Ascension Borgess-Lee Hospital: Financial Assistance & Charity Care
Can't afford a bill from Ascension Borgess-Lee Hospital? You may not have to pay all of it. Nonprofit hospitals must offer financial assistance — here are this hospital's actual income limits and how to apply, taken from its own published policy.
Quick facts
Free care: Free care (a 100% reduction) if your household income is at or below 200% of the federal poverty level.
Discounted care: A 73% reduction — down to the amount generally billed to insured patients — if your income is between 201% and 350% of the federal poverty level. If your hospital bills are more than 150% of your annual gross income, the balance is discounted by 75%.
How to apply: Beacon Health System: Pay your bill / financial assistance
Phone: 877-563-9518 — Beacon financial counselors for Beacon Kalamazoo, Dowagiac, and Plainwell.
How to apply
- Check the income limits above. This hospital is now part of Beacon Health System — Beacon acquired the Borgess hospitals in July 2025 — so Beacon's system-wide financial assistance policy applies.
- Get the financial assistance application at beaconhealthsystem.org/assist or call the number above, and return it with proof of income and household size.
- You will get a written decision with the percentage of assistance approved. Assistance applies retroactively to open accounts.
- If you still owe a balance, Beacon offers 0% interest payment plans of up to 36 months.
Good to know
- You can apply up to 240 days after your first bill — even if the bill already went to collections.
- A new bill means a new application — you can apply more than once. More in our guide You Might Not Have to Pay That Hospital Bill.
- Whatever remains after assistance can still be negotiated: How to Negotiate a Hospital Bill.
- Free help applying: Dollar For walks you through it at no cost.
See what Ascension Borgess-Lee Hospital charges
Check if you qualify at other hospitals
Sources
- Policy details above come from the hospital's own published materials, linked below. Policies change — if a link breaks or a number looks off, call the hospital and please tell us.
- Beacon Health System: Financial assistance policy (PDF, Sept 2026)
- Beacon Health System: Pay your bill
- Beacon acquisition of Borgess (Becker's)