Medicaid, the federally mandated, government-funded health plan for low-income children, adults with disabilities and seniors, provides one-in-four California residents with access to emergency, primary, acute and long-term health care services.
Known as Medi-Cal, California Medicaid eligibility includes monthly income limits currently set at $1,242 per month for individuals ($1,682 per couple) and a $2,000 asset limit ($3,000 for married couples applying together).
All income is counted while some assets are considered Medicaid-exempt, such as one vehicle, a prepaid burial contract, clothing and household furnishings and an owner-occupied home, regardless of the value of the home.
Note: There is also a 30-month Medi-Cal look-back period in California to prevent applicants from disposing of excess assets in order to enroll in Medicaid.
Seniors who don’t qualify for Medi-Cal because their income is too high may be able to enroll under the Aged, Blind and Disabled – Medically Needy Program.
ABD-MN is also known as a share-of-cost program because it allows seniors to pay a predetermined amount of their excess income towards medical costs each month, which Medi-Cal coverage then becomes active.
Assisted Living Waiver
Seniors with no-cost Aged and Disabled Medi-Cal coverage who require the level of care normally provided in a nursing facility may qualify for community-based personal care services through the Assisted Living waiver, a Home and Community-Based Services Medicaid waiver.
This program lets seniors age in place at a participating assisted living facility rather than a nursing home, and it funds medically necessary services and supports, such as:
- Personal care
- Prepared meals
- Intermittent skilled nursing
- Medication management and administration
- Homemaker service
- Transportation
- Recreation and leisure programming
- Case management
Assistance is also available to seniors who currently live in a nursing facility and would like to transition into assisted living with support from ALW services.
Note: While the ALW is open to all eligible California seniors, participating seniors must be willing to live in an assisted living facility in one of the following counties:
- Alameda
- Contra Costa
- Fresno
- Kern
- Los Angeles
- Orange
- Riverside
- Sacramento
- San Bernardino
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Joaquin
- San Mateo
- Santa Clara
- Sonoma
For more information on Medi-Cal enrollment and the ALW, contact the
Medi-Cal Service Center at (800) 541-5555 or the
Shasta County Health and Human Services Agency at (877) 652-0731.