Your Guide to California Medicaid (Medi-Cal)

Medi-Cal covers more than 14 million Californians, over one-third of the state's population. It's the largest Medicaid program in the United States by a wide margin, larger than the entire population of all but a handful of states. It pays for a newborn in Bakersfield's first checkup, a grandmother's dialysis in Eureka, an autistic teenager's behavioral therapy in San Diego, and the personal care worker who lets a senior in San Francisco stay in her own apartment instead of moving to a nursing home.

It's also the most complicated state Medicaid program in the country. Medi-Cal runs on a stack of layered federal authorities, contracts with dozens of managed-care plans whose footprint changes by county, carves behavioral health out to 58 county-run mental health plans, processes eligibility through 58 county welfare departments instead of a single state office, and just absorbed a budget shock that reversed two of its most ambitious 2024 expansions effective January 1, 2026.

This guide is the foundation. We cover what Medi-Cal is, who runs it, who's eligible (with 2026 income limits), the major program tracks (medical, dental, behavioral, long-term care), the managed-care landscape under the CalAIM reform, what the 2025-26 budget changed, and how to apply. Use this as your starting point, most of the topics here have their own dedicated guides.

Who runs Medi-Cal?

Medi-Cal is a layered federal-state-county program. Three levels matter for almost every question you'll have:

The federal government (CMS) approves California's Medi-Cal state plan and the various waivers that overlay it. Every change to eligibility, benefits, or financing requires CMS sign-off.

The state (DHCS) is California's single state Medicaid agency, sitting within the California Health and Human Services Agency (CalHHS). DHCS writes the rules, contracts with managed-care plans, sets reimbursement rates, runs the dental fiscal intermediary, oversees the county Mental Health Plans, and operates the Medi-Cal Member Helpline at 1-800-541-5555.

The 58 counties adjudicate eligibility through their County Welfare Departments (CWDs). The shared back-end is CalSAWS (California Statewide Automated Welfare System); the public portal is BenefitsCal.com (which replaced MyBenefitsCalWIN and CalWIN). When you apply for Medi-Cal, your county processes your application, DHCS does not.

This three-layer structure is unusual. In most states, eligibility is processed centrally. In California, your application goes to your county Medi-Cal office, your renewal goes to your county, your fair-hearing request goes through a county process before escalating to the state. Knowing which level handles which question saves a lot of frustration.

Federal authorities, the stack underneath Medi-Cal

Medi-Cal operates under four overlapping federal authorities, and the difference between them matters when you read about benefits, waitlists, or eligibility rules.

The CalAIM 1115 demonstration is the single most important authority for understanding what Medi-Cal looks like in 2026. CMS approved it 12/29/2021 with a five-year term that runs through December 31, 2026. DHCS released the renewal application 2/10/2026 (proposed term 1/1/2027 - 12/31/2031); CMS approval is expected in late December 2026. That means everything you read in this guide that's tied to CalAIM, Enhanced Care Management, Community Supports, the Justice-Involved 90-day pre-release benefit, the new Medi-Medi Plans, is operating on a clock.

The two historic 2024 expansions, and their 2026 reversals

California spent the 2014-2024 decade building the most expansive Medicaid program in the country. The 2025-26 budget undid two of the biggest expansions because of a $12 billion state deficit. Most older online guides, including ones still ranking on the first page of Google, have not caught up.

The asset-limit reinstatement (effective 1/1/2026)

California became the first state in the nation to fully eliminate Medi-Cal asset limits for non-MAGI eligibility groups. The phase-down was authorized by AB 133 (2021):

• Phase 1 (7/1/2022): asset limit raised to $130,000 individual / $195,000 couple, $65,000 per additional household member.
• Phase 2 (1/1/2024): asset test fully eliminated for non-MAGI applicants.

Status as of 2026: REVERSED. The 2025-26 Budget Act (SB 101 / AB 102, chaptered 6/27/2025) plus AB 116 (Health Omnibus Trailer Bill, chaptered 6/30/2025) reinstated the Phase-1 limits effective January 1, 2026:

• $130,000 for an individual,
• $195,000 for a married couple (or domestic partners both applying),
• +$65,000 per additional household member.

Implementation rules:

• New applicants filing on or after 1/1/2026 must report assets.
• Current beneficiaries must report at their first annual renewal after 1/1/2026, meaning rolling implementation throughout calendar 2026.
• SSI-linked Medi-Cal enrollees remain subject to SSI's $2,000 individual / $3,000 couple limits (unchanged).
• Standard exempt assets continue: primary residence, one vehicle, household goods, IRAs/pensions in periodic-distribution mode, term/whole life ≤$1,500 face value, burial plots, up to $1,500 in designated burial funds, business property used for self-support.

If you applied during the 2024-2025 no-asset-test window and have substantial liquid assets above $130K, plan now. Your first annual renewal after 1/1/2026 will require an asset declaration. Talk to a Medi-Cal planner about exempt-asset conversion strategies (annuities, irrevocable burial trusts, prepaid funeral, primary-residence equity) well in advance of your renewal date.

The undocumented-adult enrollment freeze (effective 1/1/2026)

California built full-scope Medi-Cal for income-eligible residents regardless of immigration status through a four-step legislative arc:

After 1/1/2024, California became the first state to provide full-scope Medicaid to all income-eligible adults regardless of immigration status.

Status in 2026: PARTIALLY REVERSED. The 2025-26 budget package (AB 116) implemented:

• Enrollment freeze 1/1/2026 for new full-scope adults 19+ with unsatisfactory immigration status (UIS). Existing UIS adult enrollees keep coverage as long as they remain eligible. New undocumented children 0-18 may still enroll.
• Dental benefit eliminated 7/1/2026 for UIS adults 19+.
• $30/month premiums begin 7/1/2027 for UIS enrollees ages 19-59.
• IHSS and long-term care benefits eliminated for UIS adults (verify final scope and effective dates against DHCS implementation guidance, the May Revise proposal was softened in the final budget).

DHCS estimates the freeze produces $77.9M in savings in FY 2025-26, growing to roughly $3.3B by FY 2028-29.

If you or a family member was enrolled in full-scope UIS Medi-Cal before 1/1/2026, stay enrolled and renew on time. Once you fall off the rolls, you cannot re-enroll under the freeze. Existing enrollees are grandfathered only as long as they remain continuously eligible.

Eligibility (2026 figures)

Medi-Cal eligibility breaks into two universes: MAGI (Modified Adjusted Gross Income, for children, parents, pregnant people, expansion adults, and family planning) and non-MAGI (for seniors 65+, blind, disabled, and long-term care). Different math, different income limits, different asset rules.

The 2026 federal poverty level (FPL) numbers governing Medi-Cal categories take effect 1/1/2026 for MAGI groups and 4/1/2026 for non-MAGI groups.

MAGI Medi-Cal

Note: Some snapshots vary slightly by month due to FPL chart timing. The Health Consumer Alliance's California FPL chart (updated 2/16/2026) is the standard advocacy reference.

Aged & Disabled FPL Program (non-MAGI)

For adults 65+, blind, or disabled.

• 2026 income limit (effective 4/1/2026): approximately $1,835/month individual / $2,489/month couple (verify against the DHCS All-County Welfare Directors Letter once issued; the rule sets the limit at the greater of SSI FBR or 138% FPL with a $20/month any-income disregard layered on top).
• The $20 monthly any-income disregard continues, applied first to unearned income, then earned, with the unused portion reducing countable income.
• Asset test reinstated 1/1/2026 at $130,000 individual / $195,000 couple.

Long-Term Care / institutional Medi-Cal

• Income limit: California is an income-cap state for institutional Medi-Cal at 300% of the SSI Federal Benefit Rate ≈ $2,982/month for 2026 (FBR is $994/month per SSA).
• Personal Needs Allowance (PNA): $35/month for institutionalized Medi-Cal beneficiaries (set 1/1/2022 and not statutorily increased since; advocacy bills proposing increases continue).
• Share of Cost (SOC): Resident's gross monthly income, less Medicare/health insurance premiums, less the $35 PNA, less any spousal MMNA allowance, remainder is paid to facility.
• Spousal Impoverishment 2026 figures:
  • Community Spouse Resource Allowance (CSRA): $162,660 (federal maximum).
  • Minimum Monthly Maintenance Needs Allowance (MMMNA): ~$2,643.75 minimum / $4,066.50 maximum (community spouse income floor).
  • Property reserve (institutionalized spouse): $130,000 under reinstated asset rules.
• CSRA Transfer Period: 90 days post-Notice of Action to remove the institutionalized spouse from joint accounts. Spousal transfers are not subject to penalty.

Working Disabled Program (250% WDP)

A Section 1619(b)-style Medicaid Buy-In:

• For workers meeting SSA's disability definition with countable income up to 250% FPL (~$3,260/month single / ~$4,400/month couple in 2026).
• Premiums reduced to $0/month effective 7/1/2022 under W&I Code §14005.40.
• Asset test reinstated 1/1/2026 at $130,000 individual.

Medically Needy / Share-of-Cost Medi-Cal

For non-MAGI applicants whose income exceeds the A&D FPL limit. California offers Medically Needy Medi-Cal with a Maintenance Need Level (MNL) of $600/month for an individual, a figure unchanged for many years. Income above MNL becomes the monthly Share of Cost. Advocates continue to push to align MNL with FPL.

Managed care under CalAIM (2024 procurement)

Effective 1/1/2024, DHCS implemented its first-ever competitive procurement for Medi-Cal Managed Care commercial plans. The result: a hybrid system across 58 counties combining commercial procurement winners, County Organized Health Systems, Local Initiatives, and Kaiser Permanente direct contract.

Six County Organized Health System (COHS) plans, 22 counties

In COHS counties, a single public/non-profit plan serves nearly all Medi-Cal beneficiaries. Members of the Local Health Plans of California (LHPC):

• CalOptima Health, Orange County (~935K members; the largest COHS)
• CenCal Health, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo
• Central California Alliance for Health, Mariposa, Merced, Monterey, San Benito, Santa Cruz
• Gold Coast Health Plan, Ventura
• Health Plan of San Mateo, San Mateo
• Partnership HealthPlan of California, 16+ Northern California counties (Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Lassen, Marin, Mendocino, Modoc, Napa, Plumas, Shasta, Siskiyou, Solano, Sonoma, Sutter, Trinity, Yolo, and others)

Local Initiative / Single-Plan Commercial counties

• L.A. Care Health Plan, Local Initiative for Los Angeles County (second commercial plan is Health Net/Molina)
• Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP), Riverside and San Bernardino (~1.5M members; non-profit Local Initiative)
• Health Plan of San Joaquin, Local Initiative for San Joaquin and Stanislaus
• Kern Health Systems, Local Initiative for Kern
• Santa Clara Family Health Plan, Local Initiative for Santa Clara

2024 procurement winners, direct DHCS commercial contracts

• Anthem Blue Cross Partnership Plan (Elevance Health), Alpine, Amador, Calaveras, El Dorado, Fresno, Inyo, Kern, Kings, Madera, Mono, Sacramento, San Francisco, Santa Clara, Tuolumne
• Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan, San Diego
• Health Net Community Solutions (Centene), Amador, Calaveras, Inyo, Los Angeles (with subcontract to Molina for ~50% of LA membership), Mono, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Tulare, Tuolumne
• Molina Healthcare of California, Riverside, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Diego, Los Angeles (subcontractor to Health Net)

Kaiser Permanente direct contract

Under SB 510 / AB 2724 (2022), Kaiser Permanente received a no-bid statewide direct contract with DHCS effective 1/1/2024, operating in approximately 32 counties. Enrollment is generally limited to existing Kaiser members and certain transition cases.

Why this matters

A Medi-Cal beneficiary in Los Angeles can choose among L.A. Care, Health Net, Molina, Anthem, Blue Shield, Kaiser, SCAN Connections, and Wellcare. A beneficiary in Lassen County has only Partnership HealthPlan of California (COHS), one plan, no choice. Provider networks, formularies, and Community Supports menus all vary plan-by-plan and county-by-county. Choosing your plan well is one of the highest-leverage decisions you'll make in Medi-Cal, see our Medi-Cal Managed Care Plans guide for plan-by-plan comparisons.

CalAIM, what changed and what's still changing

CalAIM (California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal) is the structural backbone of every major reform Medi-Cal has rolled out since 2022. Here are the components most likely to affect you in 2026.

Enhanced Care Management (ECM)

A statewide MCP benefit providing high-touch, in-person, whole-person case management for the highest-need members. The January 2026 ECM Policy Guide consolidates the original nine populations into 10 Populations of Focus:

1. Individuals & families experiencing homelessness (adults and children/youth)
2. Individuals at risk for avoidable hospital or ED utilization (formerly "high utilizers")
3. Adults with serious mental illness (SMI) or substance use disorder (SUD)
4. Children & youth with serious emotional disturbance (SED), including high risk for psychosis
5. Adults living in the community at risk for long-term care institutionalization
6. Adult nursing facility residents transitioning to the community
7. Adults & youth transitioning from incarceration (justice-involved)
8. Birth Equity Population of Focus (adults & youth subject to maternal health disparities)
9. Children/youth in California Children's Services (CCS) / CCS Whole Child Model with additional needs
10. Children/youth & adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD) with another ECM POF need

If you fit a Population of Focus, ECM gives you a single care manager who coordinates everything, primary care, specialists, behavioral health, housing, transportation. Ask your MCP whether you qualify.

Community Supports, 14 services your plan may offer in lieu of state plan benefits

Optional services MCPs may offer as cost-effective alternatives to State Plan benefits. As of 2026, the menu includes:

1. Housing Transition Navigation Services
2. Housing Deposits
3. Housing Tenancy & Sustaining Services
4. Short-Term Post-Hospitalization Housing
5. Recuperative Care (Medical Respite)
6. Day Habilitation Programs
7. Nursing Facility Transition / Diversion to Assisted Living
8. Community Transition Services / Nursing Facility Transition to Home
9. Personal Care & Homemaker Services
10. Respite Services
11. Medically Tailored Meals / Medically Supportive Food
12. Sobering Centers
13. Asthma Remediation
14. Environmental Accessibility Adaptations (Home Modifications)

Transitional Rent (short-term rental assistance for people with behavioral-health-related housing risk) was added effective 1/1/2026 under Partnership HealthPlan and other early-adopter MCPs.

Not every plan offers every Community Support, the menu varies by plan and by county. Ask your MCP directly which Community Supports they offer.

Justice-involved 90-day pre-release Medi-Cal

California is implementing the country's first statewide 90-day pre-release Medi-Cal benefit for incarcerated individuals (jails, prisons, youth facilities) meeting specific clinical eligibility criteria. Statewide rollout window: 10/1/2024 through April 2026.

Pre-release services include care management, physical/behavioral clinical consultation, lab/radiology, MAT (medication-assisted treatment), community health worker services, and medications/DME on the day of release.

Medi-Medi Plans (effective 1/1/2026)

For dual-eligibles (Medicare + Medi-Cal), California launched Exclusively Aligned Enrollment (EAE) D-SNPs, branded "Medi-Medi Plans" (MMPs), in 29 counties effective 1/1/2026. These integrate Medicare and Medi-Cal under one parent organization with one ID card, one care team, and one set of benefits. Many of these same low-income beneficiaries also have their Medicare premiums and cost-sharing covered through a Medicare Savings Program.

Under DHCS's Matching Plan Policy, when a beneficiary enrolls in an EAE D-SNP, they must be in the matching Medi-Cal plan. Other (non-aligned) D-SNPs are now closed to new full-benefit dual enrollment in counties with an EAE D-SNP available; existing members may keep their plan but new enrollment routes to the MMP.

In Los Angeles County for 2026, available plans are: Anthem, Blue Shield, Kaiser, L.A. Care, Molina, SCAN Connections, and Wellcare.

Behavioral Health Bridge Housing (BHBH)

DHCS administers the BHBH Program (AB 179, signed 9/2022) to fund short-term and long-term bridge housing for people with serious behavioral health conditions experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Authorized funding through 6/30/2027.

Long-term services and supports, every Medi-Cal LTSS pathway

California operates the most diverse LTSS infrastructure of any state Medicaid program. We cover each pathway in depth in dedicated guides; the foundational map:

A few highlights worth knowing now:

IHSS is unusually generous on paid family caregivers. Recipients hire and direct their own providers, and providers can be family members including spouses. California is the only major state Medicaid program that allows spousal pay for personal care services through its main HCBS program. Many counties phased to a $20+/hour floor effective 1/1/2026 alongside California's statewide minimum wage increase to $16.90.

HCBA Waiver hit its cap in July 2023, with a waitlist of 6,000+ as of early 2026. Reserve Capacity priority goes to applicants transitioning from similar HCBS waivers, applicants under 21, and applicants in healthcare facilities for 60+ days at application. If you think you qualify, apply now, even with the cap, getting onto the priority list early matters.

ALW serves only 15 counties (Alameda, Contra Costa, Fresno, Kern, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Francisco, San Joaquin, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Sonoma), outside those counties, ALW isn't an option. December 2025 figures show 14,847 enrolled and 18,365 on the waitlist.

California has the largest PACE network in the country, 33 active organizations operating 117 PACE Centers and Alternative Care Sites in 28 counties per the CalPACE membership directory. PACE is the most integrated care model available to adults 55+ who are nursing-facility-eligible. Older sources still cite "14 organizations" and "28,000 participants", those numbers are out of date.

Regional Centers are not Medi-Cal. California's separate state-funded entitlement for people with developmental disabilities operates under the Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Services Act. DDS contracts with 21 Regional Centers (private non-profits) statewide. RC services are not Medi-Cal-administered, the entitlement applies regardless of Medi-Cal eligibility, but federal HCBS-DD waiver and Targeted Case Management dollars flow Medicaid funding through RCs. If you have a child or adult relative with intellectual disability, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, autism, or 5th-category-equivalent need, the Regional Center is your primary entry point, regardless of income.

For the deep dives, see our Medi-Cal HCBS Waivers and In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) guides.

Behavioral health, California's multi-carve-out architecture

Most state Medicaid programs deliver behavioral health through a single managed-care plan or a single statewide carve-out. California has three different doors depending on what you need.

Mild-to-moderate mental health is delivered by your Medi-Cal Managed Care Plan as a state-plan benefit, this includes outpatient therapy, psychiatry, and medication management for non-severe conditions.

Specialty Mental Health Services (SMHS), for serious mental illness, severe emotional disturbance in children and youth, and other "specialty" access criteria, is delivered through your county Mental Health Plan (one in each of California's 58 counties) under a §1915(b) waiver. Services include crisis intervention, individual and group therapy, medication support, intensive case management, ICC/IHBS, day treatment, and EPSDT-SMHS for children/youth. BHIN 26-002 (effective 1/20/2026) updated SMHS Access Criteria, replacing BHIN 21-073.

Substance use disorder treatment is delivered through the Drug Medi-Cal Organized Delivery System (DMC-ODS), a §1115 demonstration component folded into CalAIM, in 40 counties as of 1/1/2025 (up from 37). Non-participating counties operate the legacy fee-for-service Drug Medi-Cal benefit. Services include ASAM levels of care: outpatient, intensive outpatient, residential, withdrawal management, OTP/MAT (medication-assisted treatment), recovery services, and case management.

CalAIM established the No Wrong Door / Bidirectional Referral policy. You can present at either your MCP or your county MHP, and the receiving system must initiate appropriate referrals and ongoing services without waiting for a "specialty" determination.

Proposition 1 / Behavioral Health Services Act (March 2024)

Voters approved Proposition 1 in March 2024, restructuring the Mental Health Services Act into the Behavioral Health Services Act (BHSA) and authorizing $6.4B in housing and treatment bond financing. Two 2026 milestones:

• Counties must fully implement Prop 1 program changes by 7/1/2026.
• Beginning 7/1/2026, counties must offer IPS Supported Employment under BHSA.

Medi-Cal Dental (Denti-Cal)

The state's dental program is administered by Delta Dental of California as the fiscal intermediary for fee-for-service Denti-Cal claims processing.

Dental Managed Care operates in just two counties:

• Sacramento County: Dental Geographic Managed Care (GMC) is mandatory.
• Los Angeles County: Dental Prepaid Health Plan (PHP) is voluntary.

Both counties have three contracted dental plans: Access Dental Plan, Health Net Dental Plan, and LIBERTY Dental Plan.

Adult dental coverage history is a roller coaster:

• 1/1/2009: Adult dental cut almost entirely (recession-era).
• 5/1/2014: Partial restoration.
• 1/1/2018: Full restoration of comprehensive adult dental.

Child EPSDT dental coverage is comprehensive, including orthodontia under the Handicapping Labio-Lingual Deviation (HLD) index ≥26 standard.

2026 change: Per the FY 2025-26 budget, dental coverage for UIS adults 19+ ends 7/1/2026.

Vision, hearing, and transportation

• Vision: Restored to full adult coverage in 2018 (alongside dental). Includes routine eye exam every 24 months and one pair of eyeglasses.
• Hearing: Hearing aids covered for adults effective 1/1/2022 under SB 691 (2021).
• Transportation: Both Non-Medical Transportation (NMT) and Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT) are state plan benefits accessed through your MCP. CalAIM expanded standardized rules across MCPs.

How to apply (and renew)

Four ways to apply:

1. Online, BenefitsCal.com (the statewide self-service portal). Replaces MyBenefitsCalWIN and CalWIN.
2. By phone, your county Medi-Cal office (use the DHCS County Office Locator) or DHCS at 1-800-541-5555.
3. In person, at your county Medi-Cal office.
4. By mail, using the SAWS 1 application form.

After eligibility is approved, Health Care Options (HCO) at 1-800-430-4263 handles managed-care plan selection and plan changes.

Every year, you must renew to keep your coverage. Renewal usually happens around the anniversary of your initial application. Watch your mail and your BenefitsCal account for renewal notices, and respond on time. If you miss the deadline, you can be terminated for procedural reasons, even if you would still qualify based on income, and re-enrolling can take weeks.

For step-by-step guidance, see our How to Apply for Medi-Cal guide.

Recent legislation 2024-2026

The 2026 calendar, what changes when

A simple chronological view of the changes you need to track:

• 1/1/2026, Asset limit reinstated ($130K individual / $195K couple non-MAGI).
• 1/1/2026, UIS adult enrollment freeze begins.
• 1/1/2026, Medi-Medi Plans launch in 29 counties.
• 1/1/2026, Transitional Rent Community Support added (Partnership HealthPlan and other early adopters).
• 1/20/2026, BHIN 26-002 SMHS Access Criteria effective.
• 4/1/2026, Self-Determination Program orientation requirement (SCDD only, two-part four-hour).
• April 2026, Justice-involved 90-day pre-release rollout completes statewide.
• 7/1/2026, Dental coverage ends for UIS adults 19+.
• 7/1/2026, Counties must fully implement Prop 1 program changes / IPS Supported Employment begins.
• 12/31/2026, CalAIM 1115 demonstration term ends; renewal expected.
• 1/1/2027, CalAIM 2027-2031 renewed term begins (pending CMS approval).
• 7/1/2027, $30/month premiums begin for UIS enrollees ages 19-59.

Frequently asked questions

A few more common questions:

How do I find out which managed-care plans are available in my county? The CalAIM 2024 procurement reshuffled the plan landscape significantly. Use the DHCS MCP County Table (linked in the Resources section below), call Health Care Options at 1-800-430-4263, or see our Medi-Cal Managed Care Plans guide for a county-by-county breakdown.

When does CalAIM expire? 12/31/2026. DHCS submitted the renewal application 2/10/2026 (proposed term 1/1/2027 - 12/31/2031). CMS approval is expected late December 2026 for 1/1/2027 implementation. Continuity of services is expected.

I'm a dual-eligible (Medicare + Medi-Cal). What's a Medi-Medi Plan? An Exclusively Aligned Enrollment (EAE) D-SNP that integrates Medicare and Medi-Cal under one parent organization with one ID card, one care team, and one set of benefits. Launched 1/1/2026 in 29 counties. If you live in a county with an EAE D-SNP, new full-benefit dual enrollment routes to the MMP, non-aligned D-SNPs are closed to new enrollment in those counties. SCAN Connections continues as a FIDE-SNP.

Why does California have so many county-level systems? California's state-county structure for human services predates Medicaid by a century. Eligibility intake, child welfare, behavioral health, and many other programs are county-administered under state oversight. It produces variation that can be frustrating, but it also lets local jurisdictions tailor approaches. For Medi-Cal navigation, knowing your county Medi-Cal office is your first phone call after the state member helpline.

Phone numbers and resources

The bottom line

Medi-Cal is the country's largest and most complicated Medicaid program. In 2026, it's also a program in transition, the asset limit is back, undocumented adult enrollment is frozen, the CalAIM 1115 demonstration is up for renewal, and California's 14M+ enrollees are absorbing all of it at once.

The most important things to know in 2026:

1. The asset limit is back. If you have liquid assets above $130K (single) / $195K (couple), plan for your first renewal after 1/1/2026 well in advance.
2. The UIS enrollment freeze grandfathers existing enrollees. Stay enrolled and renew on time, falling off the rolls means you can't re-enroll under the freeze.
3. Your county and your plan determine what's actually available to you. Provider networks, Community Supports menus, and behavioral health access vary widely. The Medi-Cal you can use in Orange County is materially different from the Medi-Cal in Lassen County.
4. CalAIM is the operating system. Enhanced Care Management, Community Supports, Justice-Involved pre-release, Medi-Medi Plans, and BHBH all run through it. The 12/31/2026 expiration date is a real calendar event.
5. California has unusual flexibilities for paid family caregivers. IHSS allows spouses, adult children, and siblings to be paid for personal care. If you're an unpaid family caregiver, that's an option worth exploring.
6. Don't rely on stale online sources. A lot of guides on the internet still say California has no asset test and full undocumented adult coverage. Both of those statements were true in 2024-2025 and are no longer fully true in 2026. If a source doesn't reference AB 116, treat its 2026 facts skeptically.

Medi-Cal is complicated. But it's also extraordinarily generous compared to most state Medicaid programs, full adult dental, hearing aids, paid spousal caregiving, the largest PACE network in the country, and a CalAIM benefit menu (Community Supports, ECM, BHBH) that genuinely tries to address the social determinants of health. Knowing the layers, federal authorities, county intake, plan-by-plan variation, is how you turn the complication into actual care.

Need help?

Medi-Cal eligibility, plan selection, and benefit navigation are not easy to figure out alone. Use these resources:

• For applications, eligibility questions, or general help: Call 1-800-541-5555 or apply at BenefitsCal.com.
• For plan selection or changes: Call Health Care Options at 1-800-430-4263.
• For free legal advocacy: Call the Health Consumer Alliance at 1-888-804-3536, they have legal teams in every region of California.
• For long-term care advocacy and elder rights: California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform (CANHR) is the leading non-profit. Their 2026 asset-limit FAQ is a one-page guide every Medi-Cal-planning family should read.
• For older adult and dual-eligible advocacy: Justice in Aging publishes the highest-quality consumer-facing Medi-Cal guides in the country.

Medi-Cal is the safety net for one in three Californians. If you or someone in your family qualifies, apply. The system is complicated by design, but the coverage it produces is, by national comparison, exceptionally good.

Learn More

• Medi-Cal Eligibility & Income Limits
• How to Apply for Medi-Cal
• California Medi-Cal Asset Limits
• Choosing a Medi-Cal Managed Care Plan
• Medi-Cal Long-Term Care
• CalAIM Explained

Find personalized help navigating 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.