# Centinela Hospital Medical Center

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

Centinela Hospital Medical Center likely gives free care 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. It likely gives a discount to households with a yearly income up to $71,820 for 1 person, $97,380 for 2, $122,940 for 3, $148,500 for 4, $174,060 for 5 or $199,620 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 | $63,840 | $71,820 |
| 2 | $86,560 | $97,380 |
| 3 | $109,280 | $122,940 |
| 4 | $132,000 | $148,500 |
| 5 | $154,720 | $174,060 |
| 6 | $177,440 | $199,620 |

Dollar amounts use the 2026 federal poverty guidelines.

## Discount steps

- 0% to 400% of poverty level, patient pays $0 for patients with no insurance
- 401% to 450% of poverty level, patient pays no more than the greater of Amounts Generally Billed or what Medicare or Medicaid would pay
- 0% to 450% of poverty level, patient pays insured patients with high medical costs: only the gap between what insurance paid and that same cap

## How to apply

- Call (310) 680-8567 and ask for financial assistance.
- [Application form](https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=c52c5d9d-f184-46d4-af74-2da4f1db4896)
- [Patient Financial Assistance (Policy PFS-A05B, Prime Healthcare, last revised 2/25)](https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=c994f81e-7b04-4263-b6a9-9f7e82b3b450)
- 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 completed financial assistance application, proof of income (recent pay stubs or income tax returns), a written statement of how you get by if you report no income, receipts or Explanation of Benefits for medical expenses (asked for on the application).
- Savings and property. The policy looks at income only, not savings or property.
- Very large bills. Insured patients can get the discount when medical costs not paid by insurance are more than 10% of family 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 and other medically necessary hospital care.

Not covered. Hospital charges only. Doctors who are not employed by the hospital, including emergency doctors, bill separately and may have their own programs.

## 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 is for patients with no insurance at or below 400% of the poverty level. Up to 450%, you pay no more than what Medicare or Medicaid would pay. If you have insurance, you can still get help with costs over 10% of your family income. Savings are not counted. There is no deadline to apply. The hospital will not report you to credit bureaus, garnish wages, or sue you. Disputes go to the hospital's Chief Financial Officer. The policy says documents come in other languages but does not list them. The hospital's help page is https://centinelamed.com/help-paying-your-bill/.

## Sources

- Free care level https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=c994f81e-7b04-4263-b6a9-9f7e82b3b450
  > the patient's Family Income does not exceed 400% of the Federal Poverty Level.
- Discount level https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=c994f81e-7b04-4263-b6a9-9f7e82b3b450
  > A self-pay patient qualifies for the Discount Payment Program if: (i) the patient's Family Income does not exceed 450% of the Federal Poverty Level
- Discount steps https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=c994f81e-7b04-4263-b6a9-9f7e82b3b450
  > the amount the Hospital would expect to receive for providing services from Medicare or Medicaid, whichever is greater (the "Discounted Payment Maximum")
- Insured patients https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=c994f81e-7b04-4263-b6a9-9f7e82b3b450
  > may qualify for the Discount Payment Program if: (i) the patient has a Family Income at or below four hundred fifty percent (450%)
- Asset test https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=c994f81e-7b04-4263-b6a9-9f7e82b3b450
  > Monetary assets will not be used in the determination of eligibility for the financial assistance program.
- Very large bills https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=c994f81e-7b04-4263-b6a9-9f7e82b3b450
  > the patient has high medical costs that exceed the lesser of: (a) ten percent (10%) of the patient's Family Income
- What is not covered https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=c994f81e-7b04-4263-b6a9-9f7e82b3b450
  > This Policy applies only to charges for Hospital services and is not binding upon other providers of medical services
- Deadline https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=c994f81e-7b04-4263-b6a9-9f7e82b3b450
  > The Hospital will not impose time limits for applying for charity care or discounted payments
- Documents https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=c994f81e-7b04-4263-b6a9-9f7e82b3b450
  > documentation of income of the patient's Family shall be limited to recent pay stubs or income tax returns.
- Financial counseling phone https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=c994f81e-7b04-4263-b6a9-9f7e82b3b450
  > Inglewood, CA 90301 310-680-8567

Last checked 2026-11-10.

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