# San Mateo Medical Center

Hospital in San Mateo, CA. Verified from the hospital's own policy.

San Mateo Medical Center likely gives free care to households with a yearly income up to $22,025 for 1 person, $29,863 for 2, $37,702 for 3, $45,540 for 4, $53,378 for 5 or $61,217 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.

| Household size | Free care if yearly income is up to | Discount if yearly income is up to |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $22,025 | $63,840 |
| 2 | $29,863 | $86,560 |
| 3 | $37,702 | $109,280 |
| 4 | $45,540 | $132,000 |
| 5 | $53,378 | $154,720 |
| 6 | $61,217 | $177,440 |

Dollar amounts use the 2026 federal poverty guidelines.

## Discount steps

- 0% to 138% of poverty level, patient pays $0 (Charity Care)
- 0% to 400% of poverty level, patient pays 35% of the balance due (65% discount, Discounted Health Care program), never more than Medicare or Medi-Cal would pay

## How to apply

- Call (650) 616-2002 and ask for financial assistance.
- [Application form](https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=b6b2ff2c-cb18-407f-af32-a2422587f51b)
- [Financial Assistance Policy for Patients (San Mateo Medical Center)](https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=e4a0874d-5961-44a4-9514-24f48c52f791)
- 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.
- Bring proof of identity, proof of household income (recent paystub, government check stub or letter, or federal tax forms), due within 45 days of applying, proof of out-of-pocket medical costs if insured and applying because of high medical costs.
- Very large bills. Financial Hardship Assistance waives 100% of the balance for patients with a hardship (such as job loss, illness, death in the family, or loss of housing) who cannot pay; proof of household assets is required

## 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. Services billed by San Mateo Medical Center, including its hospital, clinics, emergency department, and pharmacies listed on the prescription card

Not covered. Contracted providers such as emergency room doctors and ambulance services bill separately. Charity Care does not cover prescriptions or emergency providers.

## 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.

How to apply. 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

Source https://hcai.ca.gov/affordability/hospital-fair-billing-program/hospital-bill-complaint-program/frequently-asked-questions/, 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.

How to apply. 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.

Source https://hcai.ca.gov/affordability/hospital-fair-billing-program/hospital-bill-complaint-program/, 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.

How to apply. 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

Source https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=c7bdd7eb-bcc0-4a84-bcab-a21b5e578d9c, checked 2026-11-10

## Notes

Free care if your household income is at or below 138% of the poverty level. Up to 400%, uninsured patients and insured patients with high medical costs get 65% off the balance through the Discounted Health Care program, and never pay more than Medicare or Medi-Cal would pay. High medical costs means yearly out-of-pocket costs over 10% of family income. The discount lasts a full calendar year. Charity Care approval covers past visits only, and you must requalify for future visits. If you have a hardship such as job loss, illness, a death in the family, or losing your home, Financial Hardship Assistance can waive the whole balance, but it asks for proof of household assets. The policy does not say whether assets count for Charity Care or the discount. You can ask for help at any time, but income papers are due within 45 days of applying. The Health Coverage Unit also checks you for County and State health coverage programs. Paying within 30 days of the first bill gets a 50% prompt pay discount. Appeals go to the Health Coverage Unit Appeals Coordinator, 801 Gateway Blvd., Ste. 100, South San Francisco, CA 94080, with a written answer in 30 days. For help in your language, call Patient Experience at (650) 573-3731.

## Sources

- Free care level https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=e4a0874d-5961-44a4-9514-24f48c52f791
  > Patients are eligible for the Charity Care Program if their current household income is not more than 138% of the Federal Poverty Level.
- Discount level https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=e4a0874d-5961-44a4-9514-24f48c52f791
  > Have a current household income at or below 400% of the Federal Poverty Level AND
- Discount steps https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=e4a0874d-5961-44a4-9514-24f48c52f791
  > The Discounted Health Care (DHC) program gives a 65% discount on balances due to patients who meet the criteria.
- Insured patients https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=e4a0874d-5961-44a4-9514-24f48c52f791
  > Are uninsured or have insurance but qualify as having high medical costs.
- Very large bills https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=e4a0874d-5961-44a4-9514-24f48c52f791
  > Financial Hardship Assistance (FHA) is for patients who have a financial hardship and cannot pay for the services received at the hospital or clinics.
- What is not covered https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=e4a0874d-5961-44a4-9514-24f48c52f791
  > Patients will receive separate billing for services provided by contracted providers such as emergency room physicians and ambulance services.
- Documents https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=e4a0874d-5961-44a4-9514-24f48c52f791
  > Proof of household income must be submitted within 45 days of the application date.
- Financial counseling phone https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=e4a0874d-5961-44a4-9514-24f48c52f791
  > For more information, contact the Health Coverage Unit at 650-616-2002, or go to www.smchealth.org.
- No deadline https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=e4a0874d-5961-44a4-9514-24f48c52f791
  > Patients can request assistance at any time.

Last checked 2026-11-10.

HTML page https://hospitalaid.org/hospitals/san-mateo-medical-center-san-mateo-ca/
Report an error corrections@hospitalaid.org