Can I Get Medi-Cal If I Have Money in the Bank?

Yes, you can get Medi-Cal if you have money in the bank. Since January 1, 2024, California no longer counts bank balances, retirement accounts, investments, vehicles, or real estate when deciding whether you qualify. Eligibility now depends on your income. The one situation where savings and transfers still matter is long-term care in a nursing facility, and even there the rules only reach transfers made on or after January 1, 2026.

The Asset Test Is Gone

For decades, seniors, people with disabilities, and others applying through Non-MAGI Medi-Cal had to prove they owned less than $2,000 in countable resources as an individual or $3,000 as a couple.¹ A modest savings account or a second car could disqualify someone with almost no income, and people routinely spent down or transferred property just to get coverage.

Assembly Bill 133, signed with the 2021–2022 state budget, phased the test out. The cap first rose to $130,000 per individual in July 2022, then disappeared entirely on January 1, 2024, across every Non-MAGI program, including Medicare Savings Programs and long-term care.² Adults under 65 who qualify through the Affordable Care Act expansion (MAGI Medi-Cal) never faced an asset test to begin with. So today, no Medi-Cal program in California looks at what you own when deciding initial eligibility. You could have $500,000 in savings and still qualify, provided your income falls within the limits.

What Determines Eligibility Now: Income

With assets out of the picture, your household income is what counts. For most adults, California uses Modified Adjusted Gross Income, which includes wages, Social Security benefits, dividends, and other taxable and nontaxable income.³ The ceiling is 138% of the federal poverty level. For 2026:⁴

Individual: $22,025 per year ($1,836 per month)
Family of four: $45,540 per year ($3,795 per month)

The underlying federal poverty level for 2026 is $15,960 for an individual and $33,000 for a family of four, and the Medi-Cal limit rises with each additional household member.⁵ Interest and dividends generated by your savings count as income, so a large balance can still matter indirectly if it produces enough investment income to push you over the threshold. The account itself, though, is no longer counted.

If Your Income Is Too High: Share of Cost

Earning more than 138% of the federal poverty level doesn’t automatically shut you out. Seniors, people with disabilities, and certain families with children may qualify through the Medically Needy program with a Share of Cost, which 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 is your countable monthly income minus the maintenance need level, which is $600 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 amount, Medi-Cal picks up the rest; in months with few bills, you pay out of pocket as usual.⁶

The county may subtract work-related expenses, court-ordered support payments, and health insurance premiums from your income before applying the maintenance need level.⁶ If you’re over 65 or have a disability and think your income is too high, ask the county about Share of Cost rather than assuming you don’t qualify.

The Long-Term Care Exception

Here’s where the answer gets more nuanced. Holding money in the bank won’t hurt you, but giving it away can, if you later need nursing home care. Starting January 1, 2026, California is implementing a 30-month look-back period for anyone who enters a nursing facility. Medi-Cal will review assets you gave away or sold below fair market value during the 30 months before you entered.⁷

Transfers made before January 1, 2026, are not subject to the look-back and won’t trigger a penalty. Transfers on or after that date can result in a period of ineligibility for nursing home coverage, calculated based on the value of what was transferred. Giving your home to a family member or moving $50,000 out of a bank account for less than fair market value could delay long-term care coverage by months.⁷

The distinction matters. Keeping $500,000 in savings does not affect your Medi-Cal eligibility. Giving that $500,000 away and then applying for nursing home coverage can. If you expect to need long-term care, talk to an elder law attorney before making large gifts or transfers.

Spousal Protections

When one spouse enters a nursing home and the other stays in the community, federal spousal impoverishment rules keep the at-home spouse from being left with nothing. For 2026, the community spouse can keep up to $162,660 in countable resources and receives a minimum monthly income allowance of $4,067.⁸ If the community spouse’s own income falls below $4,067 per month, a portion of the institutionalized spouse’s income can be redirected to close the gap.

What Happens to Your Money After Death

Assets you keep during your lifetime don’t affect your eligibility, but they can be reached by California’s Estate Recovery Program after death. The Department of Health Care Services can seek repayment for certain benefits paid on behalf of members who were 55 or older when they received care.⁹

For deaths on or after January 1, 2017, recovery is limited in two ways. It reaches only assets that pass through probate, so property held in a living trust, jointly owned with survivorship rights, or transferred through a named beneficiary is off-limits. And it applies only to nursing facility services, home and community-based services, and related hospital and prescription drug costs, not routine care.⁹ The state can waive its claim if repayment would cause substantial hardship, but you must submit the waiver application within 60 days of receiving the estate recovery claim letter.¹⁰

How to Apply

You can apply through four channels:¹¹

Online through BenefitsCal (benefitscal.com) or Covered California (coveredca.com), which screens for Medi-Cal and routes qualifying applications
By phone through your county social services office
By mail, using an application downloaded from the DHCS website
In person at your county social services office

You’ll need Social Security numbers for everyone applying, proof of California residency, and income documentation such as recent pay stubs or tax returns. You will not be asked for bank statements or asset records for eligibility purposes. The county must process your application within 45 days, or 90 days if a disability evaluation is involved. You’ll receive a Notice of Action explaining the decision and, if approved, your coverage group.

1
Department of Health Care Services (DHCS). Eligibility and Enrollment Plan – Asset Test Changes for Non-MAGI Medi-Cal
2
California Department of Health Care Services. Updated Policy Regarding Non-Modified Adjusted Gross Income Medi-Cal Eligibility Determination Procedures
3
California Department of Health Care Services. MAGI Income and Deduction Types
4
Covered California. Program Eligibility by Federal Poverty Level for 2026
5
HHS ASPE. 2026 Poverty Guidelines – 48 Contiguous States
6
Department of Health Care Services. PUB 10 – Non-MAGI Medi-Cal
7
Medi-Cal – DHCS. Asset Limit Frequently Asked Questions
8
California Department of Health Care Services. 2026 Medicare Catastrophic Coverage Act Spousal Impoverishment Caps
9
DHCS. Estate Recovery Program
10
DHCS. Substantial Hardship Criteria
11
Department of Health Care Services (DHCS). Apply for Medi-Cal