When patients are uninsured or facing complex coverage challenges, the financial burden of care can quickly become overwhelming. At R1, patient financial advocacy is designed to ease that burden by helping patients access the coverage, assistance and support they need so they can focus on their health.
In short: As highlighted in R1’s annual Responsibility & Impact Report, R1’s patient financial advocacy helps uninsured and self-pay patients identify coverage options, apply for financial assistance, resolve coverage issues and access public support programs. The examples below show how financial counselors helped patients avoid major uninsured medical debt, restore Medicaid coverage, secure charity care and connect to follow-up care during serious health events.
Helping patients navigate financial uncertainty
Through our Patient Financial Advocacy programs, R1 financial counselors work one-on-one with uninsured and self-pay patients to identify funding sources, secure coverage and guide them through what can often be a confusing and stressful process. Supported by R1 technology, counselors can quickly identify patients who may need assistance and connect them with personalized support early in their care journey.
Our approach is grounded in the HFMA’s Patient Financial Communications Best Practices®, with a focus on advocacy, education and compassionate person-to-person conversations. The goal is not only to help resolve an immediate financial need, but also to create better healthcare experiences and stronger long-term stability for patients and families.
R1 Patient Financial Advocacy
140K
patients converted from uninsured to fully insured
99%
of all uninsured inpatients screened for available coverage
92%
of all emergency department patients screened for coverage
500K+
patients recommended for financial assistance
Connecting patients to coverage
R1’s financial counselors help patients navigate a wide range of options, including Medicaid, charity care, disability-related assistance and other public support programs. We also partner with providers to simplify financial assistance through our Presumptive Charity Program, using proprietary scoring to help identify patients who are likely to qualify based on each organization’s policies.
In many cases, this work extends beyond healthcare coverage alone. For patients facing broader financial hardship, our teams may help identify additional support such as Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI), helping address basic needs that can directly affect overall wellness and recovery.
Real stories, real impact
The true impact of this work comes to life through the patients we serve—each story reflecting how timely financial advocacy can remove barriers and support better outcomes. The following stories show how this work makes a tangible difference for patients navigating complex financial challenges:
Disabled Medicaid after a major health change
A patient initially admitted without insurance did not qualify for traditional coverage options. After their condition worsened and resulted in an amputation, an R1 financial counselor worked closely with the patient, family and hospital teams to reassess eligibility and secure disabled Medicaid. That advocacy helped prevent more than $500,000 in uninsured medical debt while supporting access to continued care and recovery.
Medicaid restoration after an administrative error
In another case, a patient arrived from a skilled nursing facility with serious health complications and more than $700,000 across three hospital accounts. Once the patient was stable enough to talk, an R1 counselor discovered their Medicaid renewal had been disrupted by an administrative error and misdirected mail. By coordinating with the Social Security Administration and hospital teams, the counselor helped restore coverage and remove a major barrier to the patient’s recovery.
Charity care followed by Medicaid approval
For one out-of-state patient hospitalized with severe diabetes complications and infection, R1 first helped secure charity care so treatment could begin without delay. As the patient’s hospitalization continued and their financial situation changed dramatically, a counselor rescreened them and obtained Medicaid approval. That coverage became a bridge to follow-up care, rehabilitation and a more stable path forward.
Retroactive Medicaid for a NICU case
R1 also helped resolve a highly complex neonatal intensive care case involving an infant transferred shortly after birth and facing approximately $3.5 million in charges. Missing documentation initially prevented standard benefits verification, but through months of coordination across multiple hospital teams and persistent follow-up, an R1 counselor identified an alternative path to secure retroactive Medicaid coverage back to the infant’s date of birth. The result protected the family and ensured appropriate coverage for a critical episode of care.
Helping patients focus on healing
These stories reflect a broader commitment to helping patients overcome barriers, access available resources and avoid unnecessary financial distress during some of the most difficult moments of their lives.
At R1, patient financial advocacy is about more than reimbursement. It is about combining technology, expertise and empathy to connect patients to the support they qualify for as quickly as possible, with as little burden as possible. By doing so, we help patients gain peace of mind, improve access to care and build a stronger foundation for recovery.
R1 is committed to being a good corporate citizen – learn how in our annual Responsibility & Impact Report.
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Empowering Patients Through Financial Advocacy
