In 2026, most California adults qualify for free Medi-Cal if their household income is at or below 138% of the federal poverty level, which comes to about $22,025 a year for one person and $45,540 for a family of four.1U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 2026 Poverty Guidelines California Medi-Cal income limits are the same 138% ceiling for seniors and people with disabilities, though the way their income is counted differs. If you earn more than the cap, you may still qualify through the Share of Cost program or, if pregnant, through the Medi-Cal Access Program.
2026 Annual Income Limits for Free Medi-Cal
These figures apply to most adults ages 19 to 64, who are evaluated under Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) rules. The 138% number already includes a 5% income disregard the federal government adds to the base 133% threshold.2Health Consumer Alliance. California Insurance Affordability Programs Income Levels
- 1 person: $22,025
- 2 people: $29,863
- 3 people: $37,702
- 4 people: $45,540
- 5 people: $53,378
- 6 people: $61,217
Each additional household member adds roughly $7,838.1U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 2026 Poverty Guidelines Compare your own income to the row for your actual household size, not just yourself.
Who Counts in Your Household
Getting household size right changes which row applies to you. Under MAGI rules, the household follows federal tax rules: the applicant, a spouse if filing jointly, and anyone claimed as a tax dependent. Children under 19 living with a parent are counted whether or not they’re on the tax return. Pregnant applicants count each expected child as a household member, so someone pregnant with one baby is a household of two, and someone pregnant with twins is a household of three.
Income That Doesn’t Count Toward the Limit
Before you assume you’re over the cap, check what actually gets counted. Under MAGI rules, several common income sources are excluded:3HealthCare.gov. Income and Household Information
- Child support received
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Veterans’ disability payments
- Workers’ compensation
- Gifts and inheritances
- Loan proceeds, including student loans, home equity loans, and personal loans
Someone receiving SSI plus a part-time paycheck might look over the limit based on total deposits, but only the wages count. Self-employed applicants report net earnings after business expenses, not gross revenue, and a Schedule C or profit-and-loss ledger is the standard way to document that.
Income Limits for Seniors and People With Disabilities
Californians who are 65 or older, blind, or living with a disability apply under the Aged, Blind, and Disabled Federal Poverty Level program. The threshold is the same 138% of FPL, but income is evaluated under non-MAGI rules based on the older Supplemental Security Income counting methods rather than tax-return numbers.4Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services. Aged, Blind and Disabled Federal Poverty Level Program Medicare premiums and other health insurance costs can be deducted before comparing income to the limit, which frequently pulls people under the cap who look ineligible on paper.
Asset Limits in 2026
For most working-age adults under MAGI rules, there is no asset test. Savings, a car, or a home don’t affect eligibility as long as your income qualifies.
For non-MAGI applicants (mainly seniors and people with disabilities), asset limits came back on January 1, 2026, after being eliminated in 2024 under Assembly Bill 133.5California Department of Health Care Services. DHCS Asset Limit Fact Sheet The reinstated limit is $130,000 for a single applicant, with an additional $65,000 for each additional household member up to ten people. Those thresholds are far higher than the old $2,000 individual cap that existed before 2024, so most current beneficiaries should still qualify. If you’re a non-MAGI applicant renewing in 2026, expect the county to request bank statements, investment records, and other asset documentation that wasn’t required during 2024 and 2025.
If You Earn Too Much: Share of Cost
Earning above the 138% cap doesn’t automatically shut you out. Under the Share of Cost program, you pay a set amount of medical expenses out of pocket in a given month, and Medi-Cal covers the rest through the end of that calendar month. This pathway matters most for seniors and people with disabilities whose income sits just above the free Medi-Cal line.
The Share of Cost is your monthly net income minus a “maintenance need” amount that you’re allowed to keep for basic living expenses under California Code of Regulations Title 22, Section 50601.6Legal Information Institute. California Code of Regulations Title 22 50601 – Maintenance Need – General As of early 2025, the maintenance need was $600 per month for a single person and $934 for a couple. California passed legislation to raise the maintenance need to 138% of the federal poverty level, roughly $1,836 per month for an individual, but implementation timelines have shifted, so verify the current figure with your county social services office.
The math is straightforward. Under the $600 maintenance need, a monthly net income of $1,600 minus $600 leaves a $1,000 Share of Cost. Medicare premiums and other health insurance costs can be subtracted before that calculation.7California Legislative Information. California Welfare and Institutions Code WIC 14005.7 Once your qualifying medical bills in a month hit $1,000, Medi-Cal covers everything else for the remainder of the month.
A few points where people get tripped up. Share of Cost isn’t a premium: if you don’t use medical services in a month, you owe nothing. You meet the Share of Cost by submitting proof of medical bills, prescriptions, or covered expenses to your county office. The clock resets on the first of the next month, so a costly month can be followed by a month where you again pay the full Share of Cost before coverage kicks in.
If You’re Pregnant and Earn Too Much: MCAP
The Medi-Cal Access Program covers pregnant Californians who earn more than the standard Medi-Cal cap but don’t have other coverage. Eligibility runs from over 213% up to 322% of the federal poverty level.8Covered California. Program Eligibility by Federal Poverty Level for 2026 Because MCAP counts each unborn child as a household member, a person carrying one baby is automatically a household of two.9Covered California. Pregnancy Coverage for Certified Enrollers Quick Guide
In 2026, the qualifying annual income range is roughly $46,094 to $69,681 for a household of two, and $58,192 to $87,971 for a household of three.8Covered California. Program Eligibility by Federal Poverty Level for 2026 MCAP covers prenatal care, labor and delivery, and postpartum services, and according to the Department of Health Care Services, participants pay no premiums, copayments, or deductibles for covered services.
Immigration-Status Limits Starting in 2026
The income limits above describe who qualifies financially, but a separate 2026 change affects who can enroll at all. Starting January 1, 2026, California froze new enrollment in full-scope Medi-Cal for undocumented adults and certain individuals with unsatisfactory immigration status. People already enrolled before that date keep coverage as long as they remain eligible and renew on time. If coverage lapses because of a late renewal or missing paperwork, a 90-day window is available to fix it; after that, only emergency or pregnancy-related Medi-Cal is available going forward.
Beginning July 1, 2026, adult dental benefits are also ending for those aged 19 and older without satisfactory immigration status, though emergency dental care for severe pain, infection, and extractions remains covered.