Home Billing and Financial Resources

Payment Plans and Financial Assistance

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Duke Health’s financial care counselors can help you evaluate your qualifications for financial resources. There are a number of Community Financial Resources available to assist in helping pay for your care.

If you do not qualify for other financial sources, Duke Health offers an interest free payment plans. If you experience difficulties paying your bill, you can set up an interest-free payment plan in My Duke Health (previously Duke MyChart).

Duke University Health System (DUHS) financial assistance is also available for eligible patients based on Federal Poverty guidelines. Download an application in English or Spanish (PDF, 172 KB) that can be sent to us via mail, fax, or email.

Duke University Health System (DUHS) offers interest‐free payment plans of up to six years, depending on the amount you owe to all Duke Health entities. The table below shows the maximum amount of time you can take to pay based on your outstanding balance.

Patient Balance (All Duke Health Entities)

Maximum Term

Up to $2,000

12 months

$2,000 to $5,000

24 months

$5,001 to $7,500

36 months

$7,501 to $10,000

48 months

Greater than $10,000

72 months

You can set up a payment plan 24/7 through your Duke MyChart account. If you need assistance, call our customer service team at 919-620-4555 (local) or 800-782-6945 (toll-free) between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday, or from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm Thursday.

If you receive treatment at any DUHS location and have difficulty paying for care, you may be eligible to receive discounted services through our Financial Assistance Policy. This policy applies to all DUHS hospitals and clinics.

Which Services Are Eligible?

You may be eligible for financial assistance if you receive services needed to prevent a health issue. Urgent and emergency care covered by our financial assistance policy includes:  

  • Care provided in a DUHS Emergency Department
  • Inpatient (overnight) care at a DUHS hospital
  • Follow-up treatment for services received through an emergency department

Transplant, experimental, and elective services are not eligible for a financial assistance discount.

You may receive a discount of up to 100% based upon how your household income compares to the latest Federal Poverty Level.

If you have high out-of-pocket costs after insurance, you may also be eligible for financial assistance. Eligibility is based on your ability to pay for basic living expenses and is evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
Financial assistance may also be approved in these situations:

  • Limited-value estates for deceased patients
  • Patients with collections balances and who are in verified Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy
  • Patients who receive specialty care through Project Access
  • Patients who express an inability to pay for outpatient prescription medications from Duke’s retail pharmacy

Patient Balances will be evaluated for Financial Assistance based on your family size and household income, as compared to federal poverty guidelines.

  • For example, if your family size is 3 and your annual household income is $56,000, you will be approved for 90% discount on your eligible patient balances.
% Poverty Guidelines 200% 225% 250% 275% 300%
Discount Received 100% Discount 90% Discount 80% Discount 70% Discount 65% Discount
Family Size Poverty Level Income          
1 $15,060 $30,120 $33,885 $37,650 $41,415 $45,180
2 $20,440 $40,880 $45,990 $51,100 $56,210 $61,320
3 $25,820 $51,640 $58,095 $64,550 $71,005 $77,460
4 $31,200 $62,400 $70,200 $78,000 $85,800 $93,600
5 $36,580 $73,160 $82,305 $91,450 $100,595 $109,740
6 $41,960 $83,920 $94,410 $104,900 $115,390 $125,880
7 $47,340 $94,680 $106,515 $118,350 $130,185 $142,020
8 $52,720 $105,440 $118,620 $131,800 $144,980 $158,160
9 $58,100 $116,200 $130,725 $145,250 $159,775 $174,300
10 $63,480 $126,960 $142,830 $158,700 $174,570 $190,440

 

If you receive care at an emergency department or you’re uninsured and get care from a community clinic like the Lincoln Community Health Center, you won’t need to apply for assistance.

When you receive care, we’ll check with you to see if you’re eligible. During your visit, financial counselors will share with you any outside forms of financial assistance -- such as Medicaid or the Crime-Victim or Cancer-Control Programs -- that can help pay for services.

If outside financial assistance is not available, we will automatically apply a discount to your bill based on your reported income level. To qualify, you may need to provide us with documentation such as paycheck stubs, a W-2 form, or other kinds of paperwork related to your income. If you’re not able to share this information, you may not receive financial assistance.

For more information, see the DUHS financial assistance summary, application form, and policy. You can download the documents:

You can also pick up copies of these policies or a financial assistance application when you check in at a Duke Health clinic or hospital. Completed applications can be returned to PRMO in any of these three ways:

  • Fax: 919-620-1241
  • Mail to: Duke Patient Revenue Management Organization (PRMO), PO Box 110566, Durham, NC 27709
  • Email: prmoselfpayreimb@dm.duke.edu (This option is only to submit an application. PRMO does not accept or reply to questions sent to this email.)

To obtain the full version of the DUHS Financial Assistance Self-Pay Collections policies, send a request in writing to:

Duke Patient Revenue Management Organization (PRMO) 
PO Box 110566
Durham, NC 27709

Community Financial Resources
In addition to DUHS Financial Assistance discounts and government-sponsored programs, there are a number of community resources that may be able to assist you.

If You Have Questions

If you apply for financial assistance, please allow up to seven weeks for processing. After that time, you can check your status by calling our customer service team at 919-620-4555 (local) or 1-800-782-6945 (toll-free) between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday, or from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm Thursday.

Financial Assistance: Part of Our Commitment to Community Health

As a not-for-profit health system, Duke University Health System is committed to caring for our patients, nurturing the sick, and strengthening the well. We honor our tax-exempt status and our responsibility to the counties we serve through various programs, activities, and partnerships that are aimed at improving the health of our communities. The details of our community involvement can be found here.