Medicaid, the federal program providing health care services to low-income Americans, is provided to California residents through Medi-Cal. Participants are offered essential health benefits, including outpatient services, hospitalization, mental health services, chronic disease management, physical therapy and more.
Seniors may qualify for Medi-Cal if they:
- Have no or low-income (Individuals earning under $16,395 per year and married couples earning under $22,108)
- Have low assets (excluding the applicant’s furnishings, home, personal items and one vehicle), with a maximum of $2,000 for an individual or $3,000 for a married couple
- Are blind, disabled or over age 65
- Live in a nursing home or intermediate care facility
- Receive Supplemental Security Income
- Have refugee status for a limited amount of time
Oroville residents can
apply for Medi-Cal online or call the Butte County Office at (877) 410-8803.
Two state waivers are available to seniors qualified or enrolled in Medi-Cal, which may provide assistance with health care and assisted living support.
Assisted Living Waiver The Assisted Living Waiver provides eligible individuals with assisted living services, care coordination and transition services to move from a nursing home to a residential care facility or subsidized public housing. While living in one of these facilities, seniors and people with disabilities have access to around-the-clock staff, skilled nursing services, meals, recreational activities, housekeeping and transportation services.
To enroll in the ALW, Medi-Cal members must work with a
Care Coordination Agency to receive an assessment of care needs. ALW services are not provided in every California county, so in order to participate, Oroville residents must be willing to move to an assisted living facility in one of the serviced counties, including Alameda, Contra Costa, Fresno, Kern, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Francisco, San Joaquin, San Mateo, Santa Clara and Sonoma.
Multipurpose Senior Services Program A second waiver option provided to eligible Californians through Medi-Cal is the
Multipurpose Senior Services Program (MSSP). Like the ALW, this program is provided through the federal Home and Community Based Medicaid Waiver. The goal of MSSP is to use community services to help delay or prevent entry into a nursing home facility. Medi-Cal members (with no share of cost) over age 65 may be eligible if they’re certified as requiring nursing home level care.
Program services may include care management through a team of social workers and nurses, counseling, personal care assistance, transportation services, respite for caregivers and home modifications.
In Butte County, the MSSP is run through an organization called
Passages, which can be reached by calling (800) 822-0109.