California parents can get help with medical costs not covered by insurance
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Medical debt can be crushing for parents of children with significant health challenges, even with insurance. But a program from UnitedHealthcare Children's Foundation may be able to help California families. The program has given out 40,000 grants since 2005, totaling more than $80 million. The grants cover therapies, prescriptions, and medical devices that may not be covered by health insurance.
Scott Otto, assistant executive director of the UnitedHealthcare Children's Foundation, said the grant amounts can vary.
"Grants can be awarded up to $5,000 per child per year," he explained. "Each family may have two or three or more kids, so each of those children are independently eligible to apply up to a $10,000 lifetime."
To be eligible, families do have to be enrolled in a commercial health insurance plan, but it can be from any company. Four out of five families that apply have no connection to UnitedHealthcare. Families that have secondary coverage through Medi-Cal are also eligible.
Applications are online at UHCCF.org. A 2024 survey from the California Health Care Foundation found that 38 percent of people in the state, and more than half of low-income families, report having medical debt. Otto said the grant program is targeted to help middle and low-income families.
"There's also some income requirements," he continued. "So, an example of family of four, the upper limit for income is right around $145,000 so pretty generous when I think of, you know, that upper threshold."
A 2025 report from the U-C Berkeley Labor Center found that nationally, 52 percent of adults between the ages of 30 and 49 carry healthcare debt – and of that group, parents are 22 percent more likely to owe money for medical bills compared to those who do not have children.
