Billing and Insurance

Health insurance

If you have health insurance, our billing office will first bill your insurance carrier. If your insurance plan doesn't cover a service or procedure or doesn't cover the entire cost, you will be responsible for the fees that are not covered.

If you have insurance coverage and want to update your insurance information for billing, please call Patient Financial Services immediately. Most insurance companies have timely filing requirements.

Contact Patient Financial Services

• Toll-free phone: (866) 433-4035
• Phone: (415) 353-3333
• Fax: (415) 353-3914
• Email: [email protected]
• Hours: Mondays–Fridays, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
• Address: 505 Parnassus Ave., #0810, San Francisco, CA 94143-563
   

The No Surprises Billing Act: Patient rights and protections

As of January 1, 2022, when patients get emergency care or are treated by an out-of-network provider at an in-network hospital or ambulatory surgical center, the No Surprises Billing Act protects them against surprise billing or balance billing. Find out more about your rights under the new act and protections against surprise medical bills.  

MyChart paperless statements

UCSF and our affiliate practices are now sending paperless statements.

If you have a MyChart account, you don't have to do a thing: You're already receiving paperless statements. If you have a MyChart account, and you'd like to continue to receive a paper statement, log in to MyChart and choose "cancel paperless billing" on the Billing Summary page. Note: Transplant and Reproductive Health guarantors are not eligible for MyChart at UCSF and will continue to receive paper statements in the mail.

If you don't have a MyChart account, we encourage you to enroll today. To get started, request an activation code. If you already have an activation code, you can use it to complete your MyChart registration.

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. A sample statement is available here to help you understand your bill.

Payment options

Payment is due within 30 days of billing. We accept personal checks and major credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover).

You may use any of the following options to pay your balance:

• Online, via MyChart
• Mail: Complete and return the payment coupon attached to your statement
• Phone: Call (866) 433-4035 (automated payment system available 24/7)
   

Medicare

If you are covered by Medicare, we will submit your claims to Medicare on your behalf. After Medicare makes its payment, we will bill your supplemental or secondary insurance carrier for the remaining balance, as determined by Medicare. If you don't have supplemental or secondary insurance, you will be responsible for the remaining balance. Please refer to your EOMB (Explanation of Medicare Benefits) or your EOB (Explanation of Benefits) from your supplemental or secondary insurance for additional information.

Medi-Cal

Medi-Cal is California's Medicaid program, a medical assistance program for low-income residents funded by the state and federal government. If you are covered under this program, please provide an eligibility card or other proof of eligibility for your month of service. Medi-Cal eligibility is determined on a month-to-month basis.

Estimate your out-of-pocket costs

At UCSF Health, we're committed to helping patients and their families make informed decisions about every aspect of their care, including out-of-pocket costs. Costs will be impacted by insurance plan coverage, co-pays and deductibles, if any, as well as by the wide range of services provided and other variables that affect costs. Use our online tool to help calculate out-of-pocket costs for our most common services.

Get a price estimate online

Need assistance

Financial counselors are available to discuss your options and offer guidance in the financial planning of your medical care or services. Contact a Financial Counselor at the Patient Estimate Program at (844) 678-6831 or [email protected].

Self-pay patients

If you don't have health insurance or are seeking care that is not covered by your insurance plan, you are considered a self-pay patient. All self-pay patients at UCSF are eligible for a discount. For additional information about our discount policy, please call the Financial Counseling office at (415) 353-1966.

To request an estimate for the out-of-pocket cost for an upcoming service, please call Financial Counseling's Patient Estimate Program at (844) 678-6831. Financial counselors are available to discuss your options and offer guidance in the financial planning of your medical care or services. 

Financial assistance

If UCSF Patient Financial Services has advised you to apply for financial assistance, please complete a financial assistance application using UCSF's MyChart. Families with an income at or below 400 percent of federal poverty guidelines generally qualify for 100 percent assistance. An Application for Charity Assistance should be completed after services are provided and is not a substitute for insurance or a guarantee of future services.

Elective procedures require a deposit before service, unless the patient is eligible for financial assistance. If you need to make a deposit or arrange a payment before an elective procedure, please call Financial Counseling at (415) 353-1966. To make payment arrangements or apply for financial assistance for an outstanding statement balance, call Patient Financial Services at (866) 433-4035.

Key links

• Patient Financial Assistance Application
• Patient Financial Assistance Policy (full version)
• Patient Financial Assistance Policy (abbreviated version)
• Financial Assistance submission via MyChart
• Get a price estimate online