Shriners Hospital Eligibility: Who Qualifies For Care?

how do you qualify for shriners hospital

Shriners Hospitals for Children, also known as Shriners Children's, is a network of non-profit children's hospitals and paediatric medical facilities across North America. The hospitals are owned and operated by Shriners International, a Freemasonry-related organisation. Shriners Children's provides a full range of services and support to help ensure that patients reach their goals and discover their full potential. The hospitals offer treatment for children with orthopaedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries, and cleft lip and palate, and care is provided regardless of the patient's ability to pay. Shriners Children's also provides treatment for other conditions, such as club foot, sports medicine, and cerebral palsy. To qualify for treatment at a Shriners Hospital, patients must have a condition that the hospital specialises in treating, and acceptance is based solely on the patient's medical needs. Shriners Children's works with families to develop a unique care plan for each child, and patients can be treated from birth until the age of 18, with treatment sometimes extended until the age of 21.

Characteristics Values
Headquarters Tampa, Florida
Owner Shriners International
Patient Age Birth to 18 years (may be extended to 21 years in some cases)
Eligibility Criteria Children with orthopaedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries, cleft lip and palate
Services Innovative, compassionate and individualized care, full range of services and support, highly specialized team of medical professionals
Referral Direct referral by physician or contact specialists directly
Contact 800-237-5055 in the U.S., or 800-361-7256
Financial Assistance Free care for households under 204% of the Federal Poverty Level, discounted care for families under 322%

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Household income requirements for free or discounted care

Shriners Hospitals for Children, also known as Shriners Children's, is a network of non-profit children's hospitals and paediatric medical facilities across North America. The hospitals are headquartered in Tampa, Florida, and owned and operated by Shriners International, a Freemasonry-related organisation.

The hospitals provide care for children with orthopaedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries, and cleft lip and palate, and patients are treated regardless of their family's ability to pay. In 2009, the CEO of Shriners Hospitals, Douglas Maxwell, stated that children with these conditions would continue to be treated at no charge.

Although Shriners Hospitals for Children does not explicitly mention household income requirements for free or discounted care, there are some general guidelines. Non-profit hospitals in the United States, including Shriners Children's Portland and Boston, are required by law to offer charity care programs to patients who cannot afford their medical bills. Specifically, in 2025, households under 204% of the Federal Poverty Level qualified for free care, while families under 322% qualified for discounted care. These figures are based on Dollar For's national database of hospital financial assistance policies.

It is important to note that each hospital's financial assistance policies may vary, and it is always a good idea to contact the hospital directly to discuss your specific situation and explore options for financial assistance or charity care programs.

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Physician referrals

Shriners Hospitals for Children, commonly known as Shriners Children's, is a network of non-profit children's hospitals and paediatric medical facilities across North America. The hospitals are owned and operated by Shriners International, an organisation formally known as the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, which is related to Freemasonry. Shriners Children's provides care for children with orthopaedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries, and cleft lip and palate, and patients are treated in a family-centred environment.

If your child has a condition that Shriners Children's specialises in, you can work with them to get started on a care plan. You can consult with specialists regarding your child's condition by requesting an appointment. Your physician can also provide a direct referral. If you do not have a referral, you can contact Shriners Children's directly at 800-237-5055 in the U.S., or 800-361-7256.

Once you have made contact, an intake coordinator will review your child's information and determine if their services will meet your child's care needs. If they decide that they cannot meet your child's needs, they will contact you directly by telephone or mail. If your child is accepted, their services will be provided based on your child's medical needs, regardless of your family's ability to pay or insurance status. Shriners Children's provides care for children from birth until age 18, although this may be extended to age 21 in some cases.

Shriners Children's is committed to delivering innovative, compassionate, and individualised care. Their highly specialised team of medical professionals will work with you to develop a care plan unique to your child's needs. They provide a full range of services and support to help ensure that patients reach their goals and discover their full potential.

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Specialised treatments

Shriners Hospitals for Children, also known as Shriners Children's, is a network of non-profit children's hospitals and paediatric medical facilities across North America. The hospitals are headquartered in Tampa, Florida, and owned and operated by Shriners International, a Freemasonry-related organisation. The hospitals' tagline is "Love to the Rescue."

The hospitals provide specialised paediatric care, including orthopaedic, spine, burn, and other speciality care and rehab. They offer treatment for a wide range of paediatric orthopaedic conditions, including scoliosis, limb discrepancies, clubfoot, hip dysplasia, and juvenile idiopathic arthritis. They also treat cerebral palsy, spina bifida (myelomeningocele), and other neurological conditions affecting ambulation and movement. Three Shriners Hospitals provide spinal cord injury rehabilitation with adventure and adapted sports programs, activity-based rehabilitation, aquatherapy, and animal-assisted therapy.

Four Shriners Hospitals (Boston, Galveston, Cincinnati, and Sacramento) provide care for children with burns, as well as treating skin conditions such as epidermolysis bullosa and toxic epidermal necrolysis. The hospitals in Boston, Chicago, Shreveport, Galveston, Springfield, and Portland also provide treatment for children with craniofacial conditions, cleft lip and palate, and other specialised treatments.

Shriners Children's has a team of highly qualified specialists, including board-certified paediatric orthopaedic surgeons, who are committed to providing progressive treatment options based on the latest research. They work closely with families to develop individual care plans that meet each child's unique needs and provide a supportive, family-centred environment.

The hospitals provide transportation free of charge for patients and their families, and care is offered regardless of the family's ability to pay. Shriners Children's also conducts research to improve medical treatments and enhance the quality of life for children, contributing to the worldwide body of medical and scientific knowledge.

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Patient age requirements

Shriners Hospitals for Children, commonly known as Shriners Children's, is a network of non-profit children's hospitals and paediatric medical facilities across North America. The hospitals are owned and operated by Shriners International, an organisation formally known as the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, a Freemasonry-related group whose members are known as Shriners.

The hospitals provide care for children with orthopaedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries, and cleft lip and palate. Care is provided in a family-centred environment, regardless of the patient's ability to pay. The hospitals' tagline is "Love to the Rescue".

Shriners Children's provides care for children from birth until age 18, although in some cases, this may be extended to age 21. The hospitals offer a full range of services and support to help patients reach their goals and discover their full potential. A highly specialised team of medical professionals works with each family to develop a unique care plan for the child's needs.

To qualify for care at Shriners Children's, a child's medical needs are the sole criteria, and this is regardless of the family's ability to pay or their insurance status. If you would like to bring your child to Shriners Children's for an evaluation and/or care, you can contact their physician about initiating a referral. If you do not have a referral, you can contact Shriners Children's directly.

In terms of financial assistance, as a non-profit hospital, Shriners Children's offers charity care programs to patients. This means they cancel bills for people who cannot afford to pay. On average, in 2025, households under 204% of the Federal Poverty Level qualified for free care, and families under 322% qualified for discounted care.

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Location of hospitals and clinics

Shriners Children's Hospitals are located across North America, providing a network of non-profit, family-centred hospitals and paediatric medical facilities. Headquartered in Tampa, Florida, the hospitals are owned and operated by Shriners International, a Freemasonry-related organisation.

The Shriners Children's Hospitals provide care for children with a range of conditions, including orthopaedic issues, burns, craniofacial conditions, spinal injuries, and cleft lip and palate. The hospitals have locations in:

  • Shreveport, Louisiana
  • Greenville, South Carolina
  • Erie, Pennsylvania
  • Spokane, Washington
  • Springfield, Massachusetts
  • Galveston, Texas
  • Twin Cities – Woodbury, Minnesota
  • Bismarck, North Dakota
  • Boys Town, Nebraska
  • Downtown Los Angeles, California
  • Doylestown, Pennsylvania
  • Rapid City, South Dakota
  • Lexington, Kentucky
  • Montreal, Quebec, Canada

The Shriners Hospital in Portland, Oregon, is also mentioned as a location providing free or discounted care to families under a certain income threshold.

Frequently asked questions

It is a network of non-profit children's hospitals and other paediatric medical facilities across North America.

Shriners Hospitals for Children treat children with orthopaedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries, and cleft lip and palate.

Shriners Hospitals for Children provide care for children from birth to age 18. In some cases, care may be extended to age 21.

You can contact Shriners Hospitals for Children directly to request an appointment or have your physician provide a direct referral.

Acceptance is based solely on a child's medical needs, regardless of their family's ability to pay or their insurance status. Nonprofit hospitals are required by law to offer charity care programs to patients who cannot afford their bills.

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