Yes. You can get Medi-Cal even if you have money in the bank. California eliminated the Medi-Cal asset test on January 1, 2024, so bank accounts, retirement funds, stocks, vehicles, and real estate no longer count against you when the state decides whether you qualify.1California Department of Health Care Services. Updated Policy Regarding Non-Modified Adjusted Gross Income Medi-Cal Eligibility Determination Procedures Eligibility now depends almost entirely on your income. The one situation where savings and transfers can still cause trouble involves long-term nursing home care under a new rule taking effect in 2026.
What Changed in 2024
For decades, Californians applying for Medi-Cal through Non-MAGI programs (mainly seniors, people with disabilities, and those needing long-term care) had to prove they owned less than $2,000 in countable resources as an individual or $3,000 as a couple.2Department of Health Care Services (DHCS). Eligibility and Enrollment Plan – Asset Test Changes for Non-MAGI Medi-Cal A modest savings account or a second car could sink an application. People spent down their savings or transferred property just to qualify.
Assembly Bill 133 removed the asset test in two phases, finishing the job on January 1, 2024, for all Non-MAGI programs, including Medicare Savings Programs and long-term care.1California Department of Health Care Services. Updated Policy Regarding Non-Modified Adjusted Gross Income Medi-Cal Eligibility Determination Procedures Adults under 65 who qualify through the Affordable Care Act expansion (called MAGI Medi-Cal) never faced an asset test to begin with. So as of 2024, no Medi-Cal program in California looks at your bank balance to decide initial eligibility. You could have $500,000 in savings and still qualify, provided your income fits within the limits.
What Counts Now: 2026 Income Limits
With assets off the table, income is the question. For most adults, California uses Modified Adjusted Gross Income, which includes wages, Social Security benefits, dividends, and other taxable and nontaxable income.3California Department of Health Care Services. MAGI Income and Deduction Types The ceiling for free Medi-Cal is 138% of the federal poverty level. For 2026, that works out to:4Covered California. Program Eligibility by Federal Poverty Level for 2026
- $22,025 per year ($1,836 per month) for a single person
- $45,540 per year ($3,795 per month) for a family of four
The underlying federal poverty level for 2026 is $15,960 for an individual and $33,000 for a family of four, with the Medi-Cal limit rising for each additional household member.5HHS ASPE. 2026 Poverty Guidelines – 48 Contiguous States Notice what is not on this list: your checking account, your IRA, your home, your car. None of it factors into the calculation.
Interest and dividends your savings generate do count as income. So while the balance itself is invisible to Medi-Cal, the return it earns in a given year shows up in the MAGI figure the county uses.
If Your Income Is Too High: Share of Cost
Earning more than 138% of the federal poverty level does not automatically lock you out. Seniors, people with disabilities, and certain families with children may qualify through the Medically Needy program with a Share of Cost. It works like a monthly deductible. You pay a set amount toward your medical expenses each month, and Medi-Cal covers the rest.
Your Share of Cost equals your countable monthly income minus the maintenance need level, which is $600 per month for an individual and $934 for a couple. Someone earning $2,200 a month would have a Share of Cost of $1,600. In months when medical bills exceed that figure, Medi-Cal pays everything above it. In months with few medical expenses, you pay out of pocket as usual.6Department of Health Care Services. PUB 10 – Non-MAGI Medi-Cal
Non-MAGI counting rules also let the county subtract work-related expenses, court-ordered support payments, and health insurance premiums before measuring your income against the maintenance need level.6Department of Health Care Services. PUB 10 – Non-MAGI Medi-Cal If you are over 65 or disabled and your income looks too high at first glance, ask the county about Share of Cost rather than assuming the door is closed.
The One Place Your Money Still Matters: Nursing Home Care
Here is the catch. California is adding a 30-month look-back period for people who enter a nursing home. Starting January 1, 2026, if you move into a nursing facility, Medi-Cal will review any assets you gave away or sold below fair market value during the 30 months before admission.7Medi-Cal – DHCS. Asset Limit Frequently Asked Questions
Transfers made before January 1, 2026, are not subject to the look-back and will not trigger a penalty. Transfers on or after that date can produce a period of ineligibility for nursing home coverage, calculated based on the value of what was transferred.7Medi-Cal – DHCS. Asset Limit Frequently Asked Questions Deeding your house to a relative or moving $50,000 out of a bank account for less than fair value could delay long-term care coverage by months.
Note what this rule does and does not do. Keeping money in your name does not hurt you. Giving money away can. The distinction between holding assets and transferring them is the whole point.
Spousal Protections
When one spouse enters a nursing home and the other stays in the community, federal spousal impoverishment rules protect the at-home spouse. For 2026, the community spouse can keep up to $162,660 in countable resources and receives a minimum monthly income allowance of $4,067.8California Department of Health Care Services. 2026 Medicare Catastrophic Coverage Act Spousal Impoverishment Caps If the community spouse’s own income falls below $4,067 per month, part of the institutionalized spouse’s income can be redirected to close the gap.
Planning Ahead
Because the look-back is new, many families do not know it exists. If nursing home care is a realistic possibility in the next few years, speak with an elder law attorney before making large gifts or transfers. Mistakes here are expensive and difficult to undo once the penalty clock starts.
What Happens to Your Savings After Death
There is one more place your money interacts with Medi-Cal, and it comes after you die. California’s Estate Recovery Program allows the Department of Health Care Services to seek repayment for certain benefits paid for members who were 55 or older when they received care.9DHCS. Estate Recovery Program
For members who died on or after January 1, 2017, recovery is limited in two ways. It applies only to assets that pass through probate, so property in a living trust, jointly held assets that transfer by survivorship, and accounts with named beneficiaries are off limits. And it covers only nursing facility services, home and community-based services, and related hospital and prescription drug costs. Routine doctor visits and outpatient care are not recoverable.9DHCS. Estate Recovery Program
The state can waive its claim if repayment would cause substantial hardship, but the waiver application must be submitted within 60 days of receiving the estate recovery claim letter.10DHCS. Substantial Hardship Criteria Having savings during your lifetime does not jeopardize your Medi-Cal eligibility. The question is only what happens to those assets after death, and even then, careful estate planning can keep much of them outside the reach of recovery.