Billing & Financial Assistance

Understanding Your Bill

We’re here to help with billing matters related to your care at Zuckerberg San Francisco General. All patients must complete the hospital’s financial eligibility process. Then we can provide you with the best information about your bill. An eligibility worker will get your information to verify your insurance coverage or determine your eligibility for other programs if you do not have insurance.

Billing & Financial Assistance Locations

Patient Financial Assistance Department

Hours

Monday: 8:30am - 4:30pm
Tuesday: 8:30am - 4:30pm
Wednesday: 8:30am - 4:30pm
Thursday: 8:30am - 4:30pm
Friday: 8:30am - 4:30pm
Closed 11:30am – 1:00pm

Patient Financial Assistance Department

Financial Counselors in the Patient Financial Assistance Department are here to help you apply for our Charity Care and Discount Payment financial assistance programs that can help you pay your bill. Contact us for more information and to apply. Call (628) 206-3275 or send a message through your MyChart patient portal.

The Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital Charity Care and Discount Payment Program Policy is located on the State of California Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI) website.

Payment Assistance

If you need help paying your bill, we can help.

Balance Billing

As of February 1, 2019, we are putting a halt to balance billing until a plan to improve long-term billing practice is implemented. You may read about our commitment here.

Open Payments Notice

For informational purposes only, a link to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Open Payments web page is provided on this notice. The federal Physician Payments Sunshine Act requires that detailed information about payment and other payments of value worth over ten dollars ($10) from manufacturers of drugs, medical devices, and biologics to physicians and teaching hospitals be made available to the public.

Charge Description Master

List of Billable Items

The Charge Description Master (CDM), or Chargemaster, is a listing of items that could be billed to a patient, payer, or health care provider. The most current Chargemaster can be found on the State of California Department of HealthCare Access and Information (HCAI) website.

Price Transparency

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), through its Price Transparency Rule, requires that hospitals make public standard charges. In compliance with the rule, we are making available the following:

A price estimator tool with shoppable services that allows consumers to estimate the amount they will be obligated to pay when receiving shoppable services.
A Machine-Readable File with gross charges, discounted cash prices, payer-specific negotiated charges, and de-identified minimum and maximum negotiated charges.

Shoppable Services

The prices for services are based on typical visits, and not intended to be representative of the services that may be required for every visit. The actual price a patient is responsible for may be higher or lower based on the actual services provided and a patient may receive separate estimates for professional services from SFGH Medical Group.

Machine-Readable File of Standard Charges

This is a machine-readable file that contains a hospital’s gross charges and payer-specific negotiated charges, plus discounted cash prices, the de-identified minimum negotiated charge, and the de-identified maximum negotiated charge for all items and services provided by the hospital.

Call 628-206-8448 for more information.

Payer’s Bill of Rights

The State of California established the Payer’s Bill of Rights which requires that each hospital:

  • Make a copy of its CDM (Chargemaster) available on its website.
  • Have available by request a list of the 20 most common procedures or services and five room and bed rates.

In compliance with California law, the Zuckerberg San Francisco General chargemaster is available above.

Helpful Links

Some useful resources you can turn to for financial and other help.

County Adult Assistance Programs (CAAP)
1440 Harrison St
Mon – Fri 8am – 5pm
415-863-9892
Visit Website

San Francisco Human Services Agency
1235 Mission St
Mon – Fri 8am – 5pm
415-558-1000
Visit Website

Financial Counselors in the Patient Financial Assistance Department are here to help you apply for our Charity Care and Discount Payment financial assistance programs that can help you pay your bill. Contact the Patient Financial Assistance Department for more information and to apply. Call 628-206-3275 or send a message through your MyChart patient portal.

Financial Counselor – Patient Financial Services Eligibility Department
628-206-3275
Monday – Friday
8:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Or send a message through your MyChart patient portal

Get More Information

San Francisco Human Services Agency
1235 Mission Street
415-558-1001 or 877-366-3076
Visit Website

Mission
3120 Mission St
415-401-4800

Civic Center
801 Turk St
415-749-7577

Southeast
1800 Oakdale Ave
415-970-7762

Chinatown
601 Jackson Street
415-677-7500
Visit Website

Social Security Administration
1098 Valencia St
800-772-1213
Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 9am – 3pm
Wed 9am – 12pm
Closed on federal holidays
Visit Website

Employment Development Department
745 Franklin Street
800-300-5617
Visit Website

The California Victim Compensation Program (CalVCP) can help pay bills and expenses that result from certain violent crimes.
415-553-9044
www.CALVCP.ca.gov
Visit Website