You apply for Medi-Cal, California's Medicaid program, online at BenefitsCal.com, by phone, by mail, or at a county office, and the county has 45 days at most to decide. That 45-day cap is the federal limit for anyone who did not apply on the basis of disability, which covers most seniors applying on age; applying on the basis of disability raises the agency's limit to 90 days. In 2026 one rule changed everything for seniors: the non-MAGI asset limit is back, so older and disabled applicants must again document what they own.

Beginning January 1, 2026, non-MAGI applicants (seniors 65 and older, people with disabilities, and anyone applying for long-term care) once again face an asset limit under AB 116 (Chapter 21, Statutes of 2025), the FY 2025-26 Health Omnibus Trailer Bill. That limit is temporary, and it drops sharply. Through June 30, 2027 it is $130,000 for one person and $195,000 for a couple. Starting July 1, 2027, DHCS puts it at $21,000 for one person and $31,000 for two people (plus $1,550 for each additional person in the household, up to 10). Plan around the date you expect to apply, not around today's figure. Medi-Cal is administered by the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) and run locally by all 58 county welfare departments. This guide walks every step of the application, from picking a channel to gathering documents, choosing a plan, renewing each year, and appealing a denial.

If you need the eligibility rules and income limits first, read Medi-Cal Eligibility and Income Limits 2026. For the program structure overview, read California Medi-Cal Programs. This guide focuses on the application process itself.

Step 1: Where to Apply for Medi-Cal in California

You can apply through four channels. Most people use BenefitsCal because it is fastest and lets you check status and upload documents.

Channel Best for Speed Notes
Online (BenefitsCal.com) Most applicants Fastest Account creation, document upload, status checking; integrated with CalFresh and CalWORKs
Phone (1-800-541-5555) Limited internet access Same-day intake A county worker captures the application by phone
In person (county welfare office) Complex household situations Same-day if walk-ins accepted Many counties now require appointments
Paper (application downloaded from DHCS) No internet, or a preference for paper Clock starts when the county receives it Available in many languages

BenefitsCal, California's Unified Application Portal

BenefitsCal.com runs on CalSAWS (California Statewide Automated Welfare System), the statewide eligibility back-end. All 58 counties operate on CalSAWS, and applicants in every county use BenefitsCal to apply for and manage Medi-Cal.

Through BenefitsCal you can apply for Medi-Cal (and CalFresh food benefits and CalWORKs cash aid), upload documents, submit your yearly renewal, report changes, and check case status. Create a free account with your email or phone number.

Common BenefitsCal pitfalls:

  • Forgetting to "submit" after completing each section. A saved partial application does not start the eligibility clock.
  • Uploading documents to the wrong case when a household has multiple members.
  • Missing email or text notices about requests for information because they land in spam. Turn on text notifications in your account settings; counties send time-sensitive notices by SMS.

Phone, Mail, and In Person

Call the Medi-Cal Member Helpline at 1-800-541-5555 (TTY available) to start an application or check status, or call your local county welfare office directly for county-specific questions. You can find your county office through BenefitsCal.

Every California county has at least one county welfare office, and larger counties run several branches. Some counties take walk-ins; many now require an appointment, so call ahead. You can also drop off completed paper forms.

If you prefer paper, download the Medi-Cal application from DHCS and mail it or hand it in at your county office. DHCS now points applicants to a single downloadable application rather than the older separate form numbers (you may still hear a county worker refer to the SAWS 1 or the MC 210), so take whichever form your county gives you and do not delay filing to hunt for a particular number. Keep a photocopy and get a date-stamped receipt if you hand-deliver.

Already in a Hospital?

If you are admitted to a hospital and need immediate care, ask the hospital social worker about Hospital Presumptive Eligibility (HPE). Qualified hospitals can grant temporary Medi-Cal coverage on the spot while your full county determination is processed.

Step 2: Gather Your Documents

What you need depends on which Medi-Cal category you apply under. Bring or upload everything you can. Counties verify much of this electronically (through the federal data hub and Social Security Administration records), but paper proof speeds the process.

Always Required

Document What it shows Notes
Photo ID Identity Driver's license, state ID, passport, or military ID
Social Security number Identity, federal verification Or proof of application; not required for emergency Medi-Cal
Proof of California residency Residency Utility bill, lease, mortgage statement, or ID with a California address
Proof of income Income for the last 30 to 60 days Pay stubs, tax return, Social Security award letter, or pension statement
Proof of citizenship or immigration status For full-scope coverage Birth certificate, naturalization papers, or green card; not required for emergency Medi-Cal

Citizenship for U.S.-born applicants is usually verified electronically against Social Security records, so paper proof is rarely required.

For Non-MAGI Applicants (Seniors, Disabled, and Long-Term Care)

Because the asset test returned on January 1, 2026, anyone applying based on age (65 and older), disability, blindness, or long-term care must again document assets. Through June 30, 2027 the limit is $130,000 for one person, plus $65,000 for each additional household member (up to 10 people). Starting July 1, 2027 the limit falls to $21,000 for one person, $31,000 for two, plus $1,550 for each additional person. If you are close to either threshold, the date you file matters as much as what you own. Gather:

  • Bank statements for all accounts, typically the last several months.
  • Retirement account statements (IRAs, 401(k)s, 403(b)s, pensions). An account in required-minimum-distribution mode is treated as income, not an asset.
  • Vehicle title or registration for any vehicle owned.
  • Real property deeds for the principal residence and any other real estate.
  • Life insurance policies, including face value, since cash-value policies can count toward the asset limit.

Transfers you made between January 1, 2024 and December 31, 2025 are not reviewed, because the asset test did not apply during those months.

Long-term care applicants should also gather bank statements covering the transfer-penalty look-back period, a marriage certificate (for spousal protection rules), and medical records establishing nursing-facility level of care. California's look-back ceiling is 30 months, phasing in one month at a time starting July 1, 2026 until the full review applies to applications filed on or after July 1, 2028.

Pickle, DAC, and DWW Recipients Keep the Asset Exemption

If you are a Pickle Amendment recipient, a Disabled Adult Child (DAC), or a Disabled Widow(er) (DWW), you are exempt from the 2026 asset reinstatement and continue under no-asset-test rules, because those programs' asset limits were eliminated under separate federal authority. Document your category with the relevant Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security award records, and ask your county for a Pickle review if your eligibility worker does not recognize the category.

Step 3: Apply for Medi-Cal in California: Submit Your Application

Online Submission

1
Step 1

Create or sign in to your BenefitsCal account

Use your email address or a phone number to set up a free account at BenefitsCal.com.

2
Step 2

Start a Medi-Cal application

Choose "Apply for Benefits" and select Medi-Cal.

3
Step 3

Complete each section

Fill in household, income, expenses, assets (for non-MAGI applicants), tax filing status, and immigration status.

4
Step 4

Upload your documents

Attach your ID, income proof, residency proof, and asset statements if you are a non-MAGI applicant.

5
Step 5

Submit

The eligibility clock starts when the county receives your application, not when you save a partial draft.

6
Step 6

Note your application reference number

Keep it for status checks and any follow-up with your county worker.

Phone or Paper Submission

A county worker can take your application over the phone; have your documents handy and ask for a reference number and written confirmation. To file on paper, mail or hand-deliver the DHCS Medi-Cal application to your county office, keep a photocopy, and get a date-stamped receipt.

What Happens Next

The county confirms your application is complete and assigns a case number, verifies your documents (electronically where possible), enters your data into CalSAWS to determine eligibility, and mails you a Notice of Action with the approval, denial, or a request for more information.

Step 4: Decision Timelines and Retroactive Coverage

Timeline What it means
45 days (maximum) The federal limit for applicants who did not apply on the basis of disability, including most seniors applying on age
90 days (maximum) The federal limit for applicants who applied on the basis of disability
90 days (Reasonable Opportunity Period ceiling) Applies only when you declare citizenship or a satisfactory immigration status the county cannot verify electronically; it ends when the county verifies, or at 90 days, whichever comes first. Benefits are not denied during it
3 months retroactive Coverage for bills incurred before application, if you would have been eligible then

Both deadlines come from federal regulation (42 CFR 435.912(c)(3)), and each is a maximum, not a target: the county's determination "may not exceed" 90 days if you applied on the basis of disability, and 45 days if you applied on any other basis. Which limit governs you turns on the basis you applied under, not on whether a disability determination happens to arise while the county works your file. The 90-day figure is not a grace period every applicant gets. If you are a senior applying on age alone rather than disability, your county's outer limit is 45 days even for a long-term-care file that also needs a level-of-care review, and a determination still pending on day 46 is already past it. (The regulation allows narrow exceptions in paragraph (e): a delay caused by you or by an examining physician; an administrative or other emergency beyond the county's control; and, once the community-engagement requirement is live, a case the county cannot decide in time because an applicant sent a notice of noncompliance has a 30-calendar day period to respond under 42 CFR 435.558.)

A separate window applies to one specific verification problem. If you declare U.S. citizenship or a satisfactory immigration status and the county cannot confirm it electronically, you get a Reasonable Opportunity Period to produce documentation, and the county may not delay, deny, reduce, or terminate benefits for an otherwise-eligible applicant during it. That period ends at the earlier of the county verifying your status or 90 days, so treat 90 days as the ceiling rather than a guaranteed allowance; the county may extend it past 90 days only for someone declaring a satisfactory immigration status who is making a good-faith effort to obtain the documents (42 CFR 435.956(b)). It does not cover ordinary income or residency verification, which the county handles inside the regular 45- or 90-day clock.

Up to 3 months of retroactive Medi-Cal coverage is available for medical bills incurred before your application date, if you would have been eligible at the time of service. Ask your county worker for the retroactive coverage request form and include copies of any unpaid bills. A hospital admission three months before you applied can be billed to Medi-Cal rather than left as your debt. For applications filed on or after January 1, 2027, federal law shortens this window to two months for most enrollees (one month for the Medicaid expansion adult group).

Step 5: Choose Your Health Plan

Once you are approved, most counties enroll you in a managed-care plan. You receive a packet from Health Care Options (HCO), and depending on your county you have 30 days to choose a plan or Medi-Cal assigns one for you.

  • Phone: Health Care Options at 1-800-430-4263 (TDD available), Monday through Friday.
  • What to check: confirm your current doctors and any specialists are in the plan's network, and review the plan's quality rating on the HCO website.

Your plan choices depend on your county's managed-care model. Some counties (the County Organized Health System counties) have a single plan with no choice; others offer two or more plans.

Switching Plans and Keeping Your Doctor

If your plan is not working, call Health Care Options at 1-800-430-4263 and ask what your options are and when a change would take effect. Do not assume you are locked in until an annual window: ask HCO directly, because the rules for changing plans depend on your county's managed-care model, and a member service representative can tell you the current process for your county. When you do change plans, ask about continuity of care, which can let you keep your current providers through a transition period. That matters most in active cancer treatment, an in-progress pregnancy, or an ongoing behavioral-health relationship.

If You Also Have Medicare

If you have both Medicare and Medi-Cal, you are a "dual eligible," and California is rolling out aligned Medi-Medi Plans that combine both programs under one card and one care coordinator. See our Medi-Medi Plans guide for the county roster, and if your income is low enough, a Medicare Savings Program can pay your monthly Medicare premium and cost-sharing.

Step 6: Renew Your Coverage Each Year

DHCS tells members their Medi-Cal is looked at once per year, so your renewal month is set by your case rather than by the calendar year. Watch for county mail year-round and confirm your renewal month with your county worker. How your renewal goes depends on whether the county can confirm your eligibility automatically.

Automatic (Ex Parte) Renewal

Federal law requires counties to attempt an ex parte renewal first, confirming your eligibility from information they already have and from other government databases. If it succeeds, you are renewed by notice with no action needed. One caveat matters for seniors and people with disabilities: under the federal renewal rule as revised effective July 31, 2026, the ex parte step for non-MAGI members (the aged, blind, and disabled group) applies "if sufficient information is available to do so," so it is not the guarantee it is for MAGI members. California has improved its automatic-renewal rate, but it still varies by county.

The MC 355 Request for Information

If automatic renewal fails, the county mails an MC 355 Request for Information listing what it needs to confirm your continued eligibility. You have 90 days from the mailing date to return it with documentation. You can respond by uploading through BenefitsCal, by mail, or in person.

If you do not return the MC 355 in time, your coverage ends for "procedural" reasons, meaning you did not respond, not that you are ineligible. This is the single most common reason Medi-Cal members lose coverage. The safety net: for 90 days after a procedural termination, you can return the form and have coverage restored without filing a new application; after that, you must reapply.

Between renewals, report changes in income, household, address, or other insurance promptly through BenefitsCal so your coverage and any share of cost stay accurate.

Step 7: Appeals, When You Disagree With a Decision

If the county denies your application, ends your coverage, reduces benefits, or raises your share of cost, you have appeal rights.

The Notice of Action

Every adverse action triggers a written Notice of Action (NOA) explaining what the county did, why, and how to appeal. It must be sent in advance of the change taking effect (with limited exceptions). Read it carefully; it states your appeal deadline.

State Hearing Rights and Aid Paid Pending

You have 90 days from the date you receive the Notice of Action to request a State Hearing before an administrative law judge. File through the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) State Hearings Division, by phone, online, or mail (the NOA lists the current contacts), or follow the steps on the DHCS Medi-Cal Fair Hearing page.

If you request the hearing by the notice's effective date (generally within 10 days of the NOA) and ask for Aid Paid Pending, your benefits continue at the current level until the hearing decision is issued. This matters most when the action would cut care you already receive.

You do not have to navigate an appeal alone. Free legal aid and counseling are available statewide, and you can always ask your county for a referral. These organizations focus on Medi-Cal and older-adult coverage:

California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform (CANHR) Nursing-home and long-term-care Medi-Cal issues. canhr.org
Justice in Aging Older-adult coverage questions and Medi-Cal appeals. justiceinaging.org
Disability Rights California Disability-based Medi-Cal denials and appeals. www.disabilityrightsca.org
Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP) Free local counseling for seniors who also have Medicare. aging.ca.gov/Programs_and_Services/Medicare_Counseling

Bottom Line: Your 2026 Application Checklist

  1. Read the eligibility guide first at Medi-Cal Eligibility and Income Limits 2026 so you know which category you fall under.
  2. Choose your channel. BenefitsCal.com is fastest for most people.
  3. Gather your documents, including bank and asset statements if you are a non-MAGI applicant (seniors, disabled, or long-term care).
  4. Submit and note your application reference number.
  5. Watch for the Notice of Action. The county's federal deadline is 45 days if you applied on any basis other than disability, or 90 days if you applied on the basis of disability.
  6. Choose your managed-care plan within 30 days of approval through Health Care Options at 1-800-430-4263.
  7. Mark your renewal date and set a reminder 60 days early; turn on text and email notices in BenefitsCal.
  8. If denied, appeal within 90 days, and request Aid Paid Pending within 10 days if benefits would be cut.

If you get stuck, the Medi-Cal Member Helpline at 1-800-541-5555 can take an application, check status, and refer you to your county office.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does the Medi-Cal application take?

Federal regulation sets a maximum on the county rather than a promised decision date, and which maximum applies depends on the basis you applied under, not on whether a disability determination happens to arise: 45 days if you applied on any basis other than disability (most seniors applying on age), and 90 days if you applied on the basis of disability. The 90-day figure is not a window every applicant gets, so if you applied on age and it has been 60 days, your county is already late. Separately, if you declare citizenship or a satisfactory immigration status the county cannot verify electronically, a Reasonable Opportunity Period runs until the county verifies your status or 90 days, whichever comes first, and coverage is not denied during it.

Can I get coverage for medical bills from before I applied?

Yes. Up to 3 months of retroactive coverage is available for bills incurred before your application, if you would have been eligible at the time of service. Ask your county worker for the retroactive coverage request form and include copies of unpaid bills. Note that for applications filed on or after January 1, 2027, this window shortens to two months for most enrollees.

I'm 68 and applying in 2026. Do I have to report my assets now?

Yes. The non-MAGI asset test returned on January 1, 2026, so applicants 65 and older must document assets. Through June 30, 2027 the limit is $130,000 for one person (plus $65,000 for each additional household member). Starting July 1, 2027 it drops to $21,000 for one person and $31,000 for two, plus $1,550 per additional person, so if you are near the line, check which limit will apply on the date you file. Transfers you made in 2024 and 2025 are not reviewed.

What if I lose Medi-Cal at renewal but I'm still eligible?

You have a 90-day window after a procedural termination to return the MC 355 Request for Information and have coverage restored without reapplying. After 90 days, you must file a new application.

What if I'm in the hospital right now?

Ask the hospital social worker about Hospital Presumptive Eligibility (HPE). Qualified hospitals can grant temporary Medi-Cal at the point of care while your full county determination is processed.

Learn More

MedicaidHow to Apply for Medicaid by State: Steps, Documents, and Where to ApplyApplying for Medicaid follows the same federal steps everywhere; the agency and portal are your state's. What to gather, how long it takes, and where to apply. MedicaidCalifornia Medi-Cal ProgramsCalifornia Medi-Cal in 2026: who qualifies, the reinstated non-MAGI asset limit, CalAIM managed care, LTSS pathways, and how to apply. Sourced to DHCS. MedicaidMedi-Cal Eligibility & Income LimitsMedi-Cal income and asset limits for 2026: MAGI, the SSI pathway, Share of Cost for long-term care, spousal rules, and the asset test that ends 6/30/2027. MedicaidCalifornia Medi-Cal Asset LimitsCalifornia Medi-Cal asset limits returned January 1, 2026 at $130,000 individual / $195,000 couple under AB 116, and drop sharply July 1, 2027. See the rules. MedicaidMedi-Cal Long-Term CareHow Medi-Cal pays for long-term care in California in 2026: share of cost, the asset limit and its July 2027 step-down, transfers, and spousal protection. MedicaidChoosing a Medi-Cal Managed Care PlanHow to choose or switch a Medi-Cal (California Medicaid) managed care plan: the five county models, the 2024 procurement, Kaiser, and how to switch. CaregiverCaregiver: How to Get Paid in CaliforniaCalifornia's eight paid family caregiver programs: IHSS, VA Aid and Attendance, Paid Family Leave, and more, with 2026 rates and how to apply.

Find personalized help applying for Medi-Cal at brevy.com.

The information on Brevy.com is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional legal, financial, or medical advice. Rules vary by state and program and change frequently. Always verify with the relevant agency or a qualified professional. Brevy is not a law firm, financial advisor, or healthcare provider.

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