Help Paying Your Bill

Financial assistance programs

If you have questions about these programs, don't hesitate to call or email us.

Financial counseling: Financial counselors in our Patient Estimate Program are available to discuss your options and offer financial planning guidance for your medical care or services. Call 844-678-6831 or [email protected].

UCSF Health discount policy: Patients who don't have health insurance – or who need care that's not covered by an insurance plan – are considered self-pay patients and are eligible for a discount at UCSF Health. To find out more about our discount policy, call Patient Financial Services.

Facing financial hardship? We encourage you to apply to Medi-Cal and other government programs that may be able to help. If you don't qualify for those programs, or you have substantial financial liabilities despite having insurance, you may qualify for financial assistance from UCSF Health.

Eligibility for financial assistance: Families with an income at or below 400 percent of federal poverty level (FPL) guidelines are generally eligible for 100 percent assistance from UCSF. Check here for details:

How to apply

If Patient Financial Services has advised you to apply for financial assistance, please complete an application in UCSF's MyChart.

Alternatively, you can download the application below and send it to the address listed there.

Note: Your completed application for financial assistance should be submitted after services are provided and is not a substitute for insurance or a guarantee of future services.

Hospital Bill Complaint Program

The Hospital Bill Complaint Program is a state program, that reviews hospital decisions about whether you qualify for help paying your hospital bill. If you believe you were wrongly denied financial assistance, you may file a complaint with the Hospital Bill Complaint Program. Go to Hospital Fair Billing Program for more information and to file a complaint.

Understanding your statement

Before billing you, UCSF Health will submit a claim to your health insurance provider, including Medicare and Medi-Cal if applicable, and any secondary insurance. If you owe a balance that was not covered by your insurance, or if you are a self-pay patient, you will receive a statement by mail.

UCSF Health provides patients with a consolidated statement (per guarantor) that includes fees for both hospital and professional services. Hospital services include costs for room and board, ancillary services such as diagnostic tests (for example, X-rays, EKGs and laboratory tests) and medications. Professional services include care from the physicians who treated you during an outpatient visit or hospital stay, as well as physicians who read and interpreted your test results (such as a radiologist).

If you have any questions about your statement, please call Patient Financial Services at 866-433-4035. See a sample statement (PDF) to help you understand your bill.