Medi-Cal Changes

Starting January 1, 2026, when you apply for or renew your Medi-Cal, we will look at what you own. This is called an asset check. Assets are things you own that have value.

WHO THIS APPLIES TO:

You may be affected if you :

• Are age 65 and older and meet the household income limit for Medi-Cal.
• Have a disability (physical, mental, or developmental).
• Live in a nursing home.
• Are in a family that makes too much money to qualify under federal tax rules.

IMPORTANT TO KNOW:

• The most you can own (asset limit) is $130,000 for one person.
• You can add $65,000 for every extra person in your family. The maximum is 10 people.
• Assets that count include:
• Bank accounts
• Cash
• More than one house or vehicle
• Assets that don't count include:
• The home you live in
• One Vehicle
• Household items
• Some savings, like retirement accounts
• If you have Medi-Cal, we look at your assets every year when you renew.
• The income rules for Medi-Cal have not changed.

See the Help Center for more information.

Starting January 1, 2026, some adults will no longer be able to sign up for full-scope Medi-Cal coverage based on their immigration status. 

WHO THIS APPLIES TO:

You may be affected if:

• You are undocumented (you live in the U.S. without legal permission), or
• You are a lawfully present immigrant who is 19 or older and not pregnant

IMPORTANT TO KNOW:

• If you already have Medi-Cal, you can stay covered no matter your immigration status.
• To keep your Medi-Cal, you must:
• Fill out your renewal form every year
• Still meet the Medi-Cal rules (like income and living in California)
• Use your benefits and renew on time. If you don’t, your Medi-Cal could end.
• If your Medi-Cal ends, you have 90 days to fix the problem and keep your coverage.

If you miss that 90-day window, you won’t be able to get full-scope Medi-Cal again. You can only apply for restricted Medi-Cal, which covers:

• Emergency care
• Pregnancy-related care
• Nursing home care

Who can still get full-scope Medi-Cal:

• Children under 19
• Pregnant people
• You must still meet all Medi-Cal rules, like income and living in California.

Pregnancy coverage lasts through your whole pregnancy and up to one year after it ends.

Starting July 1, 2026, some Medi-Cal members will stop getting full-scope dental services as part of their coverage due to changes in state law.

WHO THIS APPLIES TO:

This change affects Medi-Cal members who are:

• Age 19 or older, and
• Are not pregnant or postpartum, and
• Are lawfully present immigrants who:
• Have had a Green Card for less than five years and are not exempt from the five-year waiting period.
• Are classified as PRUCOL (Permanently Residing Under Color of Law).
• Qualify through a state-funded expansion or a humanitarian program (e.g., for victims of trafficking or crime).
• Have another immigration status that does not qualify for full-scope Medi-Cal under federal rules.

IMPORTANT TO KNOW:

If this change applies to you, you will get all full-scope Medi-Cal services, except for non-emergency dental services.

• You can still get care for urgent dental needs, including: 
• Serious tooth pain
• Infections
• Tooth extractions
• You will also get full-scope dental if you are pregnant, and you will get it for one year after your pregnancy ends.
• Your immigration status does affect pregnancy-related dental coverage.

Starting October 1, 2026, the federal government will change how it classifies some immigration statuses (your legal standing in the U.S. based on how and why you came here).

If you are affected, your immigration status will be considered "unsatisfactory" - meaning you will no longer qualify for full Medi-Cal under federal rules.

But if you live in California, you can still get full-scope Medi-Cal (Medi-Cal that covers all regular medical services, not just emergencies) paid for by the state.

However, you will no longer get non-emergency dental care.

WHO THIS APPLIES TO:

You may be affected if you get Medi-Cal and are:

• A refugee or asylee - someone who fled their home country for safety and don't yet have a Green Card
• A humanitarian parolee - someone allowed into the U.S. for urgent reasons for at least one year
• A survivor of domestic violence or human trafficking, and you have a pending status

Key Information

• Starting October 1, 2026: You will no longer get non-emergency dental care
• Starting July 1, 2027: You will need to start paying a monthly premium (a fee to keep your coverage)
• If your Medi-Cal stops because of a late renewal or forgot to send paperwork, you will have 90 days to fix it and stay enrolled.

Starting July 1, 2027, some Medi-Cal members will need to pay a small monthly fee (called a premium) to keep their full-scope Medi-Cal.

WHO THIS APPLIES TO:

• Californians who are between 19 and 59 years old, and
• Are not pregnant, and
• Are lawfully present immigrants and:
• Have had a Green Card for less than 5 years and don’t qualify for an exception
• Are classified as PRUCOL (Permanently Residing Under Color of Law – a type of immigration status that allows you to stay in the U.S. but doesn’t qualify for full federal benefits)
• Qualify through a state-funded or humanitarian program (like for victims of trafficking or crime)
• Have another immigration status that does not qualify for full Medi-Cal under federal rules

IMPORTANT TO KNOW:

• If this change applies to you, you will need to pay a small fee each month to keep your full Medi-Cal.
• If you don’t pay, your Medi-Cal will change.
• You will only get restricted Medi-Cal, which covers:
• Emergency care
• Pregnancy-related care
• Nursing home care

Starting January 1, 2027,some adults will need to work or volunteer to get or keep Medi-Cal. If this applies to you, the county Medi-Cal office will send you a letter. 

WHO THIS APPLIES TO:

Medi-Cal members and people applying for Medi-Cal who are:

• Age 19 to 64 years old, and
• Don’t meet any of the exemptions listed directly below.

EXEMPTIONS:

These new work or volunteer rules do not apply to:

• Children (0–18).
• Older Adults (65+).
• Pregnant people, including one year postpartum, regardless of birth outcome.
• Parents with children 13 years of age or younger.
• People with disabilities.
• People with serious health or mental health conditions or substance use problems.
• People who were released from jail or prison within the last 90 days.
• People on Medicare Part A or Part B.
• American Indians or Alaska Natives.
• Foster youth or former foster youth under age 26.

IMPORTANT TO KNOW:

• Members must do one or more of the following:
  • Work at a job and get paid.
    • Earn at least $580 a month from working.
    • Be a seasonal worker (someone who only works during certain times of the year) and make an average of $580 a month over the last six months.
  • Be in a job training program (that helps you learn skills to get a job) for at least 80 hours per month.
  • Volunteer or do community service for at least 80 hours per month. This should be organized and something you can prove you did with a letter or form.
  • Go to school at least half-time. This usually means taking two or three classes or about six to eight credits each semester.
  • Do a mix of the things listed above for a total of at least 80 hours per month.
• If you are required to work or volunteer under these new rules and do not meet the rules, you could lose your Medi-Cal.
• When you get a letter from Medi-Cal, open it right away and respond quickly to show how you are meeting the work rules.
• Medi-Cal will send more information before this rule starts, including ways to help you meet the rules.

Starting January 1, 2027, some Medi-Cal members will have their eligibility checked twice a year instead of once.

WHO THIS APPLIES TO:

Medi-Cal members and people applying for Medi-Cal who are:

• Ages 19 to 64 years old, and
• Don’t have children younger than age 19

If this applies to you, Medi-Cal will send you a letter.

IMPORTANT TO KNOW:

• You will be asked to renew your Medi-Cal every six months.
• You could lose your coverage if you don’t fill out forms completely or turn them in on time.
• Always read your mail from Medi-Cal and respond quickly.

Starting January 1, 2027, Medi-Cal will pay for fewer months of medical bills from before you applied.

WHO THIS APPLIES TO:

Medi-Cal members who enroll January 1, 2027, or after.

• Ages 19 to 64 years old, and
• Don’t have children younger than age 19

If this applies to you, Medi-Cal will send you a letter.

IMPORTANT TO KNOW:

• Right now, Medi-Cal can help pay for bills from up to three months before you applied.
• Under the new rule:
  • If you are 19 to 64 years old without children younger than age 19, or a higher-income parent of children younger than age 19, Medi-Cal will only pay for one month of past bills.
  • For everyone else, Medi-Cal will pay up to two months of past bills.

Starting October 1, 2028, some adults on Medi-Cal may have to pay a small fee (called a copayment) for certain health care services. The Department of Health Care Services will provide more information as it becomes available.

WHO THIS APPLIES TO:

Medi-Cal members who:

• Are 19 to 64 years old, and
• Are not pregnant, and
• Are not on Medicare, and
• Make more than $15,560 a year.

IMPORTANT TO KNOW:

• You might have to pay a small fee for some health care, like seeing a special doctor (like a cardiologist or dermatologist) and getting certain treatments or tests.
• You will not pay more than 5 percent of your household income in copayments each year.
• You won’t have to pay for:
  • Services at community health centers or rural health clinics.
  • Emergency care.
  • Regular checkups.
  • Prenatal care (care during pregnancy) and pediatric care (care for children).
  • Mental health and substance use disorder treatment.