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Medi-Cal

Medi-Cal Can Make a Difference!

 

INTRODUCING MEDI-CAL

Medi-Cal is a no-cost health care coverage for children and pregnant women. Medi-Cal offers many health care advantages to you and your family, including the following services:

  • No-cost comprehensive health, dental, and vision benefits for children.
  • No monthly premiums.
  • No co-payments for any benefit.
  • Choice of health insurance plans in most major population centers
  • Family property (such as savings or cars) does not count for eligibility.
  • More children with higher family incomes qualify for no-cost Medi-Cal.
  • Available for children of single or two-parent working families.
  • Mail-in application.  Does not require a visit to the welfare office to apply.

 

WHO IS ELIGIBLE?

An individual applying for Medi-Cal eligibility must be a California resident.  Currently, there are more than 165 categories under which an individual or family may be considered eligible for Medi-Cal.  The most commonly known categories are listed below:

  • Children under the age of 19.
  • Low-income pregnant women.
  • Qualified low-income Medicare recipients.
  • Working families.  Families and individuals with incomes too high to qualify for cash assistance but otherwise qualify for CalWORKs (formerly AFDC) or Supplemental Security Income/State Supplemental Payment (SSI/SSP).
  • People in special treatment programs (i.e., tuberculosis or dialysis).
  • Undocumented immigrants (emergency, pregnant related, and certain long-term services only);
  • Aged (65 and older), blind and disabled persons.

 

WHAT BENEFITS ARE INCLUDED?

  • Prescription medicine
  • Dental and vision care
  • Regular checkups
  • Immunization and well-baby care
  • Physician and hospital services

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

How much does it cost to cover my child?

Medi-Cal provides free health coverage for children that qualify.

 

Who can apply?

Parents, legal guardians, stepparents, foster parents or caretaker relatives may apply for insurance for a child.  Only the parent’s income will be considered.

 

What documents do I need to provide?

There are three documents that you will be asked to present.  The first is proof of income, such as your most recent pay stub, a signed statement from your employer, or a copy of last year’s federal income tax return.  The second is your child’s birth certificate or proof of immigration status.  And, finally, you will need proof of California residency.

 

Do the programs require citizenship and immigration information of parents?

Medi-Cal does not collect information on the immigration status of parents/guardians who are not seeking coverage for themselves.  These programs cannot and will not provide information on the immigration status of such parents to the INS or use immigration information to demand or collect repayment information from recipients for services lawfully received.

 

FOR MORE INFORMATION…

Call the Medi-Cal for Children toll-free number 1-888-747-1222 to:

  • Ask questions about the health coverage programs.
  • Request a joint application.

Be referred to a certified application assistant (CAA)