San Mateo County Health

Hospital Fair Pricing Act (Health and Safety Code 127400 et seq.)

Every licensed general acute care, acute psychiatric, and special hospital in California must have a charity care policy and a discount payment policy. A patient can ask for help if they are uninsured (self-pay) or have high medical costs, and their family income is not more than 400% of the federal poverty level. Hospitals may choose to help people with higher incomes. With a discount, the bill is capped at about what Medicare or Medi-Cal would pay, whichever is greater. You can apply at any time, even after a bill goes to collections. Immigration status does not affect eligibility.

Income levels in the program are discount up to 400% of poverty level.

Applies to each licensed general acute care hospital, acute psychiatric hospital, and special hospital in California.

Apply to the hospital's financial assistance office. Each hospital's policies and applications are posted on its website and on HCAI's Hospital Fair Pricing Policy Lookup (https://hcai.ca.gov/affordability/hospital-fair-billing-program/hospital-fair-pricing-policy-lookup/).

Is a self-pay patient OR a patient with high medical costs; AND Patient's family income is not more than 400 percent of the federal poverty

Program source, checked 2026-11-10

Hospital Bill Complaint Program (HCAI)

A free state program at HCAI. If a hospital wrongly denied you financial assistance, did not tell you about its programs, or sent you to collections the wrong way, you can file a complaint online (English and Spanish) or by mail (many languages). You must have applied to the hospital first for HCAI to review an eligibility decision. If HCAI finds you paid too much, the hospital must refund you within 30 days. It covers problems on or after January 1, 2022. It does not handle general billing disputes, price transparency, Good Faith Estimates, or bills from emergency room doctors.

Applies to complaints about any hospital covered by the Hospital Fair Pricing Act.

File online through the Patient Complaint Portal (https://hcai.ca.gov/affordability/hospital-fair-billing-program/hospital-bill-complaint-program/should-i-file-a-complaint/) or mail the Patient Complaint Form to Department of Health Care Access and Information, Hospital Bill Complaint Program, 2020 West El Camino Avenue, Suite 1101, Sacramento, CA 95833.

If you believe you were wrongly denied financial assistance, you may file a complaint with the Hospital Bill Complaint Program.

Program source, checked 2026-11-10

Emergency physician discount rule

Most hospital policies cover only the hospital's own bill. Emergency room doctors often bill separately. California law also requires an emergency physician to give discounts to uninsured patients and patients with high medical costs whose family income is at or below 400% of the federal poverty level. Ask the doctor group's billing office for its discount policy. HCAI's complaint program does not handle emergency doctor bills.

Income levels in the program are discount up to 400% of poverty level.

Applies to emergency physicians who provide emergency medical services in a California hospital that provides emergency care.

Ask the emergency physician group named on the bill for its discount payment policy.

an emergency physician who provides emergency medical services in a hospital that provides emergency care is also required by law to provide discounted care

Program source, checked 2026-11-10

LA County Health Services Ability to Pay (ATP) Program

The financial assistance program for LA County residents at LA County's own hospitals and clinics (LA General, Harbor-UCLA, Olive View-UCLA, Rancho Los Amigos, and county health centers). Care is free at or below 200% of the federal poverty level. Above 200% there is no income cap, and you pay a set amount on a sliding scale, one amount per month for outpatient and ER care and one amount per inpatient stay. Uninsured, underinsured, and insured patients with high costs can apply. Assets are not counted. You can apply in person or by phone, and you can apply for past bills with no time limit. The approval lasts one year. People who live outside LA County can use the Discount Payment Program (up to 400% of poverty level).

Income levels in the program are free up to 200% of poverty level.

Applies to LA County Department of Health Services facilities only; LA County residents (out-of-county patients use the Discount Payment Program). It does not apply to for-profit hospitals.

Call 844-804-0055, option 6, or visit a Patient Financial Services office at any LA County Health Services location.

It is no cost (free) for patients with income at or under 200% Federal Poverty Level (FPL) and a reduced cost, sliding scale for those

Program source, checked 2026-11-10

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