Applying for Medi-Cal Health Insurance

To be eligible for Medi-Cal, you must live in California and meet certain criteria.

Applicants must provide information about their income and tax status for each family member on their tax return. All Medi-Cal applicants must provide their Social Security Number (SSN), if available.

Also, you have to provide information about your legal immigration status.

Beginning May 1, 2022, a new law in California will give full-scope Medi-Cal to adults 50 or older and 26 years old or younger, and immigration status does not matter. Applicants in the category between the age of 26-50 years old and who do not have immigration status may qualify for Limited Medi-Cal coverage.

Such insurance coverage includes the costs of emergency medical care, pregnancy-related medical services, and long-term care.

You can contact Ukrainian American House, and we will provide you assistance at +1(916) 201-0101 or via email:

gethelp@uahouse.org

You also can apply for Medi-Cal directly at the DHCS office. You can do it in person, by mail, phone, or by email.

Learn more by link:

https://www.dhcs.ca.gov/services/medi-cal/pages/applyformedi-cal.aspx

Once approved for the program, you can start using your Medi-Cal benefits immediately. New beneficiaries approved for Medi-Cal benefits will receive a Benefits Identification Card (BIC) from Medi-Cal. Your doctors and dentists will need your BIC to provide services to you and bill Medi-Cal.

New beneficiaries and those ordering a replacement card will receive a new format BIC with a logo featuring a California poppy. Both BIC formats shown are valid.

Please get in touch with your local district office:

• You have not received a BIC;
• You have lost your BIC;
• Your BIC contains incorrect information

You can find the phone number for your local county office on the website: http://dhcs.ca.gov/mymedi-cal or by calling: 1-800-541-5555 (TTY 1-800-430-7077).

It may take up to 45 days for your Medi-Cal application to be processed. If you are applying for Medi-Cal based on a disability, it may take up to 90 days to be processed. Your local county office or Covered California office will send you a letter stating your eligibility for the program. Such a letter is called a "Notice of Action."

If you do not receive a letter within 45-90 days of the date of application, you can contact the DHA office by phone number (916) 874-3100

Also, you can contact Ukrainian America House at (916) 201-0101 and we will try to help you to resolve your issue.

These plans are similar to health insurance plans for individuals who have a private insurance policy.

You can call Ukrainian American House for assistance at (916) 201-0101, or reach out via email at gethelp@uahouse.org

Or, to join a medical plan, call Health Care Options at 1-800-430-4263. Or you can complete a Medi-Cal Choice Form. You can find the form on the Download forms page.

You must report any household changes within 10 days to your local county office. You can notify the agency of changes in person, over the Internet, by phone, email, or by fax. The changes may affect your eligibility for Medi-Cal.

You must report if:

• You are married or divorced;
• You have changed your name, date of birth, or SSN;
• You have changed immigration status;
• You had a child, you adopted or gave the child up for adoption;
• Your income level has changed;
• You have moved or you have changes in those who live with you;
• Your disability status has changed;
• Your tax status has changed, including dependents specified in the tax return;
• You were taken into custody (imprisoned, etc.) or released from custody;
• Your American Indian or Alaska Native status or ethnic status has changed;
• Any other changes that may affect your income level or household size have occurred.

To keep your health insurance under Medi-Cal, you must renew it at least once a year. If your local county office cannot renew your Medi-Cal coverage through electronic sources, they must mail you a renewal form. You will need to provide new or changed information. If you do not provide the required information by the deadline, your Medi-Cal health insurance coverage will expire. Your local county office will mail you a Notice of Action. You have 90 days to provide your local county office with all the missing information without having to reapply.

You can also change your insurance plan, all information will be provided to you in the booklet that will be sent to you after confirming your participation in the program.