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All4integrity U.S.

Rhode Island

Your one-stop page for hospital bills, insurance, and patient rights in Rhode Island.

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All Rhode Island hospitals — including Brown University Health / Rhode Island Hospital, Lifespan, Care New England, South County Health, and CharterCARE — must offer financial assistance / Charity Care. Contact the hospital’s Patient Financial Services or Financial Counselor for:

  • Itemized bills
  • Bill explanations
  • Charity Care applications

Organizations

Organizations that can help directly — consumer advocates, state agencies, and nonprofits, each one listed with what it actually does.

Nonprofit that fills out the financial assistance (Charity Care) application on your behalf with the hospital. Free to the user — funded by donors. Useful when the hospital’s own process is confusing or slow.
Phone: Online tool (no direct phone line)
Website: https://dollarfor.org
Rhode Island’s official health insurance marketplace. Handles coverage questions, enrollment help, and related billing/claims issues.
Phone: 1-855-840-4774
Website: https://healthsourceri.com
National organization offering free case management for insurance disputes, medical bill navigation, appeals, and support for people with serious illnesses.
Phone: 800-532-5274
Website: https://patientadvocate.org
State consumer-protection office. Handles complaints about unfair billing, aggressive collections, or denial of financial assistance.
Phone: 401-274-4400
Website: https://riag.ri.gov
Rhode Island’s health department office overseeing hospital Charity Care compliance. Answers questions about charity care policies, hospital compliance, and general billing rights.
Phone: 401-222-5960
Website: https://health.ri.gov/hospitals/hospital-charity-care
General information line for referrals related to hospital free care and Charity Care programs in Rhode Island.
Phone: 1-800-942-7434
Free legal aid for low-income Rhode Island residents dealing with medical debt, Charity Care appeals, and debt collections.
Phone: 401-274-2652
Website: https://www.healthconsumer.org
National nonprofit that buys and cancels qualifying medical debt for low-income patients, working through local and state partnerships. In Rhode Island, this operates through a dedicated state-funded partnership program.
Phone: Via state partnership
Website: https://unduemedicaldebt.org

FAQs

Quick answers to the questions that come up again and again, before you dive into contacts or a specific case.

Contact the RI Department of Health for questions about hospital compliance, or file a complaint with the RI Attorney General’s Consumer Protection / Health Care Unit if you believe the denial was unfair.
Yes. The RI Medical Debt Relief Program, run in partnership with the nonprofit Undue Medical Debt, forgives qualifying medical debt for low-income residents at no cost to the patient.
HealthSource RI, the state’s official insurance marketplace, handles coverage questions, enrollment, and related billing or claims issues.
RI Legal Services offers free legal help for low-income residents dealing with medical debt, Charity Care appeals, and collections.

Glossary

U.S. healthcare terms explained.

A hospital’s financial assistance program, required by law in most U.S. states, that reduces or eliminates a patient’s bill based on income — often up to 300-400% of the federal poverty level.
A statement from your health insurer showing what was billed, what insurance covered, and what you may still owe. It is not a bill — compare it against the hospital’s itemized bill to catch mismatches or errors.
An income threshold set annually by the U.S. government, used to determine eligibility for many assistance programs, including hospital Charity Care. Eligibility is often expressed as a percentage of FPL (e.g. “up to 400% of FPL”).
A detailed, line-by-line breakdown of every charge on a hospital bill (procedure codes, medication charges, room fees, etc.), instead of a single lump-sum total. U.S. hospitals must provide one on request.
A type of health insurance (HMO, PPO, etc.) that contracts with a specific network of providers and often requires referrals or pre-authorization for certain care.
A federal law protecting patients from unexpected out-of-network bills, especially in emergencies or when an out-of-network provider is involved at an in-network facility without the patient’s knowledge. Some states, including California, add extra protections on top of the federal law.
A reduced rate some hospitals offer to patients who don’t have insurance and pay out of pocket directly — often close to what an insurer would have negotiated.

Reviewed September 2026.
Need more information or found an outdated contact? Let us know

This information is provided as general guidance only and may change without notice. All4Integrity does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness. Always confirm current details directly with the relevant organization before relying on them. This is not legal, financial, or medical advice.