Billing and Insurance

Learn about paying your bill, insurance and coverage, financial assistance and more.

Other ways to pay

Pay by phone

Make a one-time payment by phone at 206.520.0400 or 855.520.0400 through our automated payment system 24/7. You can speak to an agent Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (except holidays).

You may pay by phone for care received at the following locations:

  • Harborview Medical Center
  • UW Medical Center
  • UW Physicians
  • UW Medicine Primary Care
  • Husky Health Center

Make a payment to another UW Medicine department/organization

Access the payment portals and other information for another UW Medicine department/organization:

Understanding healthcare costs

Understanding your healthcare costs can be a challenge. Costs depend on many factors, including your insurance, where you received care, and the types of services you received.

Types of bills you may receive as part of your service include a facility fee or hospital bill for the emergency, specialty, or ancillary services provided where you were treated. You may also receive a professional fee for the services your care provider(s) performed; and lab fees for tests, diagnostic processing and interpretation of your results.

Verify your health insurance coverage

Insurance coverage varies among individual insurers and policies. Please call your insurance company before your visit to understand what they will pay, which providers and hospitals are in-network, and what you will need to pay out-of-pocket. It is your responsibility to provide UW Medicine staff with your insurance coverage information and to notify them if your coverage changes. Bring your insurance and photo ID cards with you to your appointment.

Health insurance carriers with plans accepted by UW Medicine

Below is a list of health insurance companies and government programs in which UW Medicine participates.

Commercial health insurance carriers

Government programs

Medicare advantage

Patient Resources

Billing information brochure

Learn more about discounts, billing, and payment options.

Estimate your costs

UW Medicine promotes transparency by offering options to receive an estimate.

  • For a self-generated estimate based on 300 plus "shoppable" services grouped with charges typically associated with a procedure. Review the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) to learn more.
  • For all other estimates, call the location where you are seeking care:
    • Harborview and UW Medical Center contact the Financial Access Clearance Team at 206.598.4388.
    • UW Medicine Primary Care contact your clinic or the appointment line at 206.520.5000.
  • If you are permanently residing outside of the United States and seeking nonemergent services, please visit our UW Medicine International Program as the first step to help you navigate the process.

A guide to understanding your estimate:

  • The estimate is not a guarantee of what you will be charged.
  • Your charges will depend on the actual services you receive.
  • If your procedure is covered by insurance, the insurance company will decide the amount you are responsible for paying.
    • To understand your financial responsibility, it's important that you contact your insurance company once your provider has told you the procedures likely to be performed.

If you are unable to pay the patient responsibility portion of your bill, Financial Counselors are available to assist with applying for Financial Assistance, Medicaid and Washington Health Exchange. Call UW Medicine Insurance, Eligibility, and Financial Counseling Services to schedule an appointment at 206.744.3084.

To learn about our Price Transparency and to download the CMS machine-readable files for standard charges for all hospital items and services, click here.

MyChart paperless patient billing statements

Paperless statements give you a convenient and secure way to see your account balance. You will still receive notifications via your preferred communication methods when you have a new statement. You can continue to pay your bill securely through MyChart, by phone, or by mailing a check.

If you would like to sign up for MyChart and paperless billing, follow the instructions for creating a MyChart account here.

Learn more about paperless statements

MyChart medical advice message billing

MyChart Patient Portal is an easy and convenient way to stay in touch with your care team. Over the past few years, MyChart has also become another way to seek medical advice, rather than coming in for an appointment. This has resulted in a significant increase in the number of messages our providers receive.  

As of June 27, 2023, you will see a notification that you may be billed for medical advice messages. To account for the medical advice and expertise provided through MyChart, UW Medicine will bill for some of these medical advice responses that provide care or consultation that otherwise would have been done through a clinic or telemedicine appointment. These medical advice messages enable you to receive care via MyChart without making an appointment for every care need. This change applies to patients at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center as well. 

To learn more about medical advice messages in MyChart, including when they are free and when they may result in a charge, please visit our MyChart Medical Advice Messages FAQ page. 

Hospital-based clinics

To help understand your bills, here are the answers to some of the questions patients often ask.

What is a hospital-based clinic?

A hospital-based clinic is a department of the hospital. This type of clinic also is called a hospital-based outpatient clinic or provider-based clinic. Because it must follow the same strict government rules for safety and quality as hospitals, it is more complex and costly to operate. When you see a health care provider or receive services in a hospital-based clinic, you are receiving care that meets hospital standards.

Will I be paying more for services?

Depending on your health insurance coverage, you may pay more for some outpatient services and procedures at hospital-based clinics. A hospital-based clinic is licensed as part of the hospital and the patient may receive a separate charge for the facility, which may result in a higher out-of-pocket expense.

Patients are responsible for co-payments, coinsurance or deductible amounts for both professional and facility charges after insurance has paid.

We recommend you calling your health insurance provider to determine what your out-of-pocket expenses will be, if any, before receiving service.

What do I need to know as a Medicare patient?

Medicare (out-of-pocket) costs are based on Medicare’s prescribed rates for each of the two charges: hospital/facility and physician/professional. Medicare patients have a higher coinsurance amount for services at a hospital-based facility.

What do I need to know as a Commercial or Medicare Advantage patient?

Insurance plans vary. Please call your health insurance provider.

Ask your health insurance company:

  • Does my insurance benefit plan cover hospital/facility charges in a hospital-based outpatient clinic?
  • How much of the charge is covered? 
  • How much will be applied to the deductible?
  • How much will I owe out-of-pocket (coinsurance) after meeting the deductible?

How can I receive a price estimate?

Price estimates for self-pay patients are auto generated typically within three (3) days of your visit. For all other estimates, you can request it prior to your visit or procedure:

  • Harborview and UW Medical Center contact Financial Access Clearance Team at 206.5984388.
  • UW Medicine Primary Care contact your clinic or the appointment line at 206.520.5000.

What types of charges will appear on my bill?

For transparency, provider (professional) and facility (hospital) charges will be itemized on your bill by your care location. The provider/professional are charges from the care received from your provider. The facility/hospital charges include items such as equipment, supplies, non-clinical staff time, and building costs.

Where can I call with my financial questions or concerns?

If you have questions about a bill you have received, please call Patient Account and Support Services at 206.520.0400 or 1.855.520.0400. If you have questions about insurance coverage, please contact your health insurance provider.

Discount options

PATIENT DISCOUNT PROGRAM

Uninsured? Need medical services not covered by your current insurance plan? You may qualify for a 30% discount on your bill!

Learn more about discount details

Haga clic aquí para ver español

UW Medicine is offering self-pay discounts to patients and guarantors who are uninsured or are receiving services not covered by their current insurance plan. Discounts are offered and applied in our billing system for service dates starting July 1, 2020.

This program is available for services at Harborview Medical Center, UW Medical Center – Montlake, UW Medical Center – Northwest, UW Physicians and UW Medicine Primary Care. UW Medicine recognizes the financial impact healthcare costs can have when you are uninsured or insured with a non-covered service. The discount program highlights our commitment to patients and families when seeking care within UW Medicine.

DISCOUNT STEPS

Follow these steps to make sure you get the best possible savings with our prepay and uninsured discounts. This will allow you to receive both discounts. Be sure to begin the process before you come in for your appointment or procedure.

  • Schedule your appointment or procedure
  • Contact your provider for the information you will need to request an estimate.
  • At least seven days (preferred) before your service, call the Financial Access Clearance Team (FACT) at 206.598.4388 to get an estimate by email or mail. For UW Medicine Primary Care estimates, please ask at the clinic’s front desk or call the appointment line at 206.520.5000. Estimates for patient care may be higher or lower than the actual cost, depending on the patient’s specific needs.
    • If the actual patient balance is less than the original estimate, the patient or guarantor will receive a refund for any overage that was paid after the discount was applied.
    • If the actual patient balance is more than the original estimate, the patient or guarantor will be billed for the difference. The prepay discount will be applied to the additional charges.
  • You have two convenient payment options to pay prior to your service. Your discount will be applied when making your full payment based on the estimate.
    • Pay in person at the location where you are getting treatment. Bring a copy of your estimate.
    • Pay by phone based on the location where you are getting treatment. The Cashier office can look up your estimate within our system.

Harborview Medical Center Cashier
Main Hospital, 325 Ninth Ave., First Floor Center Tower, Room 150, Seattle, WA 98104
In-person Hours: M-F 8AM to 4PM
Phone: 206.744.3363 Phone Hours: M-F 8AM to 4PM

UW Medical Center Montlake Campus Cashier
Main Hospital, 1959 N.E. Pacific St., EE-306, Seattle, WA 98195
In-person Hours: M-F 8AM to 4PM
Phone: 206.598.4550 Phone Hours: M-F 8AM to 4PM

UW Medical Center Northwest Campus Main Admitting
Main Hospital, 1550 N 115th St, First Floor, Seattle, WA 98133
In-person Hours: M-F 8AM to 4:30PM
Phone: 206.598.4550 Phone Hours: M-F 8AM to 4PM

QUESTIONS? CALL US.

  • Get an estimate: call the Financial Access Clearance Team (FACT) at 206.598.4388. For UW Medicine Primary Care estimates, please ask at the clinic’s front desk or call the appointment line at 206.520.5000.
  • Questions about your bill? Call Patient Accounts and Support Services at 206.520.0400.

Tour your bill

For services at Harborview Medical Center prior to 3/27/2021:

Contact information for billing and insurance

Harborview Medical Center | UW Medical Center – Montlake | UW Medical Center – Northwest

UW Physicians | UW Medicine Primary Care | Husky Health Center:

Message us through MyChart

Refer to Billing & Insurance FAQ
Phone: 206.520.0400 or 1.855.520.0400
Monday-Friday:  8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Mailing address: P.O. Box 35013, Seattle, WA 98124-3413
 
Other UW Medicine locations:

Airlift Northwest
Phone: 866.245.4373
Monday-Friday: 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
 
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
Phone: 206.606.6226
Monday-Friday: 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
 
UW Laboratory Medicine
Phone: 206.520.8900
Monday-Friday: 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
 
Valley Medical Center
Phone: 425.690.3578
Monday-Friday: 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.

Need an interpreter

An interpreter can help you navigate UW Medicine services.

  • make or manage your appointments
  • questions on billing and payments
  • request a cost estimate
  • screening for financial assistance
  • questions on prior authorizations

Call to speak with an interpreter or learn more about interpreter services.

Glossary of billing and insurance terms

See a full list of billing and insurance terms and their definitions here.

Billing and insurance FAQ

Healthcare billing processes can be confusing and hard to navigate. We've addressed some of the most commonly asked questions here.

About the Balancing Billing Protection Act and No Surprise Act

Effective 1/1/2020 Washington state implemented the Balance Billing Protection Act (BBPA) to offer protection from surprise medical bills. Effective 1/1/2022, the Federal No Surprises Act ("FNSA"), applies a broader scope of plans and services than Washington's BBPA. Combined they offer transparency and disclosure for individuals seeking medical services.

Click here to learn more about your right to receive a Good Faith Estimate. Under the law, health care providers must give patients who don’t have insurance or who are not using insurance an estimate of the bill for the health care items and services they are about to receive. A Good Faith Estimate provides transparency for the total expected cost when scheduling or upon request.

Balance Billing (also referred to as surprise billing) occurs when an out-of-network provider bills the patient for the difference between the provider's charge and the insurance company's allowed amount

Financial Assistance

UW Medicine offers financial assistance, under its Financial Assistance policy, to eligible patients unable to pay for emergency or other medically necessary care. Patients who choose UW Medicine benefit from our experience, expertise and the most advanced medical care available, all within one health system. “UW Medicine” includes Airlift Northwest, Harborview Medical Center, UW Medical Center, UW Physicians, UW Medicine Primary Care, and Valley Medical Center.

If you need help paying your bill, whether or not you have insurance, you may qualify for financial assistance.

Si necesita ayuda para pagar su factura, tenga o no tenga seguro, usted puede ser considerado para recibir asistencia financiera.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

MyChart

For Harborview Medical Center, UW Medical Center - Montlake, UW Medical Center - Northwest, UW Physicians and UW Medicine Primary Care you can now apply online for Financial Assistance through MyChart. This will allow you to track the status of your application while expediting the submission process.

Directions to apply online:

  • Click on MyChart login and go to the Billing Summary, then click on Financial Assistance to open the application
  • Complete the required MyChart Supplemental Form and upload in your MyChart Financial Assistance application

Apply here for Valley Medical Center MyChart

Documents

For information about financial assistance in other languages, click the links below.

Information in ኣማርኛ (Amharic)

Information in ኣማርኛ (Amharic)

የሚሰጠው የፋይናንስ እርዳታ
UW Medicine ባለው የፋይናንስ እርዳታ ፖሊሲ መሠረት፣ ለድንገተኛ ሕክምና ወይም ለሌላ በሕክምና አስፈላጊ ለሆነ እንክብካቤ መክፈል ለማይችሉ ብቁ ታካሚዎች የፋይናንስ እርዳታ ይሰጣል። የ UW Medicine ን የሚመርጡ ታካሚዎች፣ ካለን ልምድ፣ ሞያና ባለው በጣም ዘመናዊ በሆነው የሕክምና እንክብካቤ፣ ሁሉንም ባንድ የጤና ጥበቃ ጥላ ሥር ማግኘት ይችላሉ። “UW Medicine”፣ የሚከተሉትን Airlift Northwest, Harborview Medical Center ፣ UW Medical Center ፣ UW Physicians ፣ UW Medicine Primary Care ፣ እና Valley Medical Center  ያካተተ ነው።

Information in 中文 (Chinese)

Information in 中文 (Chinese)

提供的经济援助政策
UW Medicine 根据其经济援助政策向无法支付紧急或其他医疗必要护理费用的患者提供经济援助。选择 UW Medicine 的患者会受益于我们的经验、专业知识和最先进的可用医疗护理，而这一切都在一个医疗系统内提供。“UW Medicine”包括 Airlift Northwest（西北空运）、Harborview Medical Center（港景医疗中心，简称）、UW Medical Center（华盛顿大学医疗中心，简称）、UW Physicians（华盛顿大学医师，简称）、UW Medicine Primary Care （华盛顿大学邻里区诊所，简称）和 Valley Medical Center（山谷医疗中心，简称）。

Information in ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਦੇ (Punjabi)

ਪੇਸ਼ ਕੀਤੀ ਗਈ ਵਿੱਤੀ ਸਹਾਇਤਾ
UW Medicine ਆਪਣੀ ਵਿੱਤੀ ਸਹਾਇਤਾ ਨੀਤੀ ਦੇ ਅਧੀਨ, ਉਹਨਾਂ ਪਾਤਰ ਰੋਗੀਆਂ ਲਈ ਵਿੱਤੀ ਸਹਾਇਤਾ ਪੇਸ਼ ਕਰਦੀ ਹੈ, ਜੋ ਐਮਰਜੈਂਸੀ ਜਾਂ ਚਿਕਿਤਸਾ ਰੂਪ ਨਾਲ ਲਾਜ਼ਮੀ ਹੋਰ ਦੇਖਭਾਲ ਲਈ ਭੁਗਤਾਨ ਕਰਨ ਵਿੱਚ ਅਸਮਰੱਥ ਹਨ। ਉਹ ਰੋਗੀ, ਜੋ ਸਾਡੇ ਅਨੁਭਵ, ਮੁਹਾਰਤ ਅਤੇ ਉਪਲਬਧ ਸਭ ਤੋਂ ਵੱਧ ਉੱਨਤ ਚਿਕਿਤਸਾ, ਸਭ ਕੁਝ ਇੱਕ ਸਿਹਤ ਪ੍ਰਣਾਲੀ ਦੇ ਅੰਦਰ, ਤੋਂ UW Medicine ਬੈਨਿਫਿਟ ਦੀ ਚੋਣ ਕਰਦੇ ਹਨ। “UW Medicine” ਵਿੱਚ ਸ਼ਾਮਲ ਹੈ ਏਅਰਲਿਫਟ ਨੌਰਥਵੈਸਟ (Airlift Northwest), ਹਾਰਬਰਵਿਊ ਮੈਡੀਕਲ ਸੈਂਟਰ (Harborview Medical Center), UW ਮੈਡੀਕਲ ਸੈਂਟਰ (UW Medical Center), ਨੌਰਥਵੈਸਟ ਹਸਪਤਾਲ ਐਂਡ ਮੈਡੀਕਲ ਸੈਂਟਰ UW ਫਿਜੀਸ਼ੀਅੰਸ (UW Physicians), UW ਨੇਬਰਹੁਡ ਕਲੀਨਿਕ (UW Medicine Primary Care) ਅਤੇ ਵੈਲੀ ਮੈਡੀਕਲ ਸੈਂਟਰ (Valley Medical Center) ।

Information in Pусский (Russian)

Предлагаемая Финансовая Помощь
В соответствии с существующими Правилами Предоставления Финансовой Помощи, для пациентов, не способных оплатить услуги неотложной или иной, требуемой по состоянию здоровья медицинской помощи, UW Medicine предлагает финансовую помощь. Пациенты, избравшие UW Medicine, пользуются преимуществом нашего опыта, профессиональных знаний и самых современных методов медицинского обслуживания—всего этого в рамках единой медицинской системы. «UW Medicine» включает в себя Airlift Northwest, Harborview Medical Center, UW Medical Center, UW Physicians, Valley Medical Center, а также UW Medicine Primary Care.

Information in Somali (Somali)

Kaalmada Dhaqaale ee La Bixiyo
UW Medicine waxay siisaa kaalmo dhaqaale, oo hoos timaada Xeerkeeda Kaalmada Dhaqaale, bukaanada u-qalma ee aan awoodin inay bixiyaan daryeelka gurmadka degdeg ah ama wixii kale ee daawayn daruuri ah. Bukaanada doortay UW Medicine waxay ka faa'idi waayo-aragnimadayada, khibraddayada iyo daryeelkayaga caafimaad ee casriga ah, kuwaas oo dhammaan isku hal nidaam oo caafimaad ah. “UW Medicine” waxaa kamid ah Airlift Northwest, Harborview Medical Center, UW Medical Center, UW Physicians, UW Medicine Primary Care, iyo Valley Medical Center.

Information in Español (Spanish)

Asistencia financiera ofrecida
UW Medicine ofrece asistencia financiera, conforme a la Política de Asistencia Financiera, a los pacientes que cumplen con los requisitos y que no pueden pagar urgencias u otra asistencia médica necesaria. Los pacientes que eligen UW Medicine se benefician de nuestra experiencia, nuestra pericia y la asistencia médica más avanzada del momento, todo en un solo sistema de salud. “UW Medicine” incluye Airlift Northwest, Centro Médico Harborview, Centro Médico de la Universidad de Washington,  Médicos de la Universidad de Washington, Clínicas del Vecindario de la Universidad de Washington y Centro Médico Valley.

Information in Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)

Cấp Trợ Giúp Tài Chánh
UW Medicine cấp trợ giúp tài chánh, chiếu theo Chính Sách Trợ Giúp Tài Chánh, cho những bệnh nhân hội đủ điều kiện không thể trả tiền cho sự điều trị khẩn cấp hoặc điều trị cần thiết khác. Những bệnh nhân chọn UW Medicine sẽ được hưởng lợi ích từ kinh nghiệm, trình độ chuyên môn của chúng tôi và sự chăm sóc y tế tân tiến nhất hiện nay, tất cả đều ở trong một hệ thống chăm sóc sức khỏe. “UW Medicine” bao gồm Airlift Northwest, Trung Tâm Y Khoa Harborview, Trung Tâm Y Khoa UW, UW Physicians, Các Phòng Khám UW Trong Khu Phố và Trung Tâm Y Khoa Valley.