For most adults in 2026, Medi-Cal income limits sit at 138% of the Federal Poverty Level, which works out to roughly $22,025 a year for a single person and $45,540 for a family of four.1U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 2026 Poverty Guidelines Children and pregnant people can qualify at higher incomes, and older adults or people with disabilities follow a different set of rules. The number Medi-Cal compares against those limits is not your gross pay; it’s a tax-based figure called Modified Adjusted Gross Income, and knowing what goes into it (and what doesn’t) is often the difference between qualifying and being told you earn too much.
The 2026 Income Limits by Group
Medi-Cal sets different ceilings depending on who’s applying, because children and pregnant people face higher health risks when uninsured.
- Adults ages 19 to 64: up to 138% of FPL. In 2026, that’s about $22,025 for a single adult and $45,540 for a household of four.1U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 2026 Poverty Guidelines
- Children under 19: up to 261% of FPL.2Medicaid.gov. Medicaid, Childrens Health Insurance Program, and Basic Health Program Eligibility Levels
- Pregnant individuals: up to 213% of FPL.3Medi-Cal. Presumptive Eligibility for Pregnant People
- Older adults and people with disabilities: a separate set of income and asset rules apply through the Aged, Blind, and Disabled programs.
For reference, 100% of FPL in 2026 is $15,960 for a single person and $33,000 for a family of four.4HealthCare.gov. Federal Poverty Level The federal poverty figures update every January, so the dollar cutoffs shift each year even when the percentage doesn’t. If you’re close to the line, a small raise or a change in who lives with you can move you across it. Children have some protection: once enrolled, they get 12 months of continuous coverage, so a mid-year income bump won’t cut off a child’s benefits until the next annual review.5Medicaid.gov. Continuous Eligibility for Medicaid and CHIP Coverage
How Medi-Cal Calculates Your Income
For most applicants, Medi-Cal uses Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI). MAGI starts with the adjusted gross income line from your federal tax return, then adds back three items when they apply: untaxed foreign income, non-taxable Social Security benefits, and tax-exempt interest.6HealthCare.gov. Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) – Glossary That total is what Medi-Cal compares to the FPL threshold for your household size.
Because MAGI is built on your AGI, certain tax deductions lower the number Medi-Cal sees. Student loan interest, educator expenses, and traditional IRA contributions (when you don’t have a workplace retirement plan) all reduce AGI and therefore MAGI. Tuition does not, even though some applicants assume it does.7Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Job Aid – Income Eligibility Using MAGI Rules
The count includes everyone in the household who is required to file taxes. Married and filing jointly means both incomes go in. A dependent child’s earnings are usually counted only if they’re high enough to trigger a tax filing.
Income That Doesn’t Count
Several common income sources stay out of MAGI entirely, and that can be decisive when you’re near the limit.
Child support you receive. Child support isn’t taxable, doesn’t show up in AGI, and isn’t one of the items added back for MAGI. For eligibility purposes it effectively doesn’t exist.7Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Job Aid – Income Eligibility Using MAGI Rules
Supplemental Security Income. SSI is not taxable, and it is a separate program from Social Security even though the Social Security Administration runs it, so the non-taxable Social Security add-back does not pull it in. In California, SSI recipients are automatically enrolled in Medi-Cal.
Other non-taxable benefits. SNAP benefits, housing vouchers, and targeted charitable payments from nonprofits covering specific costs like rent or medical bills are not in AGI and are not counted.
If Your Income Is Over the Limit: Share of Cost
Being over the standard threshold doesn’t always mean no Medi-Cal. If your income exceeds the limit but medical expenses are high, you may qualify for Medi-Cal with a “share of cost,” which works like a monthly deductible. Each month, you pay a set amount toward your own medical bills before Medi-Cal covers the rest.8Medi-Cal. Share of Cost (SOC)
Your county calculates the share of cost by comparing your income to a “maintenance need” level that reflects basic living costs. The further your income sits above that floor, the larger your monthly share. To turn coverage on in a given month, you or your provider must show that you’ve paid or committed to pay medical expenses equal to the share of cost amount. All medically necessary services count toward meeting it, including prescriptions, medical supplies, and even services Medi-Cal wouldn’t normally cover.8Medi-Cal. Share of Cost (SOC) Once you clear it, Medi-Cal pays for covered services the rest of the month. The next month, the counter resets.
Do Assets Count?
For most Medi-Cal applicants, no. Adults, children, and pregnant people who qualify through the MAGI pathway face no asset test. Savings accounts, investments, and property don’t affect eligibility as long as income is under the threshold.
Assets do matter for older adults and people with disabilities who qualify through the non-MAGI Aged, Blind, and Disabled programs. California eliminated those asset limits between 2022 and the end of 2024, but reinstated them on January 1, 2026 as part of budget cuts. The current limits are $130,000 for an individual and $195,000 for a couple when both apply, with $65,000 added for each additional household member.
Not everything you own is counted. Exempt items include:
- Your primary home, as long as you live there or intend to return.
- One vehicle used for your benefit or for medical transportation.
- Household goods and personal effects.
- Retirement accounts that are paying out periodic distributions of principal and interest.
- Prepaid irrevocable burial plans.
Countable assets are cash, bank accounts, investment accounts that aren’t paying distributions, and real estate beyond your primary home. SSI-linked Medi-Cal enrollees aren’t affected by these state limits; the federal SSI program runs its own separate asset test.
Income Rules Apply Regardless of Immigration Status
California has expanded full-scope Medi-Cal to all income-eligible adults regardless of immigration status. Coverage rolled out in phases: children in 2015, young adults 19 to 25 in 2020, adults 50 and older in May 2022, and the remaining adults 26 to 49 on January 1, 2024. The 138% FPL income threshold applies the same way. Immigration status doesn’t change the income math.
Staying Eligible After You Enroll
Medi-Cal doesn’t check your income once and forget about it. You’re required to report changes to income, household size, or address within 10 days of when they happen.9Covered California. Updating Your Income A new job, a raise, a marriage, or a family member moving in or out can all shift eligibility.
On top of ongoing reporting, the state must review your eligibility at least once every 12 months, and California law allows additional reviews when circumstances change between annual cycles.10Department of Health Care Services. Medi-Cal Annual Redetermination At the annual redetermination, you’ll get a form asking you to confirm or update your income, household, and other details. Ignoring it, or reporting income above the limit, can reduce or end your benefits. If your income has grown past the Medi-Cal threshold, you may be moved to a subsidized plan through Covered California rather than left uninsured, and the county should notify you of the options before any termination.
Report accurately. If Medi-Cal later determines you received benefits you weren’t entitled to, you’ll be required to repay them whether or not the error was intentional, and your coverage can be adjusted or terminated going forward.