Billing: Billing FAQs

As a patient, you should know and understand your insurance plan benefits and your responsibility for any deductibles, co-insurance, or co-payment amounts prior to any visit.  Not all services are covered in all insurance contracts.  If your insurance plan does not cover a service or procedure, you may be billed for full payment of the bill.

To find out what your insurance plan covers and what your financial obligation may be, call the Customer Service or Member Services Department of your insurance company (the phone numbers are on your insurance card).

Make sure that your insurance company lists both your doctor and hospital as a participating provider.  If you go to an out-of-network provider, you may have a greater financial responsibility for services provided.  Your insurance company can assist you in finding an in-network provider to limit the amount of money you will have to pay for care.

Stanford Hospital handles all billing related to hospital and/or facility charges.  Stanford Professional Billing handles all billing related to physician charges.

• Physician Statement Example
• Hospital Statement Example

For example, if you have outpatient surgery, you will receive a billing statement from Stanford Hospital & Clinics for the facility charges and separate billing statements from Stanford Professional Billing for the doctors performing your surgery.

Your insurance provider will send you an Explanation of Benefits (EOB) notice that details the amount it has paid, any non-covered or denied amounts and the remaining balance that you are responsible for paying.  Review your EOB carefully, compare it to your Hospital and/or Physician statement and call your insurance provider or a Stanford Customer Service Representative right away if you have questions or concerns.

As a courtesy, we bill both your primary and secondary health insurance carriers.  To insure proper and prompt processing of your claim, please be sure to verify the insurance information we have at the time of registration.

If you do not have health insurance, Medicare or Medicaid, we will send you a bill for any balance not paid at the time services are received.  Please pay the bill, or call us to make payment arrangements as soon as you receive it.

Statements are issued monthly.

We ask that payments be made at the time of your visit so you won't be inconvenienced with a Balance Due statement sent to your home after your visit.

The most common insurance denials received on claims are:

• Your insurance carrier needs additional information from you
• You were not covered by your insurance plan on the date of service
• No authorization/referral is on file for services
• The service you received was not covered under your plan
• The insurance information recorded at the time of service was inaccurate, incomplete or outdated.

Payments can be made:

• Online:
  • Pay in MyHealth
  • Pay as Guest
  • Download the MyHealth app to pay in mobile
• By mail:  Stanford Health Care Hospital Payment Processing P.O. Box 742136 Los Angeles, CA 90074-2136
• By calling a Customer Service Representative at 1-800-549-3720 1-800-549-3720 or 650-498-5850 650-498-5850 , Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Patient billing services at Stanford Health Care are provided by the billing office. To inquire about a bill you received for physician or hospital-related services please contact customer service.  

Stanford Hospital Billing
Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
1-800-794-8978 1-800-794-8978 or 650-498-7200 650-498-7200

Physician Billing at Stanford
Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
1-800-549-3720 1-800-549-3720 or 650-498-5850 650-498-5850

If you prefer to discuss your bill in person, you are welcome to meet with our customer service staff from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Patient Financial Services is located at 2465 Faber Place, Palo Alto, CA 94303.

Please contact one of our Customer Service Representatives at 1-800-549-3720 or 650-498-5850, Monday - Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.  We can discuss options for payment plans or financial assistance with you.