Ridgecrest Regional Hospital
Nonprofit critical access hospital in Ridgecrest, CA.
Verified from the hospital's own policy
Ridgecrest Regional Hospital 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 (100% discount)
- 200.1% to 250% of poverty level, you pay 20% of the Medicare rate
- 250.1% to 300% of poverty level, you pay 40% of the Medicare rate
- 300.1% to 350% of poverty level, you pay 60% of the Medicare rate
- 350.1% to 400% of poverty level, you pay 80% of the Medicare rate
How to apply
- Call (760) 499-3010 and ask for financial assistance.
- Application form
- Financial Assistance Program Policy (V5 2026 May; policy text says effective January 1, 2025)
- Bring two recent pay stubs from within 6 months before or after the first bill, or a recent 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
- Insured patients with out-of-pocket costs at the hospital over 10% of 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 department care and all medically necessary services at the hospital. Hospitalist and nurse anesthetist services are billed on the hospital bill and get the discount.
- Not covered
- Most physician services are billed separately and not covered, including anesthesiology, gastroenterology, maternity, pathology, radiology, surgery, urology, and attending physicians. Elective procedures 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 at or below 200% of the poverty level. From just over 200% to 400% you pay a share of the Medicare rate, from 20% up to 80%. Uninsured patients and insured patients with high medical costs both use this scale. Your bill can never be more than Medicare or Medi-Cal would pay, whichever is greater. Payment plans are interest free. You get an answer within 30 days of a complete application, and a letter within two weeks after that. Approval lasts 180 days. The policy gives no deadline to apply and does not say whether savings are counted. The hospital may grant free care without an application, using public records, before sending a bill to collections. The policy ends with help lines in 17 languages, including Spanish, Chinese, Armenian, Tagalog, Vietnamese, and Hmong. Emergency room doctors have their own separate policy. The hospital's main office is at 1081 N. China Lake Blvd., Ridgecrest, CA 93555, (760) 499-3000.
Sources
- Free care level
An individual or family whose yearly gross income is 200% of the federal poverty level or less qualifies for free charity care
- Discount level
Insured patients with High Medical Costs and incomes at or below 400% of the federal poverty level.
- Discount steps
200.1% - 250% 80% discount 20% 250.1% - 300% 60% discount 40%
- Insured patients
Insured patients with High Medical Costs and incomes at or below 400% of the federal poverty level.
- Very large bills
Annual out of pocket costs incurred by the individual at the hospital that exceed the lesser of 10% of the (a) patient's current family income
- What is not covered
most physician professional services are not subject to the FAP and patients may receive separate bills from the physician
- Documents
You must provide either (i) two recent pay stubs or (ii) a recent income tax form.
- Financial counseling phone
ATTENTION: If you need help in your language, please call (760) 499-3010 or visit Financial
Last checked. 2026-11-10
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