Hospital charity care programs, which provide free or discounted medical care to patients who can’t afford it, can be a lifeline for uninsured and underinsured patients as the cost of care continues to rise in the U.S., Roughly four in 10 adults in the U.S. are struggling with medical debt, much due to costs associated with emergency care and hospitalizations. In 2022, roughly one in seven adults reported delaying hospital services in the past year because of cost.
