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California Medicaid Guidelines

California's Medicaid program is called "Medi-Cal." Medi-Cal provides health care services to individuals with limited income or resources. Applications for the program, which is equally funded by the federal and state government, should be made at the applicant's local county office.

  1. Automatic Eligibility

    • Individuals who are Supplemental Security Income, State Supplementary Payment and CalWORKs (formerly AFDC- Aid to Families with Dependent Children) recipients are automatically eligible for Medi-Cal. Additionally, individuals enrolled in California's Refugee Assistance program, Foster Care, Adoption Assistance Program and In-Home Supportive Services programs are also automatically eligible.

    Alternate Eligibile Groups

    • Individuals who are not recipients of cash assistance may be eligible for Medi-Cal if they satisfy certain requirements, including: being over the age of 65 or under 21; blind; disabled; or women who are pregnant or diagnosed with breast or cervical cancer. Although Medi-Cal is generally only available to residents of California, in some situations undocumented aliens may be eligible for benefits.

    Income Requirements

    • Individuals with incomes below prescribed amounts (generally linked to the federal poverty level) qualify for full Medi-Cal benefits at no cost to the recipient. Individuals who earn more than the Medi-Cal limit must pay a certain amount determined by the state, called "share of cost." Once the SOC has been met, the individual will be eligible for certain Medi-Cal covered services.

    Application Process

    • The Medi-Cal mail-in application is available on the California's Department of Health Care Services' website in 11 languages, including English and Spanish. The state generally requires 45 days to process applications not involving a disability; applications with a disability may take up to 90 days.

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