This document explains, in clear and simple language, how Bear Valley Community Healthcare District (BVCHD) can help patients who need financial assistance with their hospital bills. It follows all requirements of the California Hospital Fair Pricing Act.
BVCHD provides quality care to everyone, including patients who may have trouble paying their hospital bills. We offer free care (charity care) and discounted payments for patients who qualify.
You may qualify for financial assistance if:
You may qualify if your medical bills from the past 12 months are more than 10% of your family’s income.
Charity care means free hospital care for patients who qualify. This does not include physician bills.
Discounted payments reduce the amount you owe for hospital services. The discount depends on your income and family size.
Your family includes:
You will receive a notice called “Help Paying Your Bill” when you receive care. This notice explains:
This notice is:
We also post this information in:
You can also find it online under “Help Paying Your Bill” on our website.
We screen patients who are:
Screening:
You may opt out of screening at any time.
You may automatically qualify for charity care if you or a family member is enrolled in programs such as:
If you were approved for financial assistance within the last 6 months, you may qualify again.
Charity Care (Free Care)
You receive 100% free care if:
If your income is:
If your medical bills exceed 10% of your income, you may qualify for discounts even if you have insurance.
If we cannot verify eligibility through screening, we will ask you for documents such as:
We will help you get documents if needed.
You will receive a Financial Assistance Evaluation Application if:
We only require pay stubs or tax returns. You may provide other documents if you choose.
There is no deadline to apply.
You will receive an Eligibility Determination Letter explaining:
If you cannot pay your bill all at once, we offer:
If you are trying in good faith to make payments or negotiate a plan, we will not send your bill to collections.
If you miss payments for 90 days, we will:
If you did not provide insurance information at the time of care, you will receive a Request for Insurance Information notice. It explains:
Applying for Medi-Cal or other programs does not prevent you from applying for financial assistance.
Hospital Bill Complaint Program
This state program reviews hospital decisions about financial assistance. Visit: HospitalBillComplaintProgram.hcai.ca.gov
Health Consumer Alliance
Free help understanding your hospital bill. Call 888-804-3536 or visit healthconsumer.org
BVCHD Patient Financial Services / Billing Office
Phone: 909-878-8252
Hours: Monday–Friday, 7:30 AM–5:00 PM
Address: 41870 Garstin Dr, Big Bear Lake, CA 92315
Accessible formats (braille, large print, audio, electronic) are available at no cost.
Help is available in English and the top 15 languages spoken by Limited English Proficient individuals in California.
This patient-friendly version is designed to be easy to read, understand, and use. It follows all formatting and language requirements of the California Hospital Fair Pricing Act.
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 State of California’s Hospital Bill Complaint Program. Visit: HospitalBillComplaintProgram.hcai.ca.gov
You may also file a complaint with Bear Valley Community Patient Financial Services:
Phone:
909-878-8252