Do you have health insurance coverage? If you can’t afford to purchase an individual plan, and your employer doesn’t offer one, it might be time to start looking into public forms of health insurance. Medi-Cal is part of the Medicaid program in California. Do you qualify for it?
Medi-Cal is the shortened form of the name for the California Medical Assistance Program. It is part of the Medicaid program for the state of California. This is a public, or government run, form of health insurance that is for low-income families, seniors, people who have certain types of disabilities, children who are in foster care, women who are pregnant, and some low-income adults.
All across the country, there are thousands of people who are eligible for their state’s Medicaid program. Unfortunately, many are unaware that they qualify for it, and are going completely without health insurance coverage.
How can you tell if you qualify for Medi-Cal? The Medi-Cal website has details about eligibility requirements. One way to qualify for Medi-Cal is if you are currently enrolled in one of the following programs:
SSI / SSP – SSI stands for Supplemental Security Income. SSP stands for State Supplementary Payment. The SSI program is a federal income supplement program that is funded by general tax revenues (not Social Security taxes). SSP is a California state program that augments SSI.
CalWorks (AFDC) – CalWorks is a California state program that gives cash aid and services to eligible needy California families. It is a welfare program. This program can be for immediate short-term help or for ongoing monthly assistance.
Refugee Assistance – In California, this takes several different forms. All are connected through the California Department of Social Services. Needy refugees and other eligible populations may qualify to receive benefits and services from federal and state social service programs. The goal of each program is to make a refugee become self-sufficient as soon as possible.
Foster Care or Adoption Assistance – In California, the Adoption Assistance Program was designed to remove the financial disincentives for families to adopt. The purpose is to help provide children who are in foster care the security and stability of a permanent home through adoption. Children may receive a federally funded subsidy based on state guidelines and need.
You may also qualify for Medi-Cal if you are age 65 or older, or younger than the age of 21. People who are blind can also qualify. Medi-Cal defines blindness as “having a central visual acuity of 20/200 or less in your best eye with the use of a corrective lens”.
Those who are disabled can also qualify. Medi-Cal defines “disabled” as: “you are unable to do any substantial, gainful activity because of a mental or physical impairment that can be expected to last for a continuous period of at least 12 months or that will result in death”. In children, “disability” is defined as “a mental or physical impairment which limits the child’s ability to function” that is expected to last for a continuous period of at least 12 months.
Women who are pregnant can qualify for Medi-Cal. Other qualifications include: people who are in a skilled nursing or intermediate care home, and people who are on refugee status for a limited time. Parents or caretaker relatives of a child under 21 can qualify if the child’s parent is deceased or doesn’t live with the child, or if the child’s parent is incapacitated, or if the child’s parent is under employed or unemployed.
Image by Calsidyrose on Flickr