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Serving the State of California
Key Medi-Cal Figures
NO HOME EQUITY LIMIT
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Currently, California has no home equity cap for Medi-Cal eligibility. The Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (DRA) has placed home equity caps on eligibility nationwide and California is the only state that has yet to implement any DRA requirements.
Estate Recovery
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California updated its estate recovery rules with SB 833, which took effect on January 1, 2017. For Medi-Cal estate recovery, there is no recovery if there is a surviving spouse or registered domestic partner. Recovery is limited to Medi-Cal recipients over 55 who receive nursing home benefits or home and community based services. Homesteads of "modest value" are exempt from recovery. And recovery can only be made against assets in the Medi-Cal recipient's probate estate. Planning can help avoid any recovery.
PROTECTIONS FOR THE COMMUNITY SPOUSE​
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Community Spouse Resource Allowance (CSRA):
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$130,380
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Monthly Maintenance Needs Allowance:
$3,260
TRANSFERS
California uses a 30-month lookback period. Transfer penalties are determined in months of ineligibility bases upon the amount of a transfer on any particular day. Transfer penalties begin in the month any transfer is made. Because transfer penalties are rounded down to the nearest whole month, transfer strategies can be used to protect assets from the spenddown.
INCOME
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$35
Medi-Cal determines a share of cost for both the nursing home and home care services based upon the applicant's income. The share of cost is the monthly amount that must be contributed towards care.
ASSETS
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$2,000
Resource limit for Medicaid recipients
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IRAs and other qualified retirement plans are protected (non-countable) from the Medi-Cal spenddown if structured properly.
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