Natividad Medical Center
Acute care hospital in Salinas, CA.
Verified from the hospital's own policy
Natividad Medical Center likely gives free care to households with a yearly income up to $15,960 for 1 person, $21,640 for 2, $27,320 for 3, $33,000 for 4, $38,680 for 5 or $44,360 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 | $15,960 | $63,840 |
| 2 | $21,640 | $86,560 |
| 3 | $27,320 | $109,280 |
| 4 | $33,000 | $132,000 |
| 5 | $38,680 | $154,720 |
| 6 | $44,360 | $177,440 |
Discount steps
- 0% to 100% of poverty level, you pay $0 (Charity Care), only for treatment of life-threatening emergencies
- 0% to 400% of poverty level, you pay 20% of billed charges inpatient, 15% outpatient (Self-Pay or High Medical Cost Discount), never more than Medicare or Medi-Cal would pay
How to apply
- Call (831) 755-4165 and ask for financial assistance.
- Application form
- Full Charity Care, Self-Pay and High Medical Cost Financial Assistance Discount Policy (No. 6:3100; reviewed and revised 08/25)
- Bring recent income tax returns or recent pay stubs, proof of all out-of-pocket medical expenses (for charity care or the high medical cost discount), a letter explaining how you support yourself if you have neither tax returns nor pay stubs.
- 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.
- Savings and property
- The policy looks at income only, not savings or property.
- Very large bills
- Out-of-pocket costs at Natividad over 10% of family income (current or prior 12 months, whichever is less), or all medical costs over 10% of family income with proof; qualifies for the High Medical Cost Discount 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
- Services provided and billed by Natividad, including Natividad hospital-based physicians
- Not covered
- Providers who do their own billing are not covered, including emergency room doctors, who have their own discount plans. Non-medically necessary bariatric and cosmetic services are not covered.
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 only if your family income is at or below 100% of the poverty level and you were treated for a life-threatening emergency. Up to 400% of the poverty level, uninsured patients and insured patients with high medical costs get 80% off inpatient charges and 85% off outpatient charges. You will never pay more than Medicare or Medi-Cal would pay, whichever is more. Savings and other assets are not counted. Eligibility can be decided any time Natividad has the information it needs, and the policy sets no deadline. You will be screened for Medi-Cal, but you do not have to apply for other coverage before getting a discount. Appeals go in writing within 10 working days to the Managed Care Operations Manager, 1441 Constitution Blvd., Salinas, CA 93906, then to the Chief Financial Officer. The Financial Counseling office is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The discount rates have been in effect since May 1, 2022.
Sources
- Free care level
are at or below one hundred percent (100%) of the current FPL and have received services from Natividad for the treatment of life-threatening emergent conditions.
- Discount level
Applicants must have family income at or below four hundred percent (400%) of the current FPL.
- Discount steps
Inpatient: 80% off billed charges Outpatient: 85% off billed charges
- Insured patients
approved for patients at or below four hundred percent (400%) of the FPL that have High Medical Costs
- Asset test
Natividad will not consider the monetary assets of the patient when determining eligibility for Financial Assistance.
- Very large bills
annual out-of-pocket costs incurred by the individual at Natividad that exceed the lesser of ten percent (10%) of the patient’s current family income
- What is not covered
This policy is limited to services provided by and billed by Natividad, including Natividad Hospital Based Physicians; it excludes providers who perform their own billing.
- Documents
Qualification for Charity Care is based on income as proven by recent income tax returns or recent paystubs, and documentation of all out-of-pocket medical expenses.
- Financial counseling phone
All patients are encouraged to contact or visit the Financial Counseling office (831) 755-4165
Last checked. 2026-11-10
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