AHMC Seton Medical Center
Acute care hospital in Daly City, CA.
Verified from the hospital's own policy
AHMC Seton Medical Center likely gives free care to households with a yearly income up to $31,920 for 1 person, $43,280 for 2, $54,640 for 3, $66,000 for 4, $77,360 for 5 or $88,720 for 6. It likely gives a discount to households with a yearly income up to $63,840 for 1 person, $86,560 for 2, $109,280 for 3, $132,000 for 4, $154,720 for 5 or $177,440 for 6.
The hospital makes the final decision.
| People in household | Free care up to | Discount up to |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $31,920 | $63,840 |
| 2 | $43,280 | $86,560 |
| 3 | $54,640 | $109,280 |
| 4 | $66,000 | $132,000 |
| 5 | $77,360 | $154,720 |
| 6 | $88,720 | $177,440 |
Discount steps
- 0% to 200% of poverty level, you pay $0 (free care)
- 201% to 400% of poverty level, you pay no more than AGB (the greater of what Medicare or Medi-Cal would pay)
- 401% to % of poverty level, you pay with high medical costs, discount at AHMC's discretion, capped at AGB
How to apply
- Call (650) 992-4000 and ask for financial assistance.
- AHMC Charity Care and Discount Payment Policy (AHMC-REV-001, revised April 20, 2026)
- Bring proof of income (recent pay stubs from within 6 months, or income tax returns), a letter of support or declaration of no income if you have no income.
- We do not have the deadline yet. Apply as soon as you get a bill, and ask the billing office to pause collections while you apply.
- Savings and property
- The policy looks at income only, not savings or property.
- Very large bills
- High medical costs means yearly out-of-pocket costs at the hospital, or documented medical expenses, over 10% of family income.
- Languages
- English, Spanish, Tagalog, Cantonese
If you have insurance
Insured patients can also apply for help with deductibles and copays. Keep your insurance. Financial assistance covers bills from this one place only.
What is covered
- Covered
- Medically necessary hospital care.
- Not covered
- Doctors and outside vendors bill separately. AHMC says its credentialed medical staff agree to honor its approval decisions, so share your approval letter with any outside billing office.
State program in California
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
Notes
Free care at or below 200% of the poverty level. From 201% to 400% you pay no more than what Medicare or Medi-Cal would pay. This works for people with no insurance and for insured people with high costs. Above 400%, AHMC may still help if your medical costs are high. Savings are not counted. There is no deadline to apply. AHMC will not report medical debt to credit bureaus or put a lien on your home. You can email the financial counselor at pfs.set@ahmchealth.com. Mail applications to AHMC Healthcare, Inc., Financial Assistance, 500 E Main Street, Alhambra, CA 91801. If denied, appeal in writing to the hospital's CFO within 30 days. The language list in the policy carries a note telling AHMC staff to check it before filing, so the languages may change. Patients above 400% without high costs can get a 40% prompt-pay discount if they pay in full up front. The file this hospital filed with the state as its application is a copy of the policy, not a form. Ask the hospital for the application form.
Sources
- Free care level
Family income 0 to 200 percent FPL: 100 percent Charity Care (free care).
- Discount level
uninsured patients and patients with high medical costs whose family income exceeds 200 percent but does not exceed 400 percent FPL.
- Discount steps
Patients whose annual OOP costs meet the High Medical Costs definition may qualify for Discount Payment at AHMC discretion.
- Insured patients
Patients who are uninsured or underinsured for the relevant medically necessary services and whose family income is at or below 200 percent
- Asset test
Monetary assets are not considered in determining eligibility for Charity Care or Discount Payment.
- Very large bills
annual OOP costs at the hospital exceeding the lesser of 10 percent of current family income or family income in the prior 12 months
- What is not covered
Professional services provided by physicians and other services provided by outside vendors are not covered by this policy unless otherwise specified in Section 15.
- Deadline
There is no deadline for a patient to apply for Charity Care or Discount Payment.
- Documents
Documentation of income is limited to recent paystubs or income tax returns.
- Languages
All AHMC policy documents, plain language summaries, and financial assistance applications are translated into the languages listed for each facility.
- Financial counseling phone
AHMC Seton Medical Center 650-992-4000 pfs.set@ahmchealth.com
- Languages
AHMC Seton Medical Center Spanish, Tagalog, Cantonese
Last checked. 2026-11-10
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