Medical Financial Assistance

• If your household income is at or below 300%, or in some regions up to 400%, of the federal poverty guidelines, you may be eligible.
• If you’re experiencing high medical expenses as compared to your income, regardless of household income, you may be eligible.

The policy, application, and plain language summary are available online, by email, in person, by telephone, or by U.S. mail.

Please select the region where you received your service below to find these resources.

The MFA program covers:

• Emergency and medically necessary health care services
• Pharmacy services and products
• Medical supplies provided at Kaiser Permanente facilities (such as hospitals, medical centers, and medical offices), at Kaiser Permanente outpatient pharmacies, or by Kaiser Permanente providers

The MFA program does not cover:

• Health care premiums
• Health care services provided and billed outside of Kaiser Permanente
• Ambulance or other medical transportation
• Services that are not considered emergency or medically necessary as determined by a Kaiser Permanente provider, including cosmetic surgery and services, infertility treatments, retail medical supplies, and surrogacy services
• Services related to third-party liability or workers’ compensation cases 

The  most convenient option for most people is to apply online.

Alternatively, you can apply via fax, mail, or drop-off. 

For more details or to start the application online, see “Get Started” below and select the region where you received the services you need help paying for.

We will make every reasonable effort to process your application promptly. Once we receive the completed application, we’ll send you a letter confirming the outcome within 30 business days. If it is not approved, we will provide a reason for the denial and instructions on how to appeal the decision if you disagree.

Kaiser Permanente offers a variety of bill pay options and resources to help you manage your medical costs. You can pay your bill, set up a payment plan, or view other bill pay options at Help Paying Your Bills.

If you don’t have health care coverage and would like more information, call us at 1-800-479-5764 (TTY 711) Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. to learn more about coverage options.

We’re here to support you however we can. If you need help with essentials like food, housing, paying for internet or other utilities, and more, the Kaiser Permanente Community Support Hub can help connect you to resources in your community. Call 1-800-443-6328 (TTY 711), Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

See the list of providers for Northern California.

If your application was recently denied or you believe you qualify for a larger award, you can appeal the decision.

Start an appeal application by providing your full name and email address in the form. Once submitted, you will receive instructions via email on how to file an appeal.

You will need to provide:

• The reason why you’re appealing (job loss, for example) 
• Current financial documentation of your total gross household income to support your appeal (refer to the table shown in the “What information will I need to apply” section above for the required documentation of your income)

You may also file an appeal if your medical expenses exceed 10% of your annual gross household income over the previous 12 months.

To do this, you should provide the following:

• Proof of income for your annual gross household income
• Proof of non-Kaiser Permanente medical and/or dental expenses
• You must provide an itemized bill with the following information:
  • Provider’s name and address
  • Patient’s name
  • Description of services or supplies provided

You will not be refunded for any payments you make before an appeal is approved.

You have 30 days to file an appeal. After 30 days, you will be asked to submit a new application.

To appeal for a larger award, you may appeal at any time before the award end date. 

If you didn’t provide the requested financial documentation or if your income changed, you can submit additional documentation. See the “What information will I need to apply” section above for the required income documentation.

To submit your appeal via fax or mail, complete and return the Appeal Request form included with your award letter along with supporting documentation:

To submit your appeal letter and documentation, please fax or mail using the contact information below:

• By fax: 1-800-687-9901
• By mail:
  Kaiser Permanente MFA Program
  P.O. Box 30006
  Walnut Creek, CA 94598

Send copies of official documents; originals are not required.

Write the following information on the first page of your proof of income:

• First and last name
• Medical record number (if any)
• Home address
• Date of birth

Once we receive the requested documentation, we’ll send you a letter regarding the decision on your appeal within 30 days. If you file an appeal without including any additional information with your request, we’ll automatically deny your appeal. All appeal decisions are final.

A patient who has received eligible hospital services at a Kaiser Permanente facility and is eligible for the MFA program but has not received an MFA award or has declined an MFA award is not charged more than the amounts generally billed for those services. Amounts generally billed , or AGB, is based on the lowest average of the amounts that were paid to a Kaiser Permanente facility by private health insurers and Medicare fee-for-service (and copays and deductibles) for emergency or medically necessary services, based on actual claim data from October 1, 2023, to September 30, 2024, which is consistent with the look-back method. Total expected payment from allowed claims was divided by total billed charges for such claims, and that number was subtracted from 1 to calculate the AGB percentage. The 2025 AGB reduction, also known as an adjustment, to gross charges is 69% for hospital charges.

Interpreters are available to you at no cost. The application, policy, and policy summary may be available in your language. For more information, call 1-800-464-4000.

Accessible alternative formats include large print, Braille, and audio.

For help or questions about the medical financial assistance application process or other questions, please call 1-800-390-3507 or speak to a financial counselor in the Admitting Department at any Kaiser Permanente medical facility.

Help paying your bill

There are free consumer advocacy organizations that will help you understand the billing and payment process. You may call the Health Consumer Alliance at 1-888-804-3536 (TTY 711) or go to healthconsumer.org for more information.

Hospital Bill Complaint Program

The Hospital Bill Complaint Program is a state program, which 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 HospitalBillComplaintProgram.hcai.ca.gov for more information and to file a complaint.