On page two of the hospital’s own statement, in a grey box, in the same six-point type as everything else, there is a sentence that says the hospital has a Financial Assistance Policy and that a plain-language summary is available free on request.

I want to explain what that is, because I did not know, and because a very large number of people are paying hospital bills in this country right now that they do not owe.

A nonprofit hospital in the United States — and most hospitals are nonprofit — is required by federal tax law to have a written financial assistance policy.

It is section 501(r) of the tax code and it is the price of the tax exemption.

The policy has to say who is eligible and what the discount is.