Medi-Cal and Covered California Frequently Asked Questions
Below you will find the most frequently asked questions for current and potential Medi-Cal coverage recipients. If you do not find an answer to your question, please contact your local county office from our County Listings page or email us at Medi-Cal Contact Us.
Medi-Cal Health Coverage
- What is Medi-Cal?
- How much does Medi-Cal cost?
- What is the difference in coverage between Medi-Cal and private coverage?
- How is the state and/or counties reaching out to the homeless population to sign them up for health care?
- What health plans are available through Medi-Cal?
- Will I be able to stay with my doctor?
- Is it possible for the members of the same family to qualify for different coverage at the same time?
- What do I do if I have questions about medications, accessing doctors, or specialists?
- Can I decline Medi-Cal and enroll in a Covered California health plan and receive the federal premium assistance?
- Is there a deadline to enroll in Medi-Cal?
- If someone’s Medi-Cal coverage is cancelled due to increased income or decreased household size, does that person qualify for special enrollment into Covered California?
- My Medi-Cal has been discontinued and I am now able to enroll in Covered California during a Special Enrollment Period (SEP), how can I avoid a gap in my health coverage?
- I previously was denied Medi-Cal due to owning a car. Do I qualify in 2014?
- If I sign up for Medi-Cal, will anything happen to my assets?
- How can I file an appeal regarding my Medi-Cal eligibility?
Family
- Will my family and I qualify for the same program?
- I just found out I am pregnant.Can I apply for health insurance that will cover me during my pregnancy?
- I just had a new baby. What should I do about health insurance?
Citizenship /Immigration
- Will the information I provide for health coverage be used to verify my immigration status?
- What eligibility requirements will an undocumented person have to meet come 2014?
- Does everyone on the application have to be a U.S. citizen or U.S. national?
- Will I qualify for health insurance if I am not a citizen or do not have satisfactory immigration status?
- Will undocumented immigrants be eligible for full-scope Medi-Cal?
- Where can I get information about becoming registered to vote?
- Can people on H-1 visas, including those who have lived legally in the country for fewer than 5 years, enroll in Medi-Cal?
- Can green card holders, including those who have lived legally in the US for fewer than 5 years, enroll in Medi-Cal?
Other
Covered California
- What is Covered California?
- How can Covered California help me?
- I am a federally recognized American Indian or an Alaska Native. How can Covered California help me?
- Can I get health insurance through Covered California?
- When will I be able to get coverage through Covered California?
- I am currently enrolled in Medi-Cal. Can I get health insurance through Covered California?
- How do I apply through Covered California?
- What will happen after I apply for health coverage?
- What health insurance is offered through Covered California?
- I have a pre-existing condition.Can I get health insurance through Covered California?
- I have a disability. Can I get health insurance through Covered California?
- Will I be able to use my new Covered California health insurance plan right away?
- When someone enrolls in a health insurance plan during open enrollment but after Jan. 1, 2014, will the effective date be Jan. 1, or is it subject to the actual enrollment date?
- What is the difference between Medicare and Covered California’s open enrollment?
Getting Help With Covered California
- How can I choose a health insurance plan?
- What region am I in?
- How much will my health coverage premium cost?
- I don’t have all the information I need to answer the questions on the application. What should I do?
- Can I get help with my application or with choosing a plan?
- What if I don’t agree with the decision Covered California makes?
- This application asks for a lot of personal information. Will Covered California share my personal and financial information?
- How can you use Covered California in conjunction with Medicare parts A, B and D?
Financial Assistance
- Can I get health insurance if my income is too high?
- I don’t make a lot of money. What programs are available to help me get health insurance?
- If my income changes, will my premium assistance change immediately?
- If my income changes, how will the change affect me when I file my taxes?
- What if I didn’t file taxes last year?
- What if my income changes after I apply for health coverage?
- If an adult is claimed as a tax dependent by their parents, will their parents income count towards the dependent adult’s income for eligibility?