California Bill and Debt Help: Where to Ask

LetterLotus doesn't offer hardship or medical-debt letters to California residents. That covers medical bills, rent, utility bills and other hardship requests. For bill or debt help, start below.

Where to Ask Instead

• A tax-exempt hospital's financial assistance policy must say who qualifies and whether help includes free or discounted care, explain how to apply, and be available on paper without charge when you ask for it.
• California's Hospital Fair Billing Program lets you find a hospital's charity care and discount payment policies and applications, and file a complaint if you were denied financial assistance.
• For rent, your local 211 helps you find options to pay your rent or utility bills, and you can call 211 to speak with someone right away.
• For energy bills, California's Home Energy Assistance Program gives eligible households one-time help toward their utility bill through the provider for their city or county.
• For other debts, a credit counselor can be a way to get free or low-cost advice on your money and debts, and these organizations are usually non-profits; the Justice Department publishes a list of approved nonprofit budget and credit counseling agencies.

Ask the hospital's billing office for its financial assistance application before anything else, and keep copies of everything you send.