Frequently Asked Questions for the Former Foster Youth Program
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1. How can I get Medi-Cal coverage as a former foster youth (FFY)?
You can
apply
for
Medi-Cal
by contacting
your local county social services
office
and telling them that
you
were in foster
care. You can
call,
mail in or fax a
one-page simple form (MC 250A),
or
go in-person to the local
county social services
office to turn in the MC 250A. The
county will
decide
if
you are
eligible
for
the
Medi-Cal
program for FFY
based
on a few simple
questions.
Eligible FFY
are
not
required
to provide
any
proof of income to
get Medi-Cal.
You
must live in California
to
receive
Medi-Cal. The MC 250A form is
available online
at: MC 250A.
2. Do I need proof that I was in foster care?
No,
you are
not
required to
provide proof
of
being in
foster care
when
you apply
for
Medi-Cal.
It
would
be
helpful to
provide information
about
the
county, state or tribe
where
you
were in
foster care. Also, please
provide any
paperwork,
if
you
have
any,
regarding
your
foster care case to move the
case along
faster.
3. I was in foster care in California at age 18. I moved to another State after I turned 18. I am now living in California again. Can I get Medi-Cal as a FFY?
Yes, if
you
were in foster care
at
age 18 or older in
any state or tribe
and
now live in California,
you
may
qualify
for the
free
Medi-Cal
program for
FFY until age 26.
4. I used to live in another state, and I was in foster care in that state or a tribe in that state. Can I get Medi-Cal in California?
If
you
were in
foster care on your 18th birthday or later in
another state or tribe and
you
are
now
under
age 26,
you
may
qualify
for
the
Medi-Cal
program
for FFY. You will
receive
Medi-Cal
benefits
while the county verifies your former foster care status.
You
may continue
to
receive
Medi-Cal
up to
26. It
would be
helpful to
give the county
as
much information
as
you can
about
your
former foster care case.
5. Do I need to complete the regular Medi-Cal application?
No,
you do
not need to complete the
full
application.
Ask for the short one-page form for
FFY.
It is called the
MC
250A.
You
can also
download a copy
of the form
at:
eligibility forms page 6. Can I still get Medi-Cal if I already have insurance through my job?
Yes,
you can
have
Medi-Cal
and
health insurance through a job at
the same time.
Medi-Cal can
be used to cover
medical costs that
your
other
health
insurance
does
not cover.
7. Can I qualify for the Medi-Cal program for FFY if I have a job?
Yes, if
you left foster
care
when
you
were age18 or older
and
are still
under
age 26,
you
may
be
eligible to receive
Medi-Cal
until your
26th
birthday.
Your income
and
resources
do
not
matter for this
program.
8. What happens when I reach the maximum age for the Medi-Cal program for FFY?
Before
your
Medi-Cal
coverage
is
terminated, the county must check to see
if you
qualify for
Medi-Cal
under a
different
program.
If
you are eligible
for
another Medi-Cal
program,
the county
will
put
you in
that
program
after it looks
at
any information needed
to
decide
if
you
qualify for that program.
There are
different
ways to
qualify for
Medi-Cal.
If the county cannot determine
whether
you
will remain
eligible for
Medi-Cal
with the information
they
have, the county
may send
you paperwork
or
ask you for
additional information
to
decide
if
you still
qualify
for
Medi-Cal.
You may
be
asked to
give income
and
tax information,
or
other information that
will
help the county
decide
if
you can keep
your
Medi-Cal
or can
get
other
financial
help to
buy low-cost health insurance through Covered California.
If the county
decides that
you are
no longer
eligible for
Medi-Cal,
you
will
get a Notice of
Action
and information
about
how to
appeal
if
you disagree
with the decision.
9. I went to the emergency room or other place for medical treatment. They told me they will be sending me a bill. What do I do now?
If
you are
not
on
Medi-Cal,
you or someone on
your
behalf should
contact
your county social services
office and
tell them
that
you want
to
enroll in
the
Medi-Cal
program
for FFY
and need
“retroactive coverage” to
pay for
medical services
you
received.
Make
sure
to tell
the
county that
you are a FFY and ask
for Form
MC
250A.
If
you
need to
pay
for
medical services
you
received anytime
during the three
months
before
you
applied
for
Medi-Cal,
make sure
you check the
box
at
the top of the
MC
250A
asking for
“retroactive coverage.”
10. Is there a telephone number I can call to get more information?
Yes,
you can call
the numbers listed
below.
-
Call the Medi-Cal Helpline at (800) 541-5555 (outside of California, please call (916) 636-1980)
-
Call
your local county social services
office.
To
find
out the telephone
number
to the
nearest county
office,
go to
County Contact List.
-
Call
County FFY Contact List (not DHCS)
11. Where can I find information about Medi-Cal and other benefits programs?
(Not DHCS).
You can
find information on other
benefits
programs
at
http://www.benefitscal.org.
This site is
an
online
resource for California public
benefits
and connects
you to
applications for
other
programs such
as County
Medical
Services
Program, CalFresh
(formerly known as Food Stamps)
and California
Work Opportunity
and Responsibility to Kids
(CalWORKS). 12. If I left foster care after January 1, 2014, was I supposed to be automatically enrolled in Medi-Cal coverage for FFY?
Yes, if you were in foster care in California after January 1, 2014, you should have been enrolled in Medi-Cal coverage for FFY automatically.
To check your Medi-Cal status,
contact the
County Contact List for your county or call the Medi-Cal helpline at (800) 541-5555 (outside of California, please call (916) 636-1980).
If you left foster care in California before 2014 or were in foster care in another state, you may need to apply for Medi-Cal coverage for FFY. You can apply by filling out a one-page Medi-Cal form for FFY (called the MC 250A) or by giving your information over the phone to a county Medi-Cal worker.
13. Should I fill out a Covered California application?
You can apply: (1) through Covered California using the on-line application; or (2) through the county using a simple one-page form for FFY, called the MC 250A; or by giving your information over the phone. If you continue with the online application you may need to give more information about yourself than you need to give if you apply through the county using the MC 250A form.
