Lucile Salter Packard Children's Hsp at Stanford
Nonprofit children's hospital in Palo Alto, CA.
Verified from the hospital's own policy and the state program
Lucile Salter Packard Children's Hsp at Stanford 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. We have not found an income level where care is free.
The hospital makes the final decision.
| People in household | Free care up to | Discount up to |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | not found | $63,840 |
| 2 | not found | $86,560 |
| 3 | not found | $109,280 |
| 4 | not found | $132,000 |
| 5 | not found | $154,720 |
| 6 | not found | $177,440 |
Discount steps
- 0% to 400% of poverty level, you pay uninsured: no more than the lesser of the Medi-Cal rate or the amount generally billed
- 0% to 400% of poverty level, you pay insured with high medical costs, for services the plan covers: $0 (100% write-off of the patient share)
- 0% to % of poverty level, you pay uninsured, no application: a percentage off gross charges under a separate Uninsured Patient Discount policy
How to apply
- Call (650) 736-2273 and ask for financial assistance.
- Application form
- Financial Assistance / Charity Care Policy (Lucile Salter Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford, revised September 2025)
- Bring recent pay stubs or recent income tax returns.
- 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
- Patients at or below 400% of the poverty level whose yearly out-of-pocket medical costs are over 10% of family income. Their plan-covered patient share is written off.
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 care in the hospital and its clinics, and from participating providers (LPCH, Stanford University, Packard Children's Health Alliance, Packard Medical Group).
- Not covered
- Services that are not medically necessary, such as infertility care, cosmetic surgery, vision correction and hearing aids. Providers who are not on the participating list. Services already sold at a special cash or discount price.
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
This children's hospital does not promise free care at a set income level. Uninsured families at or below 400% of the poverty level who apply pay no more than what Medi-Cal would pay, or the amount insurers generally pay if that is lower. Insured families at or below 400% whose yearly out-of-pocket costs are over 10% of family income get their copays, coinsurance and deductibles written off for services the plan covers. Families who still cannot pay can be considered for free care. Hospital leaders decide case by case, with emergency patients first. Uninsured patients also get an automatic percentage off charges with no application, under a separate policy. There is no deadline to apply. Approval lasts 12 months. Applying for Medi-Cal is not required. Savings and other monetary assets are not counted. You can ask the Financial Counseling Manager to review a denial. The phone number is the LPCH Financial Counseling team. You can also email PFA@stanfordchildrens.org.
Sources
- Discount steps
The amount LPCH would receive from Medi-Cal for the service(s); or
- Insured patients
the Patient/Guarantor shall be entitled to a 100% write-off of the patient responsibility amount.
- Asset test
LPCH shall not consider Patients'/Guarantors' monetary assets when determining eligibility
- Very large bills
annual out-of-pocket medical expenses that exceed 10% of the Patient's Family Income, if the Patient provides documentation
- What is not covered
Professional/physician services delivered by a provider who is not a Participating Provider are not covered by this Policy.
- Documents
LPCH will review annual Family Income as shown by recent pay stubs or recent income tax returns.
- Financial counseling phone
Financial Assistance: (650) 736-2273 Fax: (650) 497-8610
Last checked. 2026-11-10
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