To apply for Project Access, ask your primary care provider to send a referral to the Project Access program serving your county; the program will then contact you to verify your income and insurance status and assign you to a volunteer specialist. There is no single national Project Access application form. Each local program runs its own intake, but the sequence is the same everywhere: provider referral first, financial screening second, specialist match third.
Find the Program That Serves Your County
Project Access programs operate independently in individual cities and counties, so the first step is identifying the one that covers where you live. Search online for “Project Access” plus your city or county name. If that turns up nothing, a community health center, free clinic, or hospital social worker can usually point you to the right office or to a similar donated-care network operating under a different name.
Each program serves a defined geographic area. A program in a neighboring county typically cannot accept your referral, so confirm the service area before your provider sends anything.
Who Qualifies
Eligibility rules vary by program, but three conditions show up almost everywhere: low income, no usable insurance, and a diagnosed medical need that requires a specialist.
Income
Household gross income generally has to fall at or below 200% to 300% of the federal poverty level, with many programs setting the ceiling at 300%. For 2026 in the 48 contiguous states, 200% of FPL is $31,920 for one person, $43,280 for a household of two, and $66,000 for a household of four. At 300%, those figures rise to $47,880, $64,920, and $99,000.1HHS ASPE. 2026 Poverty Guidelines – 48 Contiguous States Alaska and Hawaii use higher thresholds. Check which percentage your local program applies before you pull together paperwork, because the gap between 200% and 300% is large.
Insurance
You generally have to be uninsured. Some programs also accept Medicaid patients who cannot find a specialist willing to take their coverage. Medicare patients are usually not eligible.2Project Access Northwest. FAQs Private insurance, including a high-deductible plan, will usually disqualify you, though some programs make exceptions when your policy excludes the specialty care you need.
Residency and Medical Need
You have to live in the program’s service area. You also need a diagnosed condition that your primary care provider has determined requires a specialist. Project Access covers specialty care and diagnostic procedures, not routine primary care, and you generally cannot self-refer.2Project Access Northwest. FAQs
Documents To Gather Before Your Intake Call
Once your doctor submits the referral, a care coordinator will contact you for an eligibility screening. Having your paperwork ready prevents delays.
- Identity: A government-issued photo ID such as a driver’s license, state ID card, or permanent resident card.
- Residency: A recent utility bill, lease agreement, or official mail showing your local address.
- Income: Your most recent federal tax return (Form 1040) is preferred. If you didn’t file, programs accept recent pay stubs (typically two to six consecutive stubs depending on pay frequency), W-2 forms, Social Security award letters, or a signed letter from your employer stating your wage rate.
- Insurance status: Some programs ask you to sign a self-declaration that you lack coverage; others verify directly. Your coordinator will tell you what they need.
All household members’ income counts toward the total. Bring documentation for every working adult in your home.
How the Referral and Screening Work
You don’t fill out a Project Access application yourself in the way you’d complete a benefits form online. Your doctor, clinic, or hospital emergency department submits a referral form to the local Project Access office that includes your demographics, your diagnosis with ICD-10 codes, a level of urgency, and supporting medical records such as office notes, lab results, and imaging. Incomplete referrals cannot be processed, so confirm with your provider’s office that everything the form asks for was sent.3Project Access East Tennessee. Provider Referral Form
After the referral arrives, a care coordinator contacts you to schedule the financial eligibility review. This may happen by phone, in person at a partner clinic, or through a secure online portal. You’ll walk through your income with the coordinator and sign authorizations allowing the program to release your medical records to the specialist who will treat you. Mismatched income figures or missing authorizations are the most common reasons a case stalls.
Submitting Your Documents
How you deliver documents depends on the program. Options usually include a secure online portal, fax, mail, or hand-delivery to a partner clinic. Some programs don’t accept faxed applications, so ask your coordinator which method to use. There is typically no application fee.
What Happens After You Apply
The intake team reviews your financial documents and the medical referral together. Processing time varies. If your condition is time-sensitive, make sure your referring provider marks the urgency level on the referral form, because many programs prioritize urgent cases.
You’ll get the decision by phone, mail, or email. If you’re denied, the program should tell you why. The usual reasons are income over the threshold, having disqualifying insurance, or living outside the service area. Ask whether you can reapply if your circumstances change.
Approval covers a fixed enrollment window. Most programs enroll patients for three to six months based on expected treatment needs.4Project Access. For Patients Some set the window at six months or until the specialist discharges you, whichever comes first.5Champions for Health. Project Access San Diego Enrollment Form If treatment runs long, the treating physician can request an extension.
Once enrolled, a care navigator becomes your main point of contact. The navigator schedules your appointment, helps arrange transportation where that’s offered, and connects you with prescription assistance or other community resources.6Medical Foundation of Nashville. Project Access You don’t pick your specialist. The program assigns one from its volunteer rotation to spread the workload across participating doctors. Your primary care provider stays in the loop.
What the Program Covers
Project Access focuses on specialty consultations, diagnostic testing, imaging, laboratory work, and surgeries performed by volunteer providers and partner hospitals.6Medical Foundation of Nashville. Project Access Some programs also help with prescriptions and transportation.
It is not a replacement for a primary care provider, and it generally does not cover dental care, vision care, or long-term chronic disease management. The program fills a specific gap: getting an uninsured patient through a specialist treatment episode. If you need ongoing care after discharge, your navigator can help connect you with follow-up resources.
If You Don’t Qualify or Your Area Has No Program
Ask the hospital’s billing department about its financial assistance policy. Tax-exempt nonprofit hospitals are required under Section 501(r) of the Internal Revenue Code to maintain a written policy spelling out who qualifies for free or discounted care, how to apply, and what charges apply.7Internal Revenue Service. Financial Assistance Policies (FAPs) The policy must cover all emergency and medically necessary care at the facility.8eCFR. 26 CFR 1.501(r)-4 – Financial Assistance Policy and Emergency Medical Care Policy The income thresholds for hospital charity care often sit in the same FPL range Project Access uses, so if your income cleared one, it may clear the other.