Medicaid: Income and Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for Medicaid in California, you must have a low income. In addition, the amount of money you make must be below 138% of the federal poverty level. For single-person households, this means making less than $16,395 a year. Two-person households, meanwhile, must make less than $22,108 a year. However, there are many exceptions, so you may be eligible even if your income is higher.

It counts most types of earned and unearned income

There are many different types of income that may qualify you for Medicaid California eligibility. The countable types include earned income, unearned income, and available income. In addition, there are also exempted and in-kind incomes. Therefore, your situation will depend on the total income that must be reported to determine if you meet the Medicaid eligibility requirements.

There are also some types of income that will not count towards Medi-Cal eligibility. For instance, public assistance, child support, and insurance settlements are not counted. In addition, in-kind income, provided by others in the form of food, housing, utilities, clothing, and other necessities, counts only if it is sufficient to meet the requirements of Medi-Cal.

It counts some types of property

If you’re applying for Medicaid in California, you may wonder if your income and property will count toward your eligibility. The answer depends on your family size and eligibility category. Some types of property are exempt, while others are not. Your principal residence, for example, is exempt. However, it does not count against your income if you don’t live in it and do not have children. Likewise, a vehicle, boat, or motor home is an exempt asset.

It excludes SSI

Currently, the income and eligibility requirements for Medicaid in California differ from those for SSI. The program provides health benefits and supports working adults with disabilities. Medicaid also has an optional buy-in, which allows people to continue receiving benefits despite an increase in their earned income. This program is affordable for people with disabilities who need ongoing health care. Among other things, Medicaid California can help pay for nursing home care if necessary.

One concern advocates have about this change is that it would increase the program’s costs for current SSI child recipients receiving child support. However, this cost is not easy to estimate because many SSI children receive unreported child support. On the other hand, this proposal would make administering the SSI program more efficient. In addition, it would eliminate the need for SSA to verify child support income and process overpayments related to child support.

It counts as a retirement account

If you have a retirement account and are considering applying for Medicaid in California, you may wonder if your retirement assets will count towards your eligibility. Your retirement accounts will generally be countable if you meet the income and asset requirements. But you should be aware that the rules for this type of asset are not always transparent. For example, some states have specific rules regarding how much is countable and what is not.

Currently, the state limits the number of assets an applicant can have to two thousand dollars for a single person or $3,000 for a couple. You may not be eligible for Medi-Cal if you have more than that. If you plan to apply for Medi-Cal, plan ahead of time. In addition to having a comprehensive estate plan, you should consider Medi-Cal planning.