2026 Medi-Cal Redetermination FAQs
Enrollment Freeze: January 1, 2026
Under the FY2025-26 CA state budget, California will again consider immigration status as a factor in determining eligibility for full scope Medi-Cal. Starting January 1, 2026, Medi-Cal will “freeze” new enrollment into full scope Medi-Cal for certain adults who are undocumented or have specific unsatisfactory immigration statuses (UIS).People with these immigration statuses who are not already enrolled by December 31, 2025 will no longer be able to enroll in full scope Medi-Cal, even if they qualified before under state-funded programs. They will be limited to restricted/emergency or pregnancy Medi-Cal.
Adults 19 and older who do not have an immigration status eligible for full scope Medi-Cal – includes adults who are undocumented or who are unable to verify their status, adult asylum applicants, adults with Temporary Protected Status (TPS), adult Visitor/Student/Work Visa Holders, and adults with Deferred Enforced Departure. (See DHCS chart here)
The “freeze” does not apply to: children (ages 0-18), individuals who are pregnant, Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs), Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients, people granted refugee or asylee status, Cuban and Haitian entrants, Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) petitioners, U visa applicants/holders, human trafficking survivors, Compact of Free Association (COFA) migrants, and people paroled into the U.S. Individuals identified as newly qualified immigrants (NQI) under the five-year bar, or Permanently Residing Under Color of Law (PRUCOL) will remain eligible for state-funded full scope Medi-Cal.
People already enrolled in full scope Medi-Cal will remain covered no matter their immigration status, as long as they remain eligible and complete their required renewals on time.
If coverage stops because of a late renewal or missing paperwork, people have 90 days to fix it and stay enrolled in full scope coverage. If they lose coverage, and cannot fix it in time, they will not be able to enroll in full scope coverage again, they will only be eligible for restricted/emergency or pregnancy Medi-Cal.
December 31, 2025. For applications received January 1 or later, people with impacted statuses will only be eligible for restricted/emergency or pregnancy Medi-Cal (pregnancy Medi-Cal provides full scope benefits).
Asset Limit Returns: Asset information will be required to determine Medi-Cal
Eligibility for individuals who are:
- Age 65 and older
- Disabled
- In need of Long-Term Care
Starting January 1, 2026, Medi-Cal will look at your assets (things you own) to decide if you can get or keep coverage. This means you’ll need to share additional documentation and information about what you own when you apply for or renew your Medi-Cal.
An asset limit is the most you can own and still qualify for Medi-Cal. The limit is $130,000 for one person. Add $65,000 for each additional family member (up to 10 people). There may be higher asset limits for some married couples and registered domestic partners (ask your county office about “Spousal Impoverishment” to see if you qualify).
This applies if you:
- Are 65 or older
- Have a disability (physical, mental, or developmental)
- Live in a nursing home
- Are in a family that is over the income for Medi-Cal using federal tax rules
Assets are things you own that have a monetary value. Assets include:
- Bank accounts (Checking, Saving, CD balances)
- Cash
- Secondary vehicles and homes (Secondary homes meaning homes you own, but not live in)
- Stocks, bonds, and investments accounts
- Other financial resources, no matter where those items are located
Assets also include things you own jointly with others.
Some Assets Do Not Count. Some things you own do not count towards the asset limit, such as:
- The home you live in
- One vehicle
- Household items
- Certain retirement accounts
Not all assets count toward the asset limit, but all assets should be reported so the county Medi-Cal office can make an official decision.
You do not need to do anything right now. If you already have Medi-Cal, you must report your assets when you renew your coverage on or after January 1, 2026.
Dental Changes: July 1, 2026
Under the FY2025-26 CA state budget, starting July 1, 2026, dental benefits will no longer be provided to adult Medi-Cal members 19 years or older who do not have satisfactory immigration status.
Adults age 19 and over with “unsatisfactory immigration status.” This includes: LPRs who are not exempt from/have not yet met the 5-year waiting period; people who are undocumented or cannot prove they have satisfactory immigration status; DACA recipients; people with TPS; asylum applicants with work authorization; people paroled into the US for less than one year; U visa applicants; visitor/student/work visa holders; people with Deferred Enforced Departure. (Please refer to full list here)
Children ages 0-18 years old, pregnant individuals, citizens, LPR who are exempt or have met the 5-year waiting period, refugees and asylees, Cuban/Haitian immigrants, COFA migrants, VAWA self-petitioners, people paroled into the U.S. for more than one year, and U visa holders. (Please refer to DHCS chart here)
Yes, emergency dental care (such as treatment for severe pain or infection and tooth extractions) will still be covered for everyone, no matter what their immigration status.
Pregnancy Medi-Cal provides full dental benefits during pregnancy and for up to one year after the pregnancy ends.
No, just the elimination of dental coverage. All other covered services under Medi-Cal remain the same.
Yes, DHCS is sending letters to people notifying them of the change to their benefits.
We do not know. The state has not provided this information to providers yet. Health centers do not ask patients about their immigration status and health centers cannot tell from existing information which adult patients are UIS and will lose dental coverage.
Yes, full dental coverage remains in place for Medi-Cal members through June 30, 2026.