Insurance Counseling
Navigating insurance and medical bills can be overwhelming. HAVEN's Medical Debt & Insurance Counseling (MDIC) department is here to help. MDIC is an internal HAVEN department staffed by trained volunteers who can assist you with applications, bills, and insurance questions at no cost to you.
Plan for the wait. YNHH takes about 8 to 10 weeks to process a Free Care application, and the same again for a renewal. Coverage lasts 6 months, so start your renewal well before your current approval expires rather than after.
Answer the phone while you are waiting. YNHH staff may call you to verify what you put on the application or to ask for a document. An unanswered call is one of the most common reasons an application stalls, so pick up numbers you do not recognize during this period, and check your mail.
If you receive a bill for any services provided by or referred through HAVEN Free Clinic, please do not ignore it and do not pay it before speaking with us. Contact MDIC first at hfc.billing@yale.edu. We may be able to help reduce or eliminate the balance. See the MDIC/Billing Guide below for how HAVEN can assist and what documents are required.
What MDIC Can Help With:
- Reviewing and explaining medical bills from HAVEN-referred services
- Assisting with applications for Medicaid, HUSKY, or YNHH Financial Assistance
- Helping navigate insurance enrollment and coverage questions
- Advocating on your behalf for billing adjustments or payment plans
Documents You May Need:
- Photo ID
- Proof of income (pay stubs, tax return)
- Proof of address (utility bill, lease agreement)
- Any medical bills or insurance correspondence you've received
To get started, or to check when your current approval expires, email hfc.billing@yale.edu.
Understanding Your Bill
Medical bills can be confusing. Yale's medical system has two separate billing organizations. A single visit can produce a bill from each. Knowing which is which tells you who to contact.
Yale Medicine
Physician & provider services
Covers the professional services of the Yale Medicine doctor or provider who treated you.
Yale Medicine Patient Services: (800) 826-9922, Mon–Fri 8:30 am–5:00 pm, or patient.services@yale.edu. Pay online through MyChart.
Yale New Haven Health / Hospital
Hospital & facility services
Covers hospital and facility charges: the facility where you were seen and hospital services such as labs and imaging.
YNHH Patient Financial Services: (855) 547-4584, Mon–Fri 7:30 am–5:00 pm. Pay online through MyChart.
Check the top of each statement to see which organization issued it, and use the matching contact above. When in doubt, contact MDIC at hfc.billing@yale.edu and we'll help you figure out which bill is which.
Need help reading either bill? Reach out to MDIC at hfc.billing@yale.edu and we can review it with you and figure out which organization to contact.
For more detail and a sample statement, see YNHH's Understanding Your Bill page or Yale Medicine's Pay a Bill page.
Application Assistance
Yale New Haven Hospital's program provides free or reduced-cost care at YNHH facilities. Anyone can apply; approval is based on your household income and size. Insurance status is not a barrier, and immigration status does not disqualify you. MDIC can help you navigate the application at no cost.
Not insurance: It covers services at YNHH facilities but does not function like a health insurance plan and is not transferable to other providers.
Proof of income is required for you and, if applicable, household members. Recent pay stubs, your most recent federal tax return, or Social Security benefit statements are commonly accepted.
Download the guide in your preferred language:
Medicaid (known as HUSKY in Connecticut) is a state and federal program that provides free or low-cost health coverage for eligible low-income individuals and families. Unlike Free Care, it is real insurance you can use anywhere that accepts it.
Applications go through Access Health CT, Connecticut's official health insurance marketplace and the only place to apply for HUSKY. You can apply online, by phone, or with us at any Saturday clinic.
Proof of income is required as part of the application: recent pay stubs, your most recent federal tax return, or Social Security benefit statements.
MDIC can help you determine your eligibility and assist with the application process at no cost. Contact us at hfc.billing@yale.edu to get started.
YNHH Free Care: Step-by-Step Application Guide
A complete, plain-language walkthrough of the Yale New Haven Health Financial Assistance (Free Care) application: what it is, how to fill out every section, and how to submit. You can do this yourself, and our MDIC team is here to help.
Free Care is Yale New Haven Health's commitment to help patients who cannot afford their medical bills. It is not insurance. It covers care at YNHH facilities only, and you must renew it about every 6 months.
This guide walks you through the application, section by section, so you can complete it yourself. HAVEN's MDIC team will help you through it the first time. After that, for your 6-month renewals, we encourage you to file on your own using this guide. We're here whenever you get stuck.
Download the application guide:
How to fill out the application, section by section
The official form is the YNHH Application for Financial Assistance Programs (Form F6304). Below is every section of the form explained in plain language. Tap each one to expand it.
Need the form itself? Download it above, ask HAVEN's MDIC team at any Saturday clinic, or call YNHH at (855) 547-4584.
This is the top of the application. It identifies who is applying. Fill out every line. Leave nothing blank. If you don’t have a medical record number, write "N/A". It is not required.
Last name and First name
RequiredWrite your legal name exactly as it appears on any ID or medical paperwork. Use the same name consistently. Misspellings can slow processing.
Example: García, Maria
Tip: Use your full legal name, not a nickname.
Street address, City, State, Zip code
RequiredWrite your current home address. If you stay with someone else, use their address. YNHH will mail your approval letter here. Make sure it is correct.
Example: 123 Grand Ave, New Haven, CT 06511
Tip: If your mailing address is different from where you live, note both.
Date of birth
RequiredWrite your birth date in MM/DD/YYYY format.
Example: 03/15/1980
Telephone number
RequiredA number where YNHH can reach you. If you don’t have a personal phone, write a number of someone who can give you a message.
Example: (203) 555-0100
Tip: YNHH may call you to verify information or inform you of your decision.
Medical record number
OptionalThis is a number assigned by YNHH when you receive care there. You can find it on any YNHH bill, discharge papers, or by calling (855) 547-4584. If you don’t have it, leave it blank. It is optional.
Example: MRN: 1234567
Tip: Check the top of any YNHH bill. The MRN is usually printed there.
Proof of income
This is the step people most often get wrong. A missing or incorrect proof of income is the most common reason an application stalls. You must attach proof of income to your application. Find your situation below.
Paid by check or direct deposit
2 recent pay stubs
Must be from the past 6 months. Get them from your employer or your bank app. Both stubs must show your name and the pay amount.
Paid in cash by employer
Letter from your employer
Your employer writes a letter confirming your pay. Use the template below. Fill in the blanks and have your employer sign it.
Supported by family or a friend
Letter from the person supporting you
The person supporting you writes a letter confirming what they give you monthly. Use the template below.
Unemployed with no income
Letter from financial supporter
If no one supports you and you have no income, bring a letter saying so. HAVEN’s MDIC team can help you write this. Call us at (203) 200-0673.
Receiving Social Security or disability
SSA award letter or benefit statement
Get this from SSA.gov or the letter Social Security mailed you. Must show your benefit amount. Call 800-772-1213 if you need a copy.
Self-employed
Most recent tax return (Schedule C)
Use your federal tax return Schedule C. If you don’t file taxes, a letter from yourself stating your earnings is acceptable. MDIC team can help.
Letter templates: fill in the blanks and have the person sign
Letter written by your employer (if paid in cash)
[Your Employer's Letterhead if they have one]
[Today's date]
To whom it may concern,
This letter serves as verification that [your full name] is employed by [employer name]. [Your name] performs [brief job description] and is paid [$____ amount] [weekly / biweekly / monthly] in cash. If you have questions or require additional information, please feel free to contact me at [employer phone number].
Sincerely,
[Employer's printed name], ______________________
(Employer's signature)
Letter written by the person who supports you financially
[Today's date]
To whom it may concern,
I, [supporter's full name], am the [relationship] of [your full name]. I currently provide monthly financial support to [your name] in the amount of [$____ amount] [weekly / biweekly / monthly] to provide food and shelter. If you have any questions, I can be reached at [supporter's phone number].
Sincerely,
[Supporter's printed name], ______________________
(Supporter's signature)
How to submit your application
YNHH gives you several ways to submit. All require your signed application and your proof of income attached.
Mail it
Print, complete, sign, and mail your application with proof of income attached. Allow 8 to 10 weeks for processing.
Yale New Haven Health SBO, Attn: Financial Assistance PO Box 1403 New Haven, CT 06505
Email proof of income
Send photos or scans of your proof of income documents directly to the HAVEN billing team, who will submit with your application.
hfc.billing@yale.edu
Bring it to HAVEN
Come to HAVEN clinic any Saturday, 8:30 AM – 12:00 PM. Our MDIC team will review your application, catch any errors, and submit for you.
Saturdays, 8:30 AM – 12:00 PM HAVEN Free Clinic New Haven, CT
Call YNHH directly
For your application status, a specific bill, or an account question, call YNHH directly — they hold your account and HAVEN does not.
(855) 547-4584 YNHH Patient Financial Services
After you submit: processing usually takes 8 to 10 weeks. YNHH will contact you by mail or phone with your decision. If you are approved, keep your approval letter safe — you will need it at future YNHH appointments. If you are denied, contact HAVEN's MDIC team; we can help you understand why and whether to appeal.
Expect a call, and pick it up. YNHH staff often phone applicants to verify income, household size, or an address, or to ask for a document they could not read. A missed call is one of the most common reasons an application sits. Answer unknown numbers while you are waiting, keep an eye on your mail, and if you miss one, call (855) 547-4584 back rather than waiting for them to try again.
Renewing your coverage
Free Care expires. You must renew about every 6 months. It is not a one-time approval. If you miss your renewal window, your coverage lapses, even in the middle of treatment. Renewal takes the same 8 to 10 weeks to process as a first application, so start it early rather than on the day it runs out. When you apply through HAVEN, our MDIC team tracks your renewal date and reminds you when it is time.
Try the renewal yourself first. You have done this once already, the form is identical, and you have the documents. Fill in what you can, gather your proof of income, and bring it to a Saturday clinic for us to check before it goes in. Getting to the point where you can renew your own coverage without us is the whole idea — and if you get stuck on a single line, that is exactly what we are here for. Nobody expects you to do it alone.
Frequently asked questions
Who to Contact
Two different offices, two different jobs. Choosing the right one saves you a wait.
For your bill or your application status
Call YNHH Patient Financial Services
They hold your account, so they are the only ones who can tell you whether your application was received, where it stands, whether you were approved, what a specific charge is, or set up a payment plan. Call them directly rather than waiting for Saturday.
(855) 547-4584Monday–Friday, 7:30 AM – 5:00 PM
For help with the paperwork
HAVEN's MDIC team
We sit with you to complete the form, work out what counts as proof of income, review a bill you do not understand, help you decide whether to appeal a denial, and submit on your behalf. Bring your paperwork to any Saturday clinic, or email it.
Not sure which bill you are holding? Yale Medicine and Yale New Haven Health bill separately, and a single visit can produce one of each. See Understanding Your Bill above, or send it to us and we will work out which is which.