College Medical Center
Acute care hospital in Long Beach, CA.
Verified from the hospital's own policy and the state program
College Medical Center likely gives free care to households with a yearly income up to $31,920 for 1 person, $43,280 for 2, $54,640 for 3, $66,000 for 4, $77,360 for 5 or $88,720 for 6. It likely gives a discount to households with a yearly income up to $63,840 for 1 person, $86,560 for 2, $109,280 for 3, $132,000 for 4, $154,720 for 5 or $177,440 for 6.
The hospital makes the final decision.
| People in household | Free care up to | Discount up to |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $31,920 | $63,840 |
| 2 | $43,280 | $86,560 |
| 3 | $54,640 | $109,280 |
| 4 | $66,000 | $132,000 |
| 5 | $77,360 | $154,720 |
| 6 | $88,720 | $177,440 |
Discount steps
- 0% to 200% of poverty level, you pay $0
- 201% to 400% of poverty level, you pay amount Medicare or Medi-Cal would pay, whichever is higher
- 401% to % of poverty level, you pay no income-based discount; uninsured patients still get 50% off billed charges
How to apply
- Call (562) 256-8314 and ask for financial assistance.
- Application form
- Financial Assistance Policy: Charity Care and Discount Payment (effective 06/17/2021, revised 03/27/2024)
- Bring recent pay stubs or income tax return.
- We do not have the deadline yet. Apply as soon as you get a bill, and ask the billing office to pause collections while you apply.
- Very large bills
- If your share of the hospital bill is more than your yearly income, or your out-of-pocket hospital costs are over 10% of family income, the bill is fully written off for family income up to 400% of the poverty level.
If you have insurance
Insured patients can also apply for help with deductibles and copays. Keep your insurance. Financial assistance covers bills from this one place only.
What is covered
- Covered
- Emergency and medically necessary hospital care.
State program in California
Hospital Fair Pricing Act (Health and Safety Code 127400 et seq.)
Every licensed general acute care, acute psychiatric, and special hospital in California must have a charity care policy and a discount payment policy. A patient can ask for help if they are uninsured (self-pay) or have high medical costs, and their family income is not more than 400% of the federal poverty level. Hospitals may choose to help people with higher incomes. With a discount, the bill is capped at about what Medicare or Medi-Cal would pay, whichever is greater. You can apply at any time, even after a bill goes to collections. Immigration status does not affect eligibility.
Income levels in the program are discount up to 400% of poverty level.
Applies to each licensed general acute care hospital, acute psychiatric hospital, and special hospital in California.
Apply to the hospital's financial assistance office. Each hospital's policies and applications are posted on its website and on HCAI's Hospital Fair Pricing Policy Lookup (https://hcai.ca.gov/affordability/hospital-fair-billing-program/hospital-fair-pricing-policy-lookup/).
Is a self-pay patient OR a patient with high medical costs; AND Patient's family income is not more than 400 percent of the federal poverty
Program source, checked 2026-11-10
Hospital Bill Complaint Program (HCAI)
A free state program at HCAI. If a hospital wrongly denied you financial assistance, did not tell you about its programs, or sent you to collections the wrong way, you can file a complaint online (English and Spanish) or by mail (many languages). You must have applied to the hospital first for HCAI to review an eligibility decision. If HCAI finds you paid too much, the hospital must refund you within 30 days. It covers problems on or after January 1, 2022. It does not handle general billing disputes, price transparency, Good Faith Estimates, or bills from emergency room doctors.
Applies to complaints about any hospital covered by the Hospital Fair Pricing Act.
File online through the Patient Complaint Portal (https://hcai.ca.gov/affordability/hospital-fair-billing-program/hospital-bill-complaint-program/should-i-file-a-complaint/) or mail the Patient Complaint Form to Department of Health Care Access and Information, Hospital Bill Complaint Program, 2020 West El Camino Avenue, Suite 1101, Sacramento, CA 95833.
If you believe you were wrongly denied financial assistance, you may file a complaint with the Hospital Bill Complaint Program.
Program source, checked 2026-11-10
Emergency physician discount rule
Most hospital policies cover only the hospital's own bill. Emergency room doctors often bill separately. California law also requires an emergency physician to give discounts to uninsured patients and patients with high medical costs whose family income is at or below 400% of the federal poverty level. Ask the doctor group's billing office for its discount policy. HCAI's complaint program does not handle emergency doctor bills.
Income levels in the program are discount up to 400% of poverty level.
Applies to emergency physicians who provide emergency medical services in a California hospital that provides emergency care.
Ask the emergency physician group named on the bill for its discount payment policy.
an emergency physician who provides emergency medical services in a hospital that provides emergency care is also required by law to provide discounted care
Program source, checked 2026-11-10
Notes
Free care at or below 200% of the poverty level. From 201% to 400%, you pay no more than Medicare or Medi-Cal would pay. Every uninsured patient gets 50% off billed charges first, whatever their income. The policy also has a second table that gives 75%, 50%, and 25% off at 201% to 250%, 251% to 300%, and 301% to 400%. The two tables do not match, so ask the Business Office which applies. If you have insurance and high medical costs, you can qualify too. There is no deadline to apply. You will be asked to be screened for Medi-Cal. The hospital will not report you to credit agencies and will not sue for at least 180 days after the first bill. Appeals go to the Patient Financial Services Director or Chief Financial Officer. Mail applications to College Medical Center, PO Box 16421, Long Beach, CA 90806, Attn: Business Office. The policy was last revised 03/27/2024. HCAI shows it effective 10/15/2026. The policy does not say whether doctors bill separately.
Sources
- Free care level
0 to 200% of the federal poverty guideline – 100% charity write-off
- Discount steps
A portion of bill discounted equal to Medicare or Medi-Cal rate, whichever is higher, for those whose household income is between 201% and 400%
- Insured patients
Individuals whose family incomes is at or below 400% of the Federal Poverty Level and who are either uninsured or have high medical costs
- Very large bills
Patient will qualify for 100% write-off for charity care for incomes up to 400% of the federal poverty guidelines.
- Deadline
does not impose time limits for applying for Charity Care or Discounted Pay
- Documents
Required documentation of income is limited to recent pay stubs or income tax returns.
- Financial counseling phone
For any questions, please Contact: Business Office directly at 562-256-8314.
Last checked. 2026-11-10
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