Eikenberry Trust can help county families of Riley Hospital patients
Comet staff report

Families from Carroll County whose children receive treatment at Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis can seek financial assistance through the generosity of a local resident.

Each year, families from Carroll County turn to Riley Hospital for Children more than 500 times, seeking medical care. Mae Eikenberry of Flora wanted to help those families.

Through her estate plan, she established the Mae N. Eikenberry Trust with Union Bank & Trust Co., now JPMorgan Chase Bank. Each year, the bank gives income from the fund to the Riley Children's Foundation to provide financial assistance for inpatient hospital charges incurred at Riley Hospital for Children. Any Carroll County resident whose child is treated at Riley may apply to the fund.

To apply, families must let the Riley Hospital social worker assigned to them know that they are interested in applying to the Eikenberry Trust and complete and submit forms supplied by the social worker.

Once the forms are received by the social worker, the social worker and hospital personnel (employed by Clarian Health Partners) will help determine any assistance for which the family may be eligible and if any state or federal program assistance or other discounts provided through Clarian will be applied first.

This program is one of a number of sources of financial support for families at Riley Hospital. For example, assistance may be available to families who may not want to ask for financial aid because of religious convictions or other personal circumstances. Families should ask their social worker about options for paying their medical bills.

Questions concerning the Eikenberry Trust may be directed to Bishop Law Office in Flora.