# Seneca District Hospital

Hospital in Chester, CA. Verified from the hospital's own policy.

Seneca District Hospital likely gives free care to households with a yearly income up to $23,940 for 1 person, $32,460 for 2, $40,980 for 3, $49,500 for 4, $58,020 for 5 or $66,540 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.

| Household size | Free care if yearly income is up to | Discount if yearly income is up to |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $23,940 | $63,840 |
| 2 | $32,460 | $86,560 |
| 3 | $40,980 | $109,280 |
| 4 | $49,500 | $132,000 |
| 5 | $58,020 | $154,720 |
| 6 | $66,540 | $177,440 |

Dollar amounts use the 2026 federal poverty guidelines.

## Discount steps

- 0% to 150% of poverty level, patient pays $0
- 151% to 250% of poverty level, patient pays 25% of charges (75% discount)
- 251% to 350% of poverty level, patient pays 50% of charges (50% discount)
- 351% to 400% of poverty level, patient pays 75% of charges (25% discount)

## How to apply

- Call (844) 951-7275 and ask for financial assistance.
- [Application form](https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=a40d7524-d171-44bb-9461-a2b5c253e01e)
- [Financial Assistance (Policy FIN-006, effective 8/5/2026, HCAI effective date 08/07/2026)](https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=b3248fda-8c08-4dce-b100-63387ddf8765)
- 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.
- Bring recent income tax return, or 3 recent pay stubs from all employers, if unemployed, an unemployment benefits award letter or pay stub from the last 30 days, a denial letter from Medi-Cal, Covered California, or county aid, if you have one.
- Very large bills. Patients above 400% of the poverty level whose yearly out-of-pocket costs are more than 10% of family income can have out-of-pocket costs capped at 25% of yearly gross income.

## 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 services, general acute care hospital services, and rural health clinic services at Seneca Healthcare District, when medically necessary.

## 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.

How to apply. 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

Source https://hcai.ca.gov/affordability/hospital-fair-billing-program/hospital-bill-complaint-program/frequently-asked-questions/, 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.

How to apply. 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.

Source https://hcai.ca.gov/affordability/hospital-fair-billing-program/hospital-bill-complaint-program/, 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.

How to apply. 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

Source https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=c7bdd7eb-bcc0-4a84-bcab-a21b5e578d9c, checked 2026-11-10

## Notes

Free care at or below 150% of the poverty level. From 151% to 400%, you get 25% to 75% off, and you never pay more than Medicare or Medi-Cal would pay, whichever is greater. Above 400%, if your yearly out-of-pocket costs are more than 10% of family income, the hospital caps what you pay at 25% of yearly gross income. If you miss payments on that catastrophic discount, it can be taken back. Insured patients are reviewed after insurance pays. The hospital decides within 45 days of a complete application. If the hospital asks for more papers and gets none after 150 days, the application is denied. Appeals go in writing to the Chief Financial Officer within 30 days. The phone number is the hospital's contracted billing office. The policy does not say whether savings or property count, though the application asks about car payments and credit cards.

## Sources

- Free care level https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=b3248fda-8c08-4dce-b100-63387ddf8765
  > Patients whose family income is at or below 150% of the FPL are eligible to receive 100% discount (charity care).
- Discount level https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=b3248fda-8c08-4dce-b100-63387ddf8765
  > more than 150% but at or below 400% of the FPL are eligible to receive reduced rates
- Discount steps https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=b3248fda-8c08-4dce-b100-63387ddf8765
  > 0-150% 100% Charity Care 151-250% 75% Sliding Fee 251-350% 50% Sliding Fee 351-400% 25% Sliding Fee
- Insured patients https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=b3248fda-8c08-4dce-b100-63387ddf8765
  > Patients with Medicare and commercial HMO/PPO coverage are eligible for Financial Assistance.
- Very large bills https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=b3248fda-8c08-4dce-b100-63387ddf8765
  > Eligible patients will be considered for a catastrophic discount that will cap their out-of-pocket expense at a 25% threshold of annual gross income.
- Documents https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=a40d7524-d171-44bb-9461-a2b5c253e01e
  > Copy of recent income tax return or Copies of 3 (three) recent pay stubs from all employers
- Financial counseling phone https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=a40d7524-d171-44bb-9461-a2b5c253e01e
  > please contact our contracted Business Office at (844) 951-7275.

Last checked 2026-11-10.

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