# Palomar Medical Center Poway

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

Palomar Medical Center Poway likely gives free care to households with a yearly income up to $39,900 for 1 person, $54,100 for 2, $68,300 for 3, $82,500 for 4, $96,700 for 5 or $110,900 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 | $39,900 | $63,840 |
| 2 | $54,100 | $86,560 |
| 3 | $68,300 | $109,280 |
| 4 | $82,500 | $132,000 |
| 5 | $96,700 | $154,720 |
| 6 | $110,900 | $177,440 |

Dollar amounts use the 2026 federal poverty guidelines.

## Discount steps

- 0% to 250% of poverty level, patient pays $0 (Full Charity Care)
- 251% to 400% of poverty level, patient pays Bill cut to the highest government payer rate (Medi-Cal or Medicare), with an interest-free payment plan

## How to apply

- Call (858) 485-6511 and ask for financial assistance.
- [Application form](https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=65319c74-eab7-41fd-8e10-e31afdfc8c60)
- [Procedure: Financial Assistance Full and Discount Payment Charity Care (Document ID 26252, Revision 6; on file with HCAI, effective 08/01/2025)](https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=6a3e1ee0-ef46-490e-b145-9b724895aa0e)
- 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 tax returns, W-2, or last two pay stubs for all household earnings, or a government assistance, Social Security, workers' compensation, or unemployment letter.
- Savings and property. The policy looks at income only, not savings or property.
- Very large bills. Patients at or below 400% of the poverty level whose out-of-pocket costs at Palomar top 10% of family income in the prior 12 months can get help
- 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 and medically necessary inpatient and outpatient hospital services provided by Palomar Health

Not covered. Doctors' services are not covered, whether inpatient or outpatient. Emergency doctors bill separately and may give their own discounts.

## 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

The state lists this hospital as Palomar UCSD Medical Center Poway (formerly Pomerado Hospital, at 15615 Pomerado Road, Poway). Free care at or below 250% of the poverty level. From 251% to 400% the bill is cut to what Medi-Cal or Medicare would pay, and you can pay the rest with an interest-free plan. Insured patients can get help with the part insurance does not pay. Savings are not counted. You do not have to apply for Medi-Cal first, but you must take part in a Medi-Cal screening. Some patients get free care without applying, such as people who are homeless or who are in a low-income government program. If the hospital asks for more papers, you have 14 days plus a 7-day grace period. Approval is kept on file for 6 months. Appeals must be in writing within 14 days of a denial. The policy says incomes of 451% and up get the standard self-pay discount, and it does not say what happens from 401% to 450%. Mail the application to Bank of America Lockbox Service, Lockbox 748696, Los Angeles, CA 90074-8698. The policy and application do not print a phone number.

## Sources

- Free care level https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=6a3e1ee0-ef46-490e-b145-9b724895aa0e
  > Patients or their guarantors who earn 250% or less of the FPG.
- Discount level https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=6a3e1ee0-ef46-490e-b145-9b724895aa0e
  > Patients or their guarantors who earn between 251% and 400% of the current Federal Poverty Guidelines
- Discount steps https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=6a3e1ee0-ef46-490e-b145-9b724895aa0e
  > The billed charges for these patients will be reduced to the highest government payers (Medi-Cal or Medicare) rates.
- Insured patients https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=6a3e1ee0-ef46-490e-b145-9b724895aa0e
  > Uninsured patients, as well as insured patients for the portion of their bill not covered by insurance, may be eligible.
- Asset test https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=6a3e1ee0-ef46-490e-b145-9b724895aa0e
  > Assets Owned: Policy excludes monetary assets when determining patient financial assistance.
- Very large bills https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=6a3e1ee0-ef46-490e-b145-9b724895aa0e
  > High Medical Costs: Defined as the patient's annual out of pocket costs incurred by the individual at a Palomar hospital
- What is not covered https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=6a3e1ee0-ef46-490e-b145-9b724895aa0e
  > Financial assistance does not apply to services rendered by any physician, whether rendered on an inpatient or outpatient basis
- Deadline https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=6a3e1ee0-ef46-490e-b145-9b724895aa0e
  > eligibility will not be denied based on timing of application.
- Documents https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=65319c74-eab7-41fd-8e10-e31afdfc8c60
  > A. IRS Form W-2, Wage and Earnings Statement for all Household earnings B. Last two pay check stubs for all household earnings
- Languages https://api.hdc.hcai.ca.gov/Public/Extract/Attachment?id=6a3e1ee0-ef46-490e-b145-9b724895aa0e
  > All patient documents, with the exception of internal documents C and E, are available in English and Spanish.

Last checked 2026-11-10.

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