OREANDA-NEWS. December 08, 2016. Kaiser Permanente is committed to providing programs that facilitate access to care for vulnerable populations. Our Medical Financial Assistance program helps low-income, uninsured and underserved patients receive access to care by providing temporary financial assistance or free care to patients who receive health care services from our providers, regardless of whether they have health coverage or are uninsured.

Eligibility is based on financial need. In the Southern California region, people whose household income is at or below 350 percent of the federal poverty level are eligible for the MFA program. Patients who have experienced unusually high out-of-pocket medical expenses may also be eligible, regardless of household income.

MFA has helped families like Jeff and Sara Simmons from Windsor, California, who received medical financial assistance when their medical bills unexpectedly doubled after one parent and one of two children were diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.

“We feel like we’re a pretty average family. We don’t have a lot of expenses. We don’t have a lot of debt,” says Jeff. “But when you get surprised with some of those large bills, they can really change things quickly for a family.”

The MFA program is one of the most generous in the health care industry and is available to those patients in greatest need. All health care team providers, including physicians, are encouraged to learn more about the program by visiting the MFA website.

Program information is available in multiple languages upon demand via the MFA website or by request by calling 1-866-399-7696, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 pm.