If you're no stranger to TikTok just like I am, you probably already know that there's a popular trend currently going on on the app inviting people to share a piece of information they've learned that, for some reason, feels illegal to know. As a result, many hilarious, interesting, and even incredibly helpful videos were born.
Recently, a user named @dollarfor submitted a video following the trend that happened to gain quite a bit of attention not only on TikTok, but other social media platforms as well. In his video, the man points out that the majority of US hospitals have a Charity Care Policy that can help some people overcome huge medical bills.
More info: tiktok.com
In his video, the user explains that the majority of hospitals in the United States are non-profits
Image credits: dollarfor
As the user points out in his video, most hospitals in America are non-profits, which means that they have a Financial Assistance or a Charity Care Policy. "This is gonna sound weird, but what that means is that if you make under a certain amount of money, the hospital will legally have to forgive your medical bills," the guy explains.
These hospitals have Financial Assistance or a Charity Care Policy that can help a person overcome their medical bills if they make under a certain amount of money
Image credits: dollarfor
Then, he proceeds to show how this whole thing works. Apparently, you have to open a search engine and type in the hospital name along with the words "financial assistance." After that, you should visit the hospital's website and look for the page or document explaining the Financial Assistance Policy and application. In the documents provided by the hospital, you should find all the information on what kind of financial help you can receive based on your annual income.
The guy proceeds to show how this whole thing works by going to Google and typing in the hospital name along with the words "financial assistance"
Image credits: dollarfor
When on the hospital's webpage, he looks for the document explaining the Financial Assistance Policy
Image credits: dollarfor
According to Washington Law Help, "how much Charity Care you may get depends on your income and household size. If your household income is low enough (below 100% of the Federal Poverty Level), the hospital must cover (write off) your eligible hospital bill."
The document contains information on how much assistance a person can receive according to their annual income
Image credits: dollarfor
"If your household income is more than 100% of the Federal Poverty Level, you may get some of your hospital bill reduced. But the hospital has a right to get information about your assets. Each hospital has its own Charity Care policy. The amount of Charity Care provided to patients with household income above 100% of the Federal Poverty Level varies," Washington Law Help adds.
The video quickly went viral and it currently has over 1 million views and more than 282k likes
As it turned out, many people living in the US had no idea that there's a legal way for a person to get their medical bills covered like that. One surprised user reposted the TikTok on Twitter with a caption "This could literally save a life. Save a family. My god" and in just a few days, received over 360k likes along with 179k retweets.
Here's what people had to say after watching the video
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