# Colorado River Medical Center

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

Colorado River Medical Center 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.

| Household size | Free care if yearly income is up to | Discount if yearly income is 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 |

Dollar amounts use the 2026 federal poverty guidelines.

## Discount steps

- 0% to 200% of poverty level, patient pays $0 (100% charity write-off)
- 201% to 400% of poverty level, patient pays sliding fee schedule by income and family size (schedule not in the filed document)
- 401% to null% of poverty level, patient pays case by case if the bill causes undue hardship

## How to apply

- Call (760) 326-7123 and ask for financial assistance.
- [Application form](https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=4c072116-ec30-41d5-b6d9-0b374689b1a4)
- [Business Office Debt Collection Policy 8530-200, which holds the Underinsured/Uninsured Patient Discount/Sliding Fee and Charity Care Policy (revised 8/26; on file with HCAI 09/08/2026)](https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=e1625687-c317-43a4-8a75-62b318c64e74)
- 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 identification, recent tax return or recent pay stubs, verification of family members.
- Residency. None
- Very large bills. Above 400% of the poverty level, discounts case by case when bills cause undue financial hardship

## 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. All medically necessary general acute care hospital services. Deductibles, copays, and coinsurance can be reduced for insured patients with high medical costs.

Not covered. Cosmetic surgery and skilled nursing services are not covered. Medically necessary reconstructive surgery may still qualify.

## 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 200% of the poverty level. From 201% to 400% the bill is cut on a sliding fee scale by income and family size. The scale itself was not in the file on record with the state, and the policy says you can ask for it. Above 400% the hospital may give a discount case by case if the bill is a hardship. Uninsured patients get a 65% self-pay discount on charges. All homeless and uninsured patients are screened for help. A Medi-Cal share of cost does not keep you out. The policy does not set a deadline, but an application with no reply for 180 days after billing may be closed. Appeals go in writing to the hospital's Compliance Committee or the CEO. The application form says the hospital may run a credit check. The policy does not say whether savings are counted. The policy says emergency room doctors must limit what they charge patients up to 400% of the poverty level.

## Sources

- Free care level https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=e1625687-c317-43a4-8a75-62b318c64e74
  > Uninsured patients, patients with high medical costs, or their guarantors earning 200% of the FPL or less will be granted Charity Care.
- Discount level https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=e1625687-c317-43a4-8a75-62b318c64e74
  > earning between 201% and 400% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) are eligible for an AB 1020 Discount.
- Discount steps https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=e1625687-c317-43a4-8a75-62b318c64e74
  > Eligible Amount: Based on Sliding Fee Schedule according to income and family size.
- Insured patients https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=e1625687-c317-43a4-8a75-62b318c64e74
  > Patients with Medicare and commercial HMO/PPO coverage are eligible for Underinsured/Uninsured Patient Discount/Sliding Fee and Charity Care Policy.
- Residency https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=e1625687-c317-43a4-8a75-62b318c64e74
  > There is no requirement for residency in order to be considered for assistance.
- Very large bills https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=e1625687-c317-43a4-8a75-62b318c64e74
  > Individuals earning above 400% of the FPL whose bills create an undue financial hardship will be considered for discounts on a case-by-case basis.
- What is not covered https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=e1625687-c317-43a4-8a75-62b318c64e74
  > Cosmetic surgeries and skilled nursing services are not covered
- Documents https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=e1625687-c317-43a4-8a75-62b318c64e74
  > Verification of patient's family under consideration
- Financial counseling phone https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=4c072116-ec30-41d5-b6d9-0b374689b1a4
  > Please call our Business Office at (760) 326 - 7123 for the necessary paperwork or if you have any questions.

Last checked 2026-11-10.

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