Medi-Cal, California’s version of the Medicaid program, offers free or low-cost health coverage to eligible people.
For most Medi-Cal members, eligibility and benefits will stay the same. This means Medi-Cal members will continue to have access to doctor visits, hospital stays, emergency care, prescription drugs, mental health and substance use disorder treatment, preventive services (e.g., screenings and immunizations), and long-term care and transportation, when needed.
Apply For Medi-Cal
Starting
January 1, 2026, the rules about who can get full Medi-Cal benefits, including dental care, are changing.
Some immigrants who used to qualify for full-scope Medi-Cal will no longer be eligible. These changes affect undocumented adults and some immigrants with legal status. The chart below shows which immigration categories:
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Can apply for full-scope Medi-Cal with full dental benefits starting on January 1, 2026.
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Can still get full-scope Medi-Cal with emergency only dental benefits starting on July 1, 2026.
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Must pay a premium if enrolled in full-scope Medi-Cal with emergency only dental benefits starting on July 1, 2027.
Important to Know
- If you already have Medi-Cal, you can stay covered, regardless of your immigration status, as long as you remain eligible. Visit the
Medi-Cal changes webpage to learn how you can keep your coverage.
- Children and youth under age 19, pregnant people through one year after a pregnancy ends, and foster children and youth or former foster youth under 26 who were in foster care on their 18th birthday, will still be eligible to apply for full-scope Medi-Cal, regardless of immigration status. If you’re unsure about how these changes affect you, please
contact your local Medi-Cal office or call (800) 541-5555 for assistance.
Additional Information
- The California Department of Social Services’ Immigration Services Bureau keeps a list of
qualified nonprofit organizations to provide services to immigrants who live in California.
- Health care consumers may be eligible to receive legal assistance from the Health Consumer Alliance (HCA). Please call the HCA at (888) 804-3536 to be screened for free legal assistance with health-related legal matters, including struggling to get or keep health coverage or fixing problems with a health plan.
You can also visit or contact your local embassy or consulate for further legal assistance.
Disclaimer: The information in the chart below is accurate as of December 30, 2025, and remains valid through September 30, 2026. The chart will be updated in October 2026.
Anyone not a US citizen and not listed above or not claiming to fit within a category above
- Can apply for full-scope Medi-Cal with full dental benefits (starting January 1, 2026)
- Will continue to be enrolled in full-scope Medi-Cal, but will only be eligible for emergency dental care (starting July 1, 2026)
- Yes, if retaining full-scope Medi-Cal before January 1, 2026.
- Must pay a premium if enrolled in full-scope Medi-Cal with emergency only dental benefits (age 19-59) (starting July 1, 2027)
- Yes, if retaining full-scope Medi-Cal before January 1, 2026
