Explain the system
Plain-language guides to Medicare, Medi-Cal, and the programs in between — written so you don't need a dictionary or a free afternoon.
Read our guides →Healthcare is a right, not a privilege.
We're a youth-led California nonprofit helping lower-income families understand and claim the healthcare they already qualify for. Free, in plain language, with nothing to sell you.
7
months is your Medicare enrollment window. Miss it and you pay a penalty for life.
2 in 3
U.S. bankruptcies involve medical problems or medical bills as a contributing factor.
$435
raised so far by high schoolers, for free guides and community workshops.
What we do
Run free workshops
Sessions walking families through enrollment, coverage, and what to do about a bill that looks wrong.
See upcoming sessions →Push for change
We're campaigning for the Healthcare Billing Transparency Act, so no patient receives a bill they can't decipher.
Sign the petition →Build the next chapter
Students across California can start a chapter or join our leadership program and bring this work home.
Get involved →Need help right now?
- Medical emergency: call 911.
- Mental health crisis: call or text 988 — free, 24 hours a day.
- Free Medicare counseling in California: HICAP, 1-800-434-0222.
About us
Healthcare is a right, not a privilege.
Free Healthcare Initiative of California is a youth-led nonprofit working to both educate and bring help to lower-income families. We want to make sure all individuals are getting the help they need, while also figuring out a way to give them the best care.
Too many people already qualify for coverage they never receive — not because they were turned away, but because no one ever explained it to them in language they could use. We exist to close that gap.
How we work
- We translate. Guides and workshops that explain coverage without jargon.
- We connect. Pointing people toward the free and low-cost care they're entitled to.
- We advocate. Campaigning for billing rules patients can actually understand.
Our team
FHIC is student-led. Every person below is a high school student in California who decided that healthcare access was worth their weekends.
Vanshika
Co-President
Advocates for equitable access to healthcare and for educating communities about how the system actually works.
Kareena
Co-President
Focused on expanding healthcare access regardless of circumstance, through education on health topics and wellness practices.
Snigdha
Vice President
Works to make sure people know what healthcare options are available to them, so they can make the best decisions for their families.
Varada
Vice President
Started our billing transparency petition. Passionate about science and medicine, and about making treatment accessible to all communities.
Pranavi
Chief of Staff
Promotes fair access to healthcare and works to keep medical services within reach for everyone.
Krisha
Chapter Director
An aspiring psychiatrist. Leads chapter growth and co-authored our Medicare guide.
Renee
Social Media Director
Joined because she believes everyone should have access to medical care. Runs our Instagram and outreach.
We publish first names only. Our team are minors, and we'd rather they be reachable through the organization than individually searchable.
Our status
Free Healthcare Initiative of California is a chapter of Free Healthcare Initiative, which holds federal 501(c)(3) nonprofit status. Donations made through us support that organization's mission and are tax-deductible under its status.
We serve families across all 58 California counties.
Free Healthcare Initiative's EIN is 39-4123660.
Get help
Where to turn, right now
You don't need to join anything, prove anything, or pay anything to use what's on this page.
Emergencies
Free, unbiased counseling
- Medicare questions — HICAP: 1-800-434-0222. State-funded California counselors who aren't selling plans, which makes them different from nearly everyone else offering Medicare help.
- Medi-Cal (California's Medicaid): apply any time of year at coveredca.com. There's no enrollment deadline for Medi-Cal.
- Covered California: subsidized private plans if you don't qualify for Medi-Cal. Same site.
Free and sliding-scale clinics
Federally funded health centers charge on a sliding scale based on income, and see patients regardless of insurance status.
Prescription costs
- GoodRx and Cost Plus Drugs often beat insurance copays on generics. Worth checking before every fill.
- Medicare Extra Help lowers Part D costs for people with limited income — apply through Social Security.
A bill that looks wrong
- Request a fully itemized bill. You have the right to one — always ask.
- Compare it against the Explanation of Benefits from your insurer.
- Ask the hospital about financial assistance or charity care. Nonprofit hospitals are required to offer it, and most patients never ask.
- Don't pay a disputed bill while it's under review.
This is exactly the problem our petition is trying to fix.
Nothing on this page is medical, legal, or insurance advice. For help with your own situation, call HICAP or a licensed counselor.
Our campaign
End hidden hospital charges
We're asking the San Diego County Board of Supervisors to support the Healthcare Billing Transparency Act — so every patient gets a bill they can actually read.
The problem
Recent price-transparency laws require hospitals to post estimated prices and standard charges up front, so patients can plan ahead. But no law governs the bill that arrives after treatment. That bill can be vague, bundled, and unreadable — and nothing requires anyone to explain it to you.
Research published in the American Journal of Public Health found that medical problems and medical bills are a contributing factor in roughly two-thirds of U.S. personal bankruptcies. Billing errors are widely reported to affect a large share of hospital bills.
What we're proposing
The Healthcare Billing Transparency Act (HBTA) has two provisions:
- Automatic itemized billing. Every patient receives a full, line-by-line bill within five business days of treatment, with no request required. Bundled or vague charges are prohibited unless the patient waives itemization in writing.
- Plain-language service descriptions. Every billing code is paired with a clear, plain-English explanation, so patients understand what they're being charged for without outside research.
What we're asking for
That the San Diego County Board of Supervisors formally support the HBTA and advocate for its adoption at the state and federal level.
Signing takes about thirty seconds, and signature count is what gets this in front of the Board.
Sign on Change.orgArticles
Guides and research
Plain-language explainers written by our student researchers.
Medicare, explained plainly
Medicare is the federal health insurance program for people aged 65 and older, along with people who have end-stage kidney failure or certain long-term disabilities. It exists so that people who have stopped working can still get care they could not otherwise pay for.
It comes in four parts, and they do different jobs.
| Part | What it covers | What it costs |
|---|---|---|
| Part A Hospital |
Inpatient hospital stays, surgeries, skilled nursing facility care, and hospice. Intensive care, not routine checkups or prescriptions. | Usually no monthly premium — most people already paid for it through payroll taxes while working. |
| Part B Medical |
Doctor visits, outpatient care, medical supplies, and preventive care including blood tests, X-rays, and flu shots. | A monthly premium. |
| Part C Medicare Advantage |
A private plan replacing Parts A and B. Often adds routine vision, hearing aids, or fitness benefits. Run by companies such as Aetna or UnitedHealthcare, not by the government. | Varies by plan. |
| Part D Prescriptions |
Optional drug coverage added to Original Medicare. Run by private companies under federal rules. | Varies by plan, plus a deductible of up to $615 in 2026. |
The $2,100 cap limits what you pay, not what the plan pays. In 2026, once your out-of-pocket spending on covered Part D drugs reaches $2,100 for the year, your plan covers 100% of your covered medications for the rest of the calendar year. Premiums don't count toward that total. This replaced the old "donut hole," which ended after 2024.
How to sign up
- Check whether you're eligible. Most people qualify at 65.
- Know your window. Your Initial Enrollment Period is seven months: the three months before your 65th birthday month, the birthday month itself, and the three months after. Missing it can mean a penalty added to your premium for life.
- Check whether you're already enrolled. If you receive Social Security or Railroad Retirement Board benefits, enrollment usually happens automatically.
- Apply. Online at ssa.gov is fastest. You can also call 1-800-772-1213 or visit a Social Security office.
- Start with Part A and Part B. Add Part D, or switch to Medicare Advantage, afterward.
- Watch for your card. Your Medicare number and card arrive by mail, and coverage usually begins the month you turn 65 if you enrolled early.
General information, not insurance advice. For free one-on-one help, call California's HICAP counselors at 1-800-434-0222.
Workshops
Free sessions, open to everyone
Walk-throughs of enrollment, coverage, and billing. No cost, no registration fee, no pitch.
Our next workshop is being scheduled. Email us and we'll let you know when it's set.
Ask to be notifiedGet involved
Bring this work to your community
We're students, and the whole model is students helping their own neighborhoods. There are two ways in.
Leadership Program
Join the team running FHIC — research, workshops, outreach, and advocacy. A good fit if you want to build something real and learn how health policy actually works.
Apply nowStart a Chapter
Launch FHIC at your own school or in your own city. We provide the materials, the guides, and help getting your first workshop off the ground.
Start a chapterOther ways to help
- Sign our petition — thirty seconds, and signature count is what moves the Board of Supervisors.
- Donate — funds printing, workshop space, and materials.
- Follow and share on Instagram — reach is the whole game for a young organization.
Support the work
Donate
Every dollar goes toward printing plain-language guides, running free workshops, and keeping our inbox answered.
$435 raised so far. Our fundraiser is live on GoFundMe. Any amount helps.
Give on GoFundMeFree Healthcare Initiative of California is a chapter of Free Healthcare Initiative, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. EIN: 39-4123660.
Contact
Get in touch
Questions about coverage, a workshop, or working together — write to us and a person will answer.
Or email us directly at freehealthcareca@gmail.com — select and copy the address if the link doesn't open your mail app. We serve families in all 58 California counties.
Please don't send medical details or Social Security numbers through this form. If it's urgent, call 911. For a mental health crisis, call or text 988.