org: fill out their patient form to see if you qualify, and Dollar For prepares your application and sends it to the hospital for you. You can also apply directly with your hospital's own charity-care/financial-assistance program (each hospital sets its own application process — see that hospital's financial assistance page).
How long approval usually takes
Oregon law sets the minimum deadline to apply at 240 days from your first post-discharge bill, so you have time — but apply as soon as you can rather than waiting.
Programs that combine with it
- Providence Financial Assistance (Charity Care) — providence help paying hospital bills
- Legacy Health Financial Assistance — legacy Health help paying hospital bills
- Kaiser Permanente NW Medical Financial Assistance — kaiser Permanente help paying medical bills
Sources
- Dollar For
- Dollar For — Oregon charity care law
- Official rule text “We help you apply. It's quick, easy, and free.” (checked July 6, 2026)
- Official rule text “Hospitals must provide 100% assistance for patients up to 200% FPL, 75% assistance for patients 201–300% FPL” (checked July 19, 2026)
- Official rule text “Oregon law specifies the minimum at 240 days from the first post-discharge bill.” (checked July 19, 2026)
- Official rule text “Oregon law explicitly states that hospitals may not impose a minimum bill requirement.” (checked July 19, 2026)