Guides ยท Last reviewed October 22, 2026
Mayo Clinic (Minnesota) financial assistance
Mayo Clinic's Minnesota financial assistance policy adjusts 100% of the self-pay balance when household income and assets are at or below 200% of the federal poverty level, and 50% up to 400%. You generally have 240 days after your first billing statement to apply.
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Which Mayo policy is this?
This guide covers Mayo Clinic's Minnesota policy, which applies to Mayo Clinic and affiliated hospitals and clinics in Minnesota, including Rochester. Mayo publishes separate policies for its Arizona and Florida campuses, and Mayo Clinic Health System locations have their own page. We did not review those, so they may differ. The Minnesota policy document we read is marked revision 09/24, so check Mayo's page for a newer version.
Who qualifies
| Household income and assets | Adjustment of your self-pay balance |
|---|---|
| At or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines | 100% |
| Up to 400% of the federal poverty guidelines | 50% |
Mayo bases this on the federal poverty guidelines for the previous tax year and applies the adjustment after insurance and other payers, to the balance you owe. Mayo looks at income and assets together and expects a demonstrated inability to pay.
Other requirements in the policy include:
- You are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, or a citizen of another country in full-time studies in the U.S. on a student visa.
- If you have insurance, Mayo must be in-network. Patients are generally not eligible if the plan lists Mayo as out-of-network, except for emergency department care or care that is unique to Mayo.
- You apply for Medicaid or other coverage you may qualify for, including a state insurance exchange plan, and sign Mayo's authorization form so it can bill those payers.
- International patients are generally not eligible.
Mayo may also consider people who don't meet the standard criteria, such as humanitarian crises, catastrophic circumstances, or care only Mayo can provide. These are decided case by case at Mayo's discretion.
Presumptive eligibility
If you can show you are enrolled in Medicaid (Medical Assistance), or Mayo decides you qualify from socioeconomic information it already has, you do not have to apply. You are deemed eligible for a 100% adjustment of your self-pay balance.
What is not covered
Financial assistance covers emergency and medically necessary hospital care. The policy excludes services such as cosmetic surgery, in-vitro fertilization and other assisted reproductive technology, gastric bypass without a payer's medical necessity determination, research-linked services, and convenience items like premium rooms. It covers Mayo-employed providers in Minnesota. Other providers that treat you in the hospital are covered only if they appear on Mayo's separate Provider List, so ask Mayo for it if a bill came from someone outside Mayo.
How to apply
- Apply within the application period. It begins on the day you receive care and ends 240 days after your first post-discharge billing statement, or 30 days after written notice of extraordinary collection actions, whichever is later.
- Apply online in Patient Online Services (you need an existing Mayo patient account), or download and print the Financial Assistance Application and mail it with supporting documents. Expect to provide tax returns, bank statements, and pay stubs.
- Mail to Patient Account Services, Mayo Clinic, PO Box 860910, Minneapolis, MN 55486-0910, or fax to 507-284-3445. Don't staple or clip the papers.
- Call 844-217-9591 (toll-free) for help. Mayo says it will notify you of an incomplete application and give you 30 days to provide what's missing.
If you have no insurance, Mayo works with Elevate Patient Financial Solutions to give free help finding coverage such as Medicaid or disability benefits.
After you're approved
Approval lasts up to one year from the first day of the month you received services, or until the end of the next Affordable Care Act open enrollment period, whichever comes first. Mayo may ask you to re-apply at least every 180 days for ongoing care. Mayo can reverse an approval if the application was false or left out income or assets, so report any changes.
Keep copies of everything you send. Ask Patient Account Services to hold your account while the application is reviewed. For the federal rules that apply to nonprofit hospitals, see our hospital financial assistance guide, and to check your bill for errors first, see how to get an itemized bill.
Common questions
What income qualifies for Mayo Clinic financial assistance in Minnesota?
Mayo's Minnesota policy gives a 100% adjustment of the self-pay balance for household income and assets at or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines, and a 50% adjustment for income and assets up to 400%.
How long do I have to apply for Mayo Clinic financial assistance?
Mayo's Minnesota policy says the application period begins on the date care is provided and ends 240 days after the first post-discharge billing statement, or 30 days after written notice of extraordinary collection actions, whichever is later.
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Sources
- Mayo Clinic: Charitable care and financial assistance (reviewed October 22, 2026)
- Financial Assistance Documents, Minnesota campus (reviewed October 22, 2026)
- Financial Assistance Policy, Minnesota (MC5815-03, rev. 09/24) (reviewed October 22, 2026)
Billmira is a self-help information tool, not a law firm, and this isn't legal or medical advice. Billmira is not affiliated with or endorsed by Mayo Clinic. Policies change and differ by hospital; check the official sources above and your own documents.