CAN I GET MEDI-CAL
Medi-Cal is a health insurance program to help pay the medical expenses of low income families, individuals, seniors, and people with disabilities. The state and federal government fund Medi-Cal. There are many Medi-Cal programs with different rules. Depending on which program you qualify for and how much money you make, Medi-Cal may pay for all your medical expenses or you might have to pay a share of the cost when you access health care services in a particular month.
If you are ineligible for Medi-Cal and cannot afford to purchase health insurance through Covered California, you might be eligible for the Sacramento County Medically Indigent Services Program (CMISP). For more information about CMISP, visit https://dhs.saccounty.gov/PRI/Pages/CMISP/GI-CMISP.aspx
If you are ineligible for Medi-Cal and CMISP due to your immigration status, you might be eligible for the Healthy Partners Program (HPP). HPP is a program for Sacramento County residents who cannot prove their lawful status in the United States. The HPP offers primary care services, medications, and specialty care appointments. For more information about HPP, please visit
https://dhs.saccounty.gov/PRI/Pages/Healthy%20Partners/GI-PRI-Healthy-Partners.aspx
In Sacramento you can get help to apply for Medi-Cal as well as the food program Cal-Fresh by calling the Medi-CalFresh Service Center (800) 560-0976
1. Groups of Eligibility
You can get Medi-Cal if you:
• Meet income and resource tests and
• Are a California resident and intend to stay in California and
• Fit within one of the eligible groups.
The major groups who can get Medi-Cal are:
• Low income individuals.
• People getting SSI, CalWORKs, foster care, adoption assistance, or certain immigrants receiving Entrant or Refugee Cash Assistance benefits.
• Low to moderate income Pregnant women
• Low income families with children under age 21
• Low income seniors (over age 65)
• Low income people with disabilities
• Low income families in which at least one parent is absent, deceased, disabled or unable to work, unemployed, or under-employed.
• Certain caregivers taking care of a related child under 21
• Refugees
• People living in a long term care facility
• People with certain medical conditions, like those receiving dialysis for kidney failure, diagnosed with tuberculosis, or breast or cervical cancer.
2. Immigration Status
If you are 50 years old or more, beginning May 2022 you can get full-scope Medi-Cal regardless of your immigration status, as long as you meet income requirements or fit into one of the other groups that can get Medi-Cal.
If you are a California resident and meet other Medi-Cal requirements, you can apply for a restricted Medi-Cal card, even if you’re undocumented. This will pay for emergency services, pregnancy-related care and long term care services. Most low income legal immigrants can get regular (also called full-scope) Medi-Cal to cover most of their medically necessary health needs. Many immigrants can get full health coverage, even if they do not have a green card, for example those in the process of adjusting their legal status (i.e., they are applying for Legal Permanent Residency).