Medi-Cal Coverage Support
Medi-Cal is California’s free or low-cost health insurance coverage. This page helps ICMS case managers get participants covered, keep them covered, and prepare for the changes rolling out through 2028.
Updated October 29, 2026
Who Qualifies for Medi-Cal
BenefitsCal.comStart here
Apply, renew, upload documents, update an address and check status in one place. Set up participant and Application Assister accounts. Save login info.
Key terms
California’s free or low-cost health insurance coverage.
An immigration status category that limits a participant’s enrollment to restricted-scope (emergency-only) Medi-Cal rather than full-scope Medi-Cal.
Medi-Cal coverage that includes person-centered care coordination through health plans such as L.A. Care or Health Net.
Full-Scope: Comprehensive Medi-Cal coverage, including doctor visits, prescriptions, hospital stays, mental health, dental, and transportation services.
Restricted-Scope: Limited coverage that only pays for emergency care, pregnancy/postpartum care, and long-term nursing home care.
Full-scope Medi-Cal coverage without healthcare coordination support. Does not mean that participant pays directly for care.
Who qualifies2026 income limits · see the DHCS eligibility chart
Special populations
- Children 0–18
- Pregnant and 12 months postpartum
- Former foster youth under 26
- UIS who renews on time
- Adults 65+ and people with disabilities
US citizens age 19–64
- Income up to $22,025 a year for 1, $29,863 for 2
- Assets under $130,000 for 1, plus $65,000 per added member
UIS age 19+
- No new full-scope enrollment
- Restricted scope still available: emergency, pregnancy and nursing home care
- Existing full-scope coverage expired? 90 days to reactivate
Full-scope Medi-Cal benefits include
- Doctor care
- Medications
- Lab tests
- Wellness care
- Mental health & addiction
- Food
- Emergency care
- Senior care
- Rehab
- In-home support
- Rides
- Hospital care
- Vision
- Dental*
*UIS participants lose dental coverage July 1, 2027. Emergency dental continues.
What’s Changing and When
Source: DHCS Medi-Cal changes
Freeze new enrollments for UIS age 19+.
$130,000 asset limit.
Counties no longer search for a new address before ending coverage over returned mail.
Refugees, asylees, parolees and some green card holders with full-scope get to keep it but lose eligibility to be part of a managed care plan (e.g., LA Care) through June 30, 2027.
Work requirements. Adults age 19-64 must work (or training, volunteering, half-time school) at least 80 hours per month unless they have a documented exemption. Earning $580 in a month also counts. Checked at renewal. Respond to any notice within 30 days.
UIS move to Fee-for-Service. Eligible to keep full-scope Medi-Cal but not managed care plan (MCP) participation. Ineligible for Housing Deposits, Enhanced Care Management (ECM), and In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS).
- Fee-for-Service: Full-scope Medi-Cal coverage without healthcare coordination support. Does not mean that participant pays directly for care.
- Bring the Medi-Cal Benefits ID Card (BIC) to every appointment
Retroactive coverage shortened. One month of past bills for adults without children, two months when the household includes children.
Renewals twice a year for US citizens aged 19-64 and all UIS. Renewals for special populations stay annual.
Full dental ends for UIS participants who still have full-scope Medi-Cal. Emergency dental continues.
Monthly premiums begin for UIS participants who still have full-scope Medi-Cal. Non-payment leads to loss of full-scope Medi-Cal.
Refugees, asylees, parolees and certain survivors limited to pregnancy-related and emergency care.
Asset limit drops to $21,000 for one, $31,000 for two.
Copayments for US citizens aged 19-64 and all UIS earning over $15,560 a year, capped at 5% of income. None at community clinics, or for emergency, checkup, pregnancy, pediatric, mental health or substance use care.
Work Rule Exemptions may apply based on health, disability, caregiving, and other circumstances. DPSS may need to confirm an exemption, so respond right away to any mail, texts, or emails. For current rules, see DHCS.
Getting and Staying On Medi-Cal
Apply or renew via BenefitsCal
Log in or create an account
At BenefitsCal.com, with the participant. No internet? Apply by phone or in person with DPSS. Case Managers register as Application Assisters once their agency’s CBO Manager account is set up. The CBO Manager helps assisters create their accounts.
Gather documents
Proof of identity (e.g. CA ID), residency (e.g. recent mail), income (e.g. benefits letter), and other health insurance (incl. Medicare).
Submit the application or renewal
Renew no later than 60 days before the due date. Most participants must renew every 6 months.
Track status and answer every letter
Upload requested documents in BenefitsCal and watch for follow-ups until the processing is complete.
90 daysto reactivate after coverage ends over a late renewal or missing paperwork.
30 daysto respond to a work requirement notice before coverage ends.
Keep participants reachable
No reliable mailing address?
Participants may use their nearest DPSS district office to receive county mail. Find offices at dpss.lacounty.gov.
Counties no longer search for a new address before ending coverage over returned mail. An address on file is the difference between a renewal and a termination.
Keep these on file
- Mailing address on file and current
- Phone on file (notices also come by text)
- Email on file
Update it timely in BenefitsCal.com.
Case Manager Role
Help participants now
- Document exemptions now. Self-attestation is accepted through 2027, then largely stops.
- Check who already meets the work rule through volunteering, school, or $580 a month in earnings.
What case managers can and cannot do
Can do
- Confirm universal sharing consent is on file to help coordinate Medi-Cal coverage
- Share official information and offer resources
- Help interpret potential results of choices
- Respect participants’ decisions
- Help keep mailing address, phone, and email current with DPSS
- Track Medi-Cal coverage status in the ICMS Snapshot or other program snapshot reports
Cannot do
- Make promises about how Medi-Cal information might be accessed by immigration enforcement
- Provide legal advice or decide for participants
Data privacy
- Federal agencies shared Medi-Cal data with ICE in July 2025.
- A court order effective January 5, 2026 limits sharing on people not lawfully residing in the U.S., and only sharing citizenship and immigration status, address, phone, date of birth, and Medicaid ID. No other people and no other data, including health care use.
- Canceling coverage doesn’t erase data already shared.
- The public charge rule changed September 18, 2026. Benefits received before then are not counted. Refer questions to an immigration legal services provider.
Resources
Use these to check coverage, submit renewals, download materials, and reach Medi-Cal or DPSS directly.
BenefitsCal
The online portal for applying for and managing Medi-Cal, CalFresh, and other benefits. Check coverage status, submit renewals, update contact information, and upload documents.
Medi-Cal Coverage Support Tip Sheet
A two-sided at-a-glance reference covering who qualifies, what’s changing and when, and how to get and stay on Medi-Cal.
Hotlines
LA County DPSS
1-866-613-3777
TTY: 1-800-660-4026County Medi-Cal cases, renewals, and updating contact information.
Medi-Cal Helpline
1-800-541-5555Statewide questions about Medi-Cal eligibility, coverage, and benefits.
Medi-Cal Dental
1-800-322-6384
TTY: 1-800-735-2929Dental benefits and finding a dentist. Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
County campaigns
DPSS Keep Your Benefits
The Los Angeles County campaign explaining Medi-Cal and CalFresh changes, with materials in multiple languages and free webinars.
Keep L.A. Covered
A countywide coalition campaign helping residents understand Medi-Cal changes and avoid missed deadlines, including its Coverage Champions program for community partners.
Medi-Cal will never ask a participant to pay money or provide a credit card number to keep coverage.