To qualify for Medi-Cal in 2026, most working-age California adults need household income at or below 138% of the Federal Poverty Level, which comes out to roughly $22,025 a year for one person and about $45,540 for a family of four. Children and pregnant individuals qualify at higher income levels, and seniors and people with disabilities are evaluated under a separate track that also looks at what you own. There is no minimum time you must have lived in California, and since January 2024 income-eligible residents qualify regardless of immigration status.
Income Limits for Adults Ages 19 Through 64
Non-disabled adults in this age range are evaluated under the Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) standard. The ceiling is 138% of the Federal Poverty Level.1Covered California. Program Eligibility by Federal Poverty Level for 2026 Based on the 2026 federal poverty guidelines, that works out to approximately:2Federal Register. Annual Update of the HHS Poverty Guidelines
- 1 person: about $22,025 per year
- 2 people: about $29,863 per year
- 3 people: about $37,702 per year
- 4 people: about $45,540 per year
Each additional person in the household adds roughly $7,838 to the yearly limit. Your county compares your household’s MAGI to the FPL for your specific household size, so the cutoff scales with the number of people in your home.
What MAGI Counts
MAGI follows federal tax rules. It includes earned income, unearned income, and certain nontaxable Social Security benefits, minus specific tax deductions. A key feature of the MAGI pathway: there is no asset or resource test. The state looks only at your income, not your savings, retirement accounts, or property.
How Household Size Is Counted
Your MAGI household generally mirrors your federal tax household: the tax filer, a spouse filing jointly, and anyone claimed as a tax dependent. One important wrinkle: a child claimed as a dependent by a non-custodial parent is counted based on who the child actually lives with, not who claims them on taxes. Because the income ceiling moves with household size, getting this count right is often what determines whether you qualify.
Higher Income Limits for Children and Pregnant Individuals
California sets more generous thresholds for these groups.
Children under 19 qualify for Medi-Cal if household income is at or below 266% of the FPL.1Covered California. Program Eligibility by Federal Poverty Level for 2026 For a family of three with one child, that works out to roughly $72,671 a year under the 2026 guidelines.2Federal Register. Annual Update of the HHS Poverty Guidelines Starting in January 2026, children under age five who are enrolled keep their coverage through the end of the month they turn five, without annual renewal and regardless of income changes during that period. Coverage would end early only if the child moves out of California, the family requests termination, or the original determination was based on fraud or agency error.3DHCS. CalAIM Section 1115 Demonstration Amendment Request – Continuous Coverage for Kids
Pregnant individuals qualify for full-scope Medi-Cal with household income up to 213% of the FPL. Above that, up to 322% of the FPL, the Medi-Cal Access Program (MCAP) provides pregnancy-related coverage. For MCAP, a pregnant member counts as two people when calculating household size.4DHCS.ca.gov. Qualify for MCAP
Income and Asset Limits for Seniors and People With Disabilities
If you are 65 or older, blind, or have a disability, you fall under the Non-MAGI category. This track uses a different income calculation and, unlike MAGI, also looks at what you own.
Income Standard
The Aged, Blind, and Disabled FPL program uses 138% of the Federal Poverty Level. Under the 2026 guidelines, that comes to approximately $1,836 per month for an individual and roughly $2,489 per month for a couple.2Federal Register. Annual Update of the HHS Poverty Guidelines
Asset Limits
As of January 1, 2026, Medi-Cal reinstated an asset test for non-MAGI applicants. The limits are:5DHCS.ca.gov. Asset Limit Frequently Asked Questions
- One person: $130,000 in countable assets
- Each additional family member: adds $65,000, up to 10 people
Not everything counts. Your primary home, your main vehicle, household items like furniture and clothing, and retirement accounts you draw regular payments from are exempt. If you own your home and enter a nursing facility with plans to return, the home stays exempt. It also stays exempt if your spouse, registered domestic partner, or dependent relative lives there. A prepaid, irrevocable burial plan is exempt at any value, and up to $1,500 in separately held burial funds is also exempt. Burial plots, headstones, and crypts for you or your family are excluded entirely.5DHCS.ca.gov. Asset Limit Frequently Asked Questions
If Your Income Is Too High: Share of Cost
Income above the limit does not always mean no Medi-Cal. If your medical needs are significant, you may qualify with a monthly share of cost, which works like a deductible. Each month you pay a portion of your medical expenses out of pocket, calculated as the difference between your monthly income and a state-set maintenance-need level. Once you meet that amount through medical bills in a given month, Medi-Cal covers the rest for the remainder of the month.
Share of cost is most common among non-MAGI applicants whose income sits above the standard cutoff. In months with a hospital stay, surgery, or expensive prescriptions, it can save thousands. In months with little medical activity, the benefit is limited.
Residency and Immigration Status
You have to live in California to get Medi-Cal, but there is no waiting period. You just need to be physically present with the intent to stay. Owning a home in another state does not disqualify you as long as California is where you actually live.6DHCS. Medi-Cal Questions and Answers A temporary absence of 60 days or less is presumed not to affect residency; longer trips can put coverage at risk unless you can show you always intended to return.7Legal Information Institute (LII) / Cornell Law School. California Code of Regulations Title 22 50321 – Temporary Absence from the State
Since January 2024, California offers full-scope Medi-Cal to all income-eligible residents regardless of immigration status. Both children and adults qualify. Individuals who don’t fit any full-benefit category may still receive restricted-scope Medi-Cal, which covers emergency and certain pregnancy-related services.8DHCS.ca.gov. Medi-Cal Immigrant Eligibility FAQs Most Medicaid benefits, including Medi-Cal, are not counted in federal public charge determinations. The only exception is long-term government-funded institutional care such as a Medi-Cal-paid nursing home stay. Refugees, asylees, and several humanitarian visa categories are exempt from the public charge ground entirely.
How to Apply
Most people apply online through CoveredCA.com. Covered California uses a single streamlined application that checks whether you qualify for Medi-Cal, subsidized marketplace coverage, or both, and the same application works for MAGI and non-MAGI pathways.9Covered California. How Do I Apply for Medi-Cal? You can also apply in person at your local county human services agency, by mail using the Single Streamlined Application, or by phone at (800) 300-1506. Certified enrollers in the community can help at no charge.
Expect to provide documentation of your income, California residency, and citizenship or immigration status. The final eligibility determination is made by your county office. If you already have medical bills from the past three months, ask about retroactive coverage on the application itself: Medi-Cal can cover expenses from up to three months before you applied if you would have been eligible then.10Legal Information Institute (LII) / Cornell Law School. California Code of Regulations Title 22 50148 – Application for Retroactive Medi-Cal