# Kern Medical Center

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

Kern 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 (full charity care discount)
- 201% to 400% of poverty level, patient pays Medicare payment rates (or Medi-Cal, whichever is greater)

## How to apply

- Call (661) 326-2392 and ask for financial assistance.
- [Application form](https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=6f488662-6913-487a-a647-217538e38250)
- [Charity Care and Discount Program (Policy No. PAC-IM-960; revised June 2026)](https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=07b4bcec-9be5-4ffa-bb8f-5beee0cece65)
- 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. Patients at or below 400% of the poverty level who paid more than 10% of family income for medical costs in the prior 12 months count as having high medical costs

## 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. Medically necessary inpatient and outpatient hospital services at Kern Medical Center

## 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 family income is below 200% of the poverty level. From 200% to 400%, you pay what Medicare would pay (or Medi-Cal, if that is more). The policy's definition section says charity care covers incomes below 400%, which does not match the free care limit in its procedure section. You are first screened for Medi-Cal and the Kern Medical Wellness Program (KMWP), and the hospital reviews the KMWP application to decide on discounts. KMWP is for Kern County residents ages 19 to 64 who cannot get Medi-Cal. Insured patients under 400% whose insurance gives no discount can get help. The policy does not list a time limit and says eligibility can be decided any time an application is received. It says retirement plans are not counted as assets but does not say whether other savings are counted. Disputes go to the Director of Patient Accounting. The phone number is the KMWP Financial Services line printed on the application, which is a scanned image.

## Sources

- Free care level https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=07b4bcec-9be5-4ffa-bb8f-5beee0cece65
  > Below 200% of FPL would be eligible for full discount to charity care,
- Discount level https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=07b4bcec-9be5-4ffa-bb8f-5beee0cece65
  > above 200%, but not more than 400% of the FPL, would be eligible to receive services at the rates of payment received from Medicare.
- Discount steps https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=07b4bcec-9be5-4ffa-bb8f-5beee0cece65
  > receive for providing services from Medicare or Medi-Cal, whichever is greater.
- Insured patients https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=07b4bcec-9be5-4ffa-bb8f-5beee0cece65
  > Eligibility is provided for any patient whose family income is below 400% of the current FPL, if covered by third-party insurance
- Very large bills https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=07b4bcec-9be5-4ffa-bb8f-5beee0cece65
  > the patient or patient’s family has paid more than 10% of the patient’s current income or family income in the prior twelve (12) months.
- Financial counseling phone https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=6f488662-6913-487a-a647-217538e38250
  > If you have any questions, please call KMWP Financial Services at (661) 326-2392.
- Charity definition conflict https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=07b4bcec-9be5-4ffa-bb8f-5beee0cece65
  > provided to a patient, who has income below 400% of the current FPL and who has been deemed ineligible for other government assistance programs

Last checked 2026-11-10.

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