Sliding Fee Discount Program

Our mission is to expand primary health care to those who need it most. To meet that mission, our clinical sites provide comprehensive medical, dental, and/or behavioral health care to all, regardless of their ability to pay. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) mandates that Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) approved sites “not deny requested health care services, and shall not discriminate in the provision of services to an individual… because the individual is unable to pay for the services.” It stipulates, “the entity shall prepare a schedule of discounts (including, in appropriate cases, waivers) to be applied to the payment of such fees or payments."

In preparing the schedule, Trinity Community Health Centers of Louisiana shall adjust the discounts based on a patient’s ability to pay. Specifically, the Sliding Fee Discount Program must include establishing the following: 

While the Sliding Fee Discount Program supports the concept that patients can be monetarily invested in their care based on their ability to pay, its implementation is intended to minimize financial barriers to care for patients at or below 200 percent of the current Federal Poverty Guidelines. Therefore, neither the fees themselves nor the supporting operating procedures for assessing patient eligibility and collecting payment should create barriers to care.

 The Federal Poverty Guidelines include the income thresholds used by the U.S. Census Bureau to estimate the number of people living in poverty. The thresholds are annual income levels below which a person or family is considered to be living in poverty. The income threshold increases by a constant amount for each additional family member.

Do you qualify?

 All patients can apply for our Sliding Fee Discount Program (SFDP) for patients who are uninsured, underinsured, or insured. The chart below is based on the patient's annual household income; use the chart to see if you are eligible for our SFDP. Please contact the front office team for assistance if you have any questions. 

Note that a valid proof of income and the total number of people who reside in your home are required to receive discounts; if proof of income is not obtained within five business days of services rendered, you will be responsible for 100% of the charges not covered by insurance. 


What is Considered Income?

 Any of the following is considered to be a form of income, but not limited to: employment, unemployment, workers' compensation, strike benefits, veterans' benefits, job training funds, alimony, child support, military family allotments, AFDC, social security for yourself, spouse, children or others, food stamps, any regular support from someone not living with you, government employee pension, private insurance and/or regular insurance annuity payments, dividends, interest payments, rental payments, royalties, or income from estate and/or trust. 

What is a Proof of Income?

 Proof of income includes but is not limited to recent pay stub for all working members and evidence of other income, current award letter or printout from Social Security Administration, alimony or child support, a  statement on employer letterhead stating average hours worked a week, and the pay rate, a recent bank statement, previous year income tax return, etc.