Subscribe to Our Newsletter
State of California Department of Justice
Rob Bonta
Attorney General
Attorney General
HRA is responsible for overseeing and leading work in the areas of consumer healthcare rights, including healthcare privacy and civil rights, medical debt, and deceptive and unfair practices by insurers, providers, drug companies, health product manufacturers, and other individuals and entities within the healthcare marketplace. Complaints about healthcare issues with broad impact on Californians can be made to HRA on this page.
HRA does not represent individuals, or provide individual legal advice. Information and resources relating to common types of individual complaints about healthcare-related problems are below.
Covered California is the health insurance marketplace in California established under the Affordable Care Act. The exchange enables eligible individuals and small businesses to purchase private health insurance coverage at federally subsidized rates. You may apply online at the Covered California website.
To apply in person, Covered California’s Get Help page has a list of free counselors in your area.
The California Health Consumer Alliance (HCA) offers free assistance over-the-phone or in-person to help people who are struggling to get or maintain health coverage and resolve problems with their health plans. You can also visit the HCA website here.
For questions about Medi-Cal programs and services, filing a complaint against a Medi-Cal provider or plan, call or email the Ombudsman (MMCDOmbudsmanOffice@dhcs.ca.gov, (888) 452-8609).You can also contact the Department of Health Care Services or the California Department of Managed Health Care.
More information about reporting suspected Medi-Cal fraud or elder abuse is available from the Division of Medi-Cal Fraud & Elder Abuse.
Report complaints about Medicare providers or health insurance plans to Medicare online, or by calling their consumer hotline, 1-800-MEDICARE ((800) 633-4227).
Individuals with disabilities or who 65 and older are eligible or about to be eligible for Medicare may contact the Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program online or by calling (800) 434-022.
To report problems with a Health Maintenance Organization (HMO), including issues about medical care, prescriptions, preventive testing, and mental health services, contact the Department of Managed Health Care online or by calling their consumer help line: (888) HMO-2219 or (877) 688-9891 (TTY).
If your problem involves a serious or imminent threat to your health, such as the denial of treatment, tell the Department of Managed Health Care that it is an urgent matter.
To report problems with indemnity policies or traditional fee-for-service plans (such as Blue Cross/Blue Shield), contact the California Department of Insurance online or by calling their consumer help line: (800) 927-4357 or (800) 482-4833 (TTY).
To report problems with a Preferred Provider Organization (PPO), including issues of medical care, prescriptions, preventive testing, and mental health services:
To report problems with a self-insured health plan:
Multiple Employer Welfare Arrangements (MEWAs) permit employer members of trade, industry, professional, and other associations to create trust funds for the purpose of offering health care benefits to employees. Only MEWAs issued a certificate of compliance by November 30, 1995, from the California Department of Insurance are allowed to operate in the state.
Report complaints about MEWAs to the California Department of Insurance online or by calling their consumer help line: (800) 927-4357 or (800) 482-4833 (TTY).
The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) oversees certified and licensed California healthcare facilities; certified nursing assistants, hemodialysis technicians, and home health aides; and nursing home administrators. For more information about reporting consumer complaints, visit the CDPH website.
For information about resolving problems between nursing homes (or other long term care facilities) and residents or their families, contact the California Long-Term Care Ombudsman to find out about services available in your area. The Statewide CRISISline number, (800) 231-4024 is available to take calls and refer complaints from residents in long-term care facilities.
To report problems with dentists, registered dental assistants, and registered dental hygienists, contact the Board of Dental Examiners.
To report problems with medical doctors, registered dispensing opticians, spectacle lens dispensers, contact lens dispensers, licensed midwives, and research psychoanalysts, contact the California Medical Board online or by phone at (800) 633-2322 (toll-free).
If your doctor is an osteopathic doctor, contact the Osteopathic Medical Board of California online or by calling them at (916) 928-8390.
To report problems with nurses, contact the Board of Registered Nursing or the Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians.
To report problems with pharmacists, contact the California State Board of Pharmacy online.
The Attorney General’s “Promoting Safe and Secure Healthcare Access for All Guidance and Model Policies to Assist California’s Healthcare Facilities in Responding to Immigration Issues” can be found here.
The Attorney General’s “Legal Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Access to Healthcare for People with Disabilities” guidance can be found here.
The Attorney General’s web page on medical privacy, including “A Consumer Guide to Health Information Privacy in California,” can be found here.
The Attorney General’s guidance on reproductive rights can be found here.
The Civil Rights Department (CRD) is California’s civil rights agency. CRD enforces the state’s laws against discrimination and harassment in employment, housing, businesses of every kind, such as retail stores, restaurants, hospitals, and health care providers, and state-funded programs and activities. For more information, please visit the CRD website here.
Complaints about violations of federal non-discrimination laws can be filed with the U.S. Health and Human Services' Office for Civil Rights (OCR) by visiting the OCR website here.
Individuals with disabilities, or their family members, who have questions about their legal rights related to disability and healthcare can call Disability Rights California (DRC), the agency designated by federal protection and advocacy laws to protect and advocate for the rights of Californians with disabilities. Contact DRC at 1-800-776-5746, or get more information online here.