# Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego

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

Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego likely gives free care 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. It likely gives a discount to households with a yearly income up to $87,780 for 1 person, $119,020 for 2, $150,260 for 3, $181,500 for 4, $212,740 for 5 or $243,980 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 | $63,840 | $87,780 |
| 2 | $86,560 | $119,020 |
| 3 | $109,280 | $150,260 |
| 4 | $132,000 | $181,500 |
| 5 | $154,720 | $212,740 |
| 6 | $177,440 | $243,980 |

Dollar amounts use the 2026 federal poverty guidelines.

## Discount steps

- 0% to 400% of poverty level, patient pays $0 (uninsured: 100% charity care; insured with high medical costs or non-covered charges: 100% off the patient share)
- 401% to 450% of poverty level, patient pays 25% (75% discount; for insured patients it applies to the patient share)
- 451% to 550% of poverty level, patient pays uninsured only: 50% (50% discount)

## How to apply

- Call (858) 966-4005 and ask for financial assistance.
- [Application form](https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=d469628f-b954-4c6b-9db2-171e905570ff)
- [Financial Assistance Program (Discount Payment and Charity Care Policies), HPM 17-11, Rady Children's Hospital-San Diego, approved January 2025](https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=a93cd090-be00-4e8d-bbf7-0cbbd8fe6a64)
- 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 most recent income tax return (preferred) or recent pay stubs, receipts or invoices for high medical costs (a signed statement is not accepted).
- Very large bills. Patients of any insurance status whose yearly out-of-pocket medical costs are over 10% of family income count as having high medical costs. Insured patients get the discount on their share up to 450% of the poverty level.

## 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. Hospital inpatient and outpatient care, including emergency and medically necessary care, Rady Children's emergency physicians, and Medical Foundation physicians on the hospital staff.

Not covered. Outside providers such as anesthesiologists, radiologists and hospitalists. Purely cosmetic services are covered only at the hospital's discretion.

## 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 at or below 400% of the poverty level for uninsured patients. Uninsured families pay 25% of charges between 401% and 450%, and 50% between 451% and 550%. Insured families with high medical costs or charges the plan does not cover get 100% off their share at or below 400%, and 75% off between 401% and 450%. No one who qualifies pays more than what Medicare, Medi-Cal or insurers generally pay. The hospital may ask you to apply for Medi-Cal before giving free care, but not before a discount. The policy sets no deadline to apply. The hospital will not make a final denial until at least 150 days after the first bill. If you come back for care, approval is extended for six months. The policy is silent on savings and property. California law since 2025 does not allow hospitals to count monetary assets. To dispute a denial, call Hospital Customer Service at (858) 966-4912. The phone number is the Rady Children's Financial Counseling Office.

## Sources

- Free care level https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=a93cd090-be00-4e8d-bbf7-0cbbd8fe6a64
  > Self-Pay Patients whose patient/Family Income does not exceed 400% of the FPL will receive Charity Care
- Discount level https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=a93cd090-be00-4e8d-bbf7-0cbbd8fe6a64
  > Uninsured Patient with Family income at or below 550% of the FPL; or
- Discount steps https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=a93cd090-be00-4e8d-bbf7-0cbbd8fe6a64
  > Up to 400% 100% Charity Care Up to 450% 75% Discounted Payment Up to 550% 50% Discounted Payment
- Insured patients https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=a93cd090-be00-4e8d-bbf7-0cbbd8fe6a64
  > Insured Patients and Uninsured CSBP Patients with High Medical Costs and a Family income at or below 450% of the FPL;
- Very large bills https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=a93cd090-be00-4e8d-bbf7-0cbbd8fe6a64
  > A patient, whether uninsured, insured or a CSBP member, who has High Medical Costs.
- What is not covered https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=a93cd090-be00-4e8d-bbf7-0cbbd8fe6a64
  > These providers are not covered by the FAP and may have separate policies regarding financial assistance.
- Documents https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=a93cd090-be00-4e8d-bbf7-0cbbd8fe6a64
  > Income should be verified through income tax returns for the most recent year (preferred) or recent pay stubs.
- Financial counseling phone https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=a93cd090-be00-4e8d-bbf7-0cbbd8fe6a64
  > Financial Counseling Office by contacting them at 858-966-4005

Last checked 2026-11-10.

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