• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
California Health Advocates

California Health Advocates

  • Contact
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Contact
    • Our Team
    • Mission
    • Education Services
    • About HICAP
    • Press
    • Testimonials
  • MEDICARE COUNSELING
  • Fact Sheets
  • Topics
    • The Basics
    • Prescription Drugs
    • Low-Income Help
    • Medigap
    • Medicare Advantage
    • Other Health Insurance
    • Appeals
    • Billing & Claims
    • Disabilities
    • Long-Term Care
    • Tribal Nations & Medicare
    • Health Care Reform
    • Advocacy & Policy
    • Glossary
  • Fraud & Abuse
  • Medicare Complaints
  • Blog
  • Donate

Does Medi-Cal’s Asset Limit Increase Affect Other Aspects of Medi-Cal?

California Health Advocates > Low-Income help > Does Medi-Cal’s Asset Limit Increase Affect Other Aspects of Medi-Cal?

Posted by Karen Joy Fletcher on June 9, 2022

Medi-Cal's asset limit, money savings concept

As of July 1, 2022, Medi-Cal’s asset limit is increasing to $130,000/$195,000 per individual/couple, and $65,000 per additional family member. This is a significant and welcome increase from the current limits of $2,000/$3,000 per individual/couple. Medi-Cal’s asset limits have not changed since 1989, so this is a huge victory finally coming to fruition. Yes! Let’s celebrate!

Below are some commonly asked questions we’ve been receiving about this momentous change.

Which Medi-Cal programs are affected by the asset limit increase?

As mentioned in our previous articles, this change affects all non-expansion Medi-Cal programs. (Note that those enrolled in Medi-Cal expansion programs already do not have an asset limit). These non-expansion programs include:

  • Aged, Blind, and Disabled,
  • Medi-Cal with a Share of Cost,
  • 250% Working Disabled Program,
  • Long-term care, and
  • Medicare Savings Programs (MSPs).

The Medicare Savings Programs include: Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB), Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary (SLMB), Qualified Income (QI), and Qualifed Disabled Working Individual (QDWI) programs. The MSPs help Medicare beneficiaries with low-income pay for Medicare’s out-of-pocket expenses, such as premiums and cost-sharing.

Unfortunately this asset limit increase and eventual elimination in Medi-Cal does not affect the asset limit in Supplemental Security Income (SSI). The SSI program is a federal program administered by the Social Security Administration. So while individuals who have SSI could qualify for Medi-Cal if they have resources higher than $2,000, they would lose eligibility for SSI if they have higher resources for any month their resources go above the SSI limit. We and other advocates nationwide are working to change this.

Are there other changes in Medi-Cal to be aware of?

Medi-Cal income guidelines and share of cost calculations will remain the same, as recently stated in our partner’s, the California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform (CANHR), recent fact sheet on the Medi-Cal asset increase for seniors and people with disabilities.

The rules for exempt and non- exempt assets will also remain the same. (You can see CANHR’s fact sheet on these rules here). In general, counted assets include cash, money in a banking account, more than one vehicle, or a home or land that the person does not live in. Exempt assets include a home, if the Medi-Cal applicant or recipient lives in the home, one vehicle or personal item, such as a television, or other household items. As of January 1, 2024, however, when Medi-Cal’s asset limit is fully eliminated, the ownership of a home, more than one vehicle, or the amount of money and savings in a banking account, will not be taken into account for Medi-Cal benefts.

In addition, Medi-Cal’s recovery rules will remain the same. Unfortunately, federal law requires Medicaid agencies to recoup payments for certain Medicaid/Medi-Cal benefits, long-term care, and home and community-based services for some Medi-Cal beneficiaries, so this will continue to apply. If you are concerned about the State making a claim on your estate or that of a loved one, there are ways to protect your home and other assets from Medi-Cal recovery; see CANHR’s information on Medi-Cal’s recovery laws, available in English, Spanish, Chinese and Vietnamese.

Is the asset limit increase retroactive to July 1, 2022?

No, this asset limit increase begins as of July 1, 2022. That said, people already on Medi-Cal can begin saving extra money before then. Due to the current Public Health Emergency (PHE), the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) is not allowed to terminate anyone’s current Medi-Cal as no redeterminations are taking place. Note that the current COVID-19 PHE will expire on July 15, 2022.

Will the long term care transfer penalty still apply?

Yes, the transfer penalty will remain the same, but with the higher asset limit.

What about spousal impoverishment rules? Will they change?

These rules will also remain the same but with the higher asset limit. See CAHNR’s fact sheet for more info.

More information

For more information, see:

  • CANHR’s fact sheet: California Medi-Cal Asset Limit Increasing for Seniors and People with Disabilities
  • Justice in Aging’s Frequently Asked Questions fact sheet
  • Western Center on Law and Poverty fact sheet
  • Our other articles: Important Changes Happening to Medi-Cal in 2022 and Medi-Cal’s Asset Test to Be Mostly Eliminated by July 1, 2022

Filed Under: Low-Income help, Professionals

Previous Post: « Big Changes in Medi-Cal: Asset Limit Elimination & Coverage Expansion
Next Post: Need Help with Medicare Costs? Medicare Savings Programs May Help »

About Karen Joy Fletcher

Our blogger Karen Joy Fletcher is CHA's Communications Director. With a Masters in Public Health from UC Berkeley, she is the online "public face" of the organization, provides technical expertise, writing and research on Medicare and other health care issues. She is responsible for digital content creation, management of CHA’s editorial calendar, and managing all aspects of CHA’s social media presence. She loves being a "communicator" and enjoys networking and collaborating with the passionate people and agencies in the health advocacy field. See her current articles.

Related Posts

  • Public Health Emergency “Unwinding” Begins
  • Do You Need Help with Internet Costs?
  • CHA Supports SB 311 – Simplifying Medicare Part A & QMB Enrollment
  • Medi-Cal Eligibility Renewals Start April 1 – Actions to Keep Your Medi-Cal

Primary Sidebar

Change Text Size

  • 100%  110%  120%  130%  

News & Blog Categories

  • Medicare Advantage
  • Low-Income help
  • Medicare & Disabilities
  • Medicare Basics
  • Prescription Drugs
  • Medicare & Other Health Insurance
  • Medicare Billings, Claims & Appeals
  • Health Care Disparities
  • Fraud & Abuse

—

  • COVID-19
  • Resources
  • Health Care Reform
  • Long-Term Care
  • CHA News

—

  • Advocacy & Policy
  • Letters and Comments to Policymakers
  • Legislative and Congressional Testimony
  • Policy Briefs

Send Us Comment

Do you have comments or concerns about your Medicare coverage? Issues regarding getting your needed prescriptions from your Part D plan, or a Medicare Advantage plan representative's marketing practices? Let us know at comments@cahealthadvocates.org.

We are dedicated to making Medicare's program work well for all beneficiaries. Your feedback from your own or your client's concerns and experiences with Medicare, will guide our Medicare advocacy efforts with key policy and decision-makers in both California and nationally with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and Congress.

Archives

Donate Today

Footer

Sign up for our newsletter

Choose the news you'd like to receive

Important Links

  • About Us
  • Fact Sheets
  • Blog
  • Donate
  • Contact
  • Privacy Notice
  • Cookie Policy
  • Accessibility Statement

Follow Us

Copyright © 2023 · California Health Advocates · Web Design by TWK Web and Print Design · Log in