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HomeHealth and Safety CodeDiv. 107Pt. 6Ch. 1Art. 2§ 129065 Hospital Patient Eligibility Disclosure

§ 129065 Hospital Patient Eligibility Disclosure

Health and Safety Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 129065 Hospital Patient Eligibility Disclosure

Key Takeaways

  • •Hospitals must tell patients if they might qualify for Medi-Cal or Medicare to help pay for their care.
  • •Hospitals must share a list of doctors who work there, including their names, specialties, languages spoken, and whether they accept Medi-Cal and Medicare.
  • •Hospitals must remind doctors working there that they have a duty to serve the community, including Medi-Cal and Medicare patients.
  • •Hospitals must put up signs in places like the emergency room and admissions office, saying they can't turn away Medi-Cal or Medicare patients and must help people apply for these programs if needed.

Example

A person goes to the hospital emergency room with a broken arm but is worried about paying the bill.

The hospital must tell this person they might qualify for Medi-Cal or Medicare to help cover the cost. They must also have signs up explaining this and help the person apply if needed. If the hospital doesn’t do this, they are breaking the law.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 129065 Hospital Patient Eligibility Disclosure

As part of its assurance under subdivision (j) of Section 129050, any borrower that is a general acute care hospital or acute psychiatric hospital shall agree to the following actions: (a)  To advise each person seeking services at the borrower’s facility as to the person’s potential eligibility for Medi-Cal and Medicare benefits or benefits from other governmental third party payers. (b)  To make available to the department and to any interested person a list of physicians with staff privileges at the borrower’s facility, that includes: (1)  Name. (2)  Speciality. (3)  Language spoken. (4)  Whether takes Medi-Cal and Medicare patients. (5)  Business address and phone number. (c)  To inform in writing on a periodic basis all practitioners of the healing arts having staff privileges in the borrower’s facility as to the existence of the facility’s community service obligation. The required notice to practitioners shall contain a statement, as follows: “This hospital has agreed to provide a community service and to accept Medi-Cal and Medicare patients. The administration and enforcement of this agreement is the responsibility of the Department of Health Care Access and Information and this facility.” (d)  To post notices in the following form, that shall be multilingual where the borrower serves a multilingual community, in appropriate areas within the facility, including but not limited to, admissions offices, emergency rooms, and business offices: NOTICE OF COMMUNITY SERVICE OBLIGATION “This facility has agreed to make its services available to all persons residing or employed in this area. This facility is prohibited by law from discriminating against Medi-Cal and Medicare patients. Should you believe you may be eligible for Medi-Cal or Medicare, you should contact our business office (or designated person or office) for assistance in applying. You should also contact our business office (or designated person or office) if you are in need of a physician to provide you with services at this facility. If you believe that you have been refused services at this facility in violation of the community service obligation you should inform (designated person or office) and the Department of Health Care Access and Information.” The borrower shall provide copies of this notice for posting to all welfare offices in the county where the borrower’s facility is located. (Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 143, Sec. 237. (AB 133) Effective July 27, 2021.)

Last verified: January 23, 2026

Key Terms

facilityobligationcommunityagreementenforcementhealthbenefitsduty

Related Statutes

  • § 129075 Borrower Compliance Reporting Requirements
  • § 129087 Borrower Financial Monitoring System
  • § 104555 Smoking Public Health Risks
  • § 123279.1 Mobile Farmers' Market Rules
  • § 129052 Department Revenue Security Pledges

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Health and Safety Code. Section 129065.
View Official Source