Medi-Cal
As of January 2026, Medi-Cal eligibility for some immigrants are changing. Provide up-to-date information to your patients about Medi-Cal.
Immigration Status and Changes to Medi-Cal Eligibility
Please see the Immigration Status Categories Chart listed on the DHCS website.
Enrollment Freeze: Jan 2026
Beginning January 1, 2026, new Medi-Cal applications for adults – ages 19 and up – who are undocumented can only qualify for Emergency Medi-Cal or pregnancy-related Medi-Cal.
It is important to remember that if you already have Medi-Cal or if you applied before January 1, 2026, you are eligible to keep your full scope Medi-Cal coverage after January 1, 2026, provided you still meet all other eligibility requirements, comply with the annual renewal process.
Immigration Status Changes
Starting October 1, 2026, the federal government will change how it classifies some immigration statuses. These changes affect whether some adults can continue keep federally funded full-scope Medi-Cal. If you are affected, you will get state-funded full-scope Medi-Cal until June 30, 2027.
​
Who this applies to
-
Refugee and asylees: People who left their home country for safety and don’t yet have a Green Card.
-
Humanitarian parolees: People allowed into the U.S. for urgent reasons for at least one year.
-
Survivors of domestic violence or human trafficking who have with a pending immigration case.
​HCA Immigrant Eligibility for Health Care Coverage in California by Status →
-
The following chart provides a clear guide as to what the different types of immigration status are and how that might affect patient eligibility for Medi-Cal health coverage in California.
​
HCA Immigrant Eligibility for Health Care Plans in California by Program →
-
The following chart provides a clear guide as to what the different types of health plans are in California and who is eligible based on their immigration status.
Dental Benefits: July 2027
Starting July 1, 2027, some Medi-Cal members will stop getting full-scope dental services depending on their immigration status.
​
-
Dental benefits will not be covered for Medi-Cal members ages 19 and up who are undocumented or who do not have satisfactory immigration status, which include but are not limited to:
-
Green card holders (not exempt from or have NOT met the 5-year waiting period ​
-
DACA Recipients
-
Some immigrants claiming PRUCOL
-
-
All other Medi-Cal benefits are still covered, including emergency dental services for severe pain, tooth extractions, infections, and other qualifying situations.
​
Monthly Premiums: July 2027
Starting July 1, 2027, some Medi-Cal members will need to pay a monthly fee (called a premium) to keep their full-scope Medi-Cal.​
​
-
Adults 19-59 years old and enrolled in Full-Scope Medi-Cal with no Dental will be required to pay $30 each month.
-
If you miss any monthly premium payments, you will have 90 days to catch up.
-
If you do not pay the full amount owed within 90 days, you will lose your Full Scope Medi-Cal with no Dental, and you may only qualify for Emergency care, Pregnancy-related care, nursing home care.
Those who will continue to have Medi-Cal:
-
If patients already have full-scope Medi-Cal, they can keep it, no matter their immigration status.
-
Patients must renew on time and still meet Medi-Cal rules.
-
If a patient's Medi-Cal ends, they have three months to sign up again.
-
If patients miss the three-month period, they must apply again. They will only be able to get restricted-scope Medi-Cal, which covers:
-
Emergency care
-
Pregnancy care
-
Nursing home care
-
Those who still receive full-scope Medi-Cal (including full-scope dental benefits), regardless of immigration status.
-
Children ages 0-18
-
Pregnant people (during pregnancy and for one year after)
-
People under age 26 who were in foster care on their 18th birthday
Important Steps to Keep Coverage
-
Keep your contact information up to date with Medi-Cal to avoid missing important notices.
-
Watch your mail, phone, text messages and email. The county uses all of those ways to contact members, so it’s important to monitor them all.
-
Respond to any letters from your local county Medi-Cal office and any other reminders from your health plan, community groups, or other trusted sources of information.
-
Continue going to your regular doctor appointments and don’t skip check-ups.
Resources to Give Patients
HCA Flyer: Medi-Cal Changes for Adult Immigrants in 2026 and 2027 → ​
​Arabic | Armenian | Cambodian | Chinese (Traditional) | Chinese (Simplified) | Farsi | Hindi | Hmong | Japanese | Korean | Lao | Punjabi | Russian | Spanish | Tagalog | Thai | Ukrainian | Vietnamese
TGI Health & Medi-Cal
The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) would like to remind providers that all medically necessary gender-affirming care services for Medi-Cal members are covered and Medi-Cal’s policies have not changed. Medi-Cal’s gender-affirming care policies are described in the Transgender and Gender Diverse Services section of the provider manual. The gender-affirming care benefits and policy in the provider manual apply to Medi-Cal members of all gender identities as long as the service is medically necessary and meets all other requirements for Medi-Cal coverage.
-
The 2026 PRIDE toolkit was created to help event organizers educate attendees about sexual health issues including mpox vaccination and HIV and STI testing while providing connections to services that will help keep them and their communities healthy. You will find posters, flyers, and sticker art files to choose from along with step-by-step instructions on how to produce these materials for distribution at your PRIDE event.
Registered Nursing | Supporting the Transgender Community: Gender Affirming Care Resources →
These resources are made available to anyone in the healthcare field, preparing as a student to work with diverse populations, including gender non-conforming youth, allies, educators, the transgender community, and more. You'll find research articles, helpful websites, links to organizations, and even legal and healthcare resources here. They hope you find these resources informative and helpful, no matter what part of your journey.