# Children's Hosp of Los Angeles

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

Children's Hosp of Los Angeles 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 $95,760 for 1 person, $129,840 for 2, $163,920 for 3, $198,000 for 4, $232,080 for 5 or $266,160 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 | $95,760 |
| 2 | $86,560 | $129,840 |
| 3 | $109,280 | $163,920 |
| 4 | $132,000 | $198,000 |
| 5 | $154,720 | $232,080 |
| 6 | $177,440 | $266,160 |

Dollar amounts use the 2026 federal poverty guidelines.

## Discount steps

- 0% to 400% of poverty level, patient pays $0 (full financial assistance)
- 401% to 600% of poverty level, patient pays Discounted, no more than amounts generally billed to insured patients

## How to apply

- Call (800) 404-6627 and ask for financial assistance.
- [Application form](https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=3e5a85c0-e7ce-4cce-be2b-6eee4c771484)
- [Financial Assistance (Charity Care and Discounted Care), Policy FIN-006.0 (effective 07/29/2026; original date 04/27/2005)](https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=821b71e7-71eb-4e3d-b02d-b9ff8a1a5424)
- 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 application, recent pay stubs and/or income tax returns (a signed statement of income is accepted if you have no proof).
- Languages. English, Spanish

## 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 care and medically necessary services billed by CHLA, including a pharmacy waiver for those at or below 400% of the poverty level

Not covered. Doctors from Children's Hospital Los Angeles Medical Group (CHLAMG), USC, and USC Care bill separately and are not covered. Emergency room doctors bill separately. Other outside providers are listed in Appendix A.

## 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 if your household income is at or below 400% of the poverty level. From 401% to 600% you get a discount, and your bill will not be more than amounts generally billed to insured patients. The policy covers patients with no insurance or not enough insurance. There is no stated deadline. The policy says eligibility can be decided at any point in the collection cycle. After you apply, you have 30 days to send all the documents. CHLA answers in writing within 30 days of a complete application. Approval covers past dates of service back one calendar year, and lasts one year. CHLA staff cannot help fill out the form, but the Health Consumer Center of Los Angeles can, at (800) 896-3203. Appeals go to the Director, Patient Financial Services, and the Chief Financial Officer decides. The policy does not say whether it counts savings or other assets, and it does not set a high medical cost threshold. For CHLA Medical Group doctor bills, call Pediatric Management Group at (323) 361-2336. HCAI lists the effective date as 04/27/2005. That is the policy's original date. The document itself shows an effective date of 07/29/2026 and a revision date of 06/29/2026.

## Sources

- Free care level https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=821b71e7-71eb-4e3d-b02d-b9ff8a1a5424
  > Income at or below 400% of the FPL: These patients are eligible for full financial assistance
- Discount level https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=821b71e7-71eb-4e3d-b02d-b9ff8a1a5424
  > Income above 400%, but at or below 600% of the FPL: These patients are eligible for a discount to the patient liability amount
- Discount steps https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=821b71e7-71eb-4e3d-b02d-b9ff8a1a5424
  > their patient liability amount after the discount will not exceed the amounts generally billed to patients with insurance
- Insured patients https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=821b71e7-71eb-4e3d-b02d-b9ff8a1a5424
  > if the patient lacks or has inadequate insurance, and meets certain low- and moderate-income requirements, the patient may qualify for Discounted Care or Charity Care
- What is not covered https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=821b71e7-71eb-4e3d-b02d-b9ff8a1a5424
  > Providers, other than CHLA itself, that provide care in CHLA facilities do not follow this policy.
- Documents https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=821b71e7-71eb-4e3d-b02d-b9ff8a1a5424
  > All applicants for Charity Care or Discounted Care may be required to provide recent pay stubs and/or income tax returns.
- Languages https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=821b71e7-71eb-4e3d-b02d-b9ff8a1a5424
  > shall be made available in English, Spanish, and other languages used by the lesser of 5% of the population or 1000 individuals
- Financial counseling phone https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=821b71e7-71eb-4e3d-b02d-b9ff8a1a5424
  > or by calling Patient Business Services at (800) 404-6627.
- Policy effective date https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=821b71e7-71eb-4e3d-b02d-b9ff8a1a5424
  > ORIGINAL DATE: EFFECTIVE DATE: APPROVED BY: Chief Financial Officer, Quality 04/27/2005 07/29/2026

Last checked 2026-11-10.

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