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California Medical Coverage for Children

To help low-income individuals, states receive federal funding for social welfare programs. Each state can enact additional programs to help its residents. Since the 1970s, California's Legislature passed many different social welfare policies funded by its residents to help low-income residents receive cash and medical assistance. In addition to the federal health insurance programs, California offers a few different low-cost or free medical coverage programs for children who live in the state.

  1. Medi-Cal

    • The California Medi-Cal program is similar to Medicaid, but it is a California-specific benefit provided to low-income, blind or disabled individuals. Californians are automatically eligible for the Medi-Cal health insurance if they are currently receiving federal Supplemental Social Security income, are participating in the California Adoption Assistance Program, are participating in the state's Refugee Assistance Program or are participating in the California Foster Care Program. If they are not automatically eligible to receive Medi-Cal benefits, they may apply through any of the state's local welfare agencies.

    Medi-Cal's Restrictions

    • Children who are under 21 qualify for benefits, in addition to other low-income groups, such as pregnant women, senior citizens and disabled individuals. Children and pregnant women participate in the Women, Infants and Children or "WIC" program. Medi-Cal covers a broad range of vision, dental and medical services. Pregnant women and children can apply for free services under different income eligibility rules, and generally, the state allows them to have more income than single individuals. Maximum income levels depend on the most recent federal poverty guidelines.

    Healthy Families

    • Children are eligible to participate in the "Healthy Families" program if they are age 18 or younger, ineligible for free Medi-Cal coverage, meet citizenship and immigration rules, reside in households without employer-offered insurance and meet income guidelines. Eligible children can receive hospital coverage, prescription drug coverage, surgical care and a broad range of medical, vision and dental services. Children must live in California, be U.S. citizens, legal residents or legal aliens. Income eligibility for this program is also limited to the federal poverty guidelines.

    Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP)

    • The Children's Health Insurance Program is a federal program available to families with household incomes below the federal poverty guidelines. For 2010 and 2011, CHIP was limited to $44,000 for a family of four. CHIP pays for dental care, routine check-ups, immunizations, hospital care and X-rays. However, under this federal program, although children receive free preventive medical care, such as routine immunizations, they do not receive other free services. They are entitled to lower premiums. Eligibility is limited to children age 19 and younger and only covers U.S. citizens and legal residents.

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