A single adult can now have a monthly income of $1,732 per month and retain their Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) Medi-Cal. The higher monthly income, an increase of $55 over 2023, is based on 138 percent of the federal poverty level.
Household Income Levels
Posts related to eligibility for health care programs based on household income such as Covered California, Medi-Cal, Medicare usually based on federal poverty levels.
2024 Covered California Open Enrollment Income Table
The orange percent column titles represent dollar amounts pertaining to the eligibility for Medi-Cal programs. For example, adults with incomes under 138 percent of the federal poverty level are eligible for Medi-Cal. There are specific columns for Medi-Cal for Pregnant Women, Medi-Cal for children under 19 years of age (266%), and Medi-Cal Access Program that corresponds with expanded children’s Medi-Cal in certain Bay Area counties (322%.)
Covered California’s Problems with Updating Income and Calculating Subsidies
The family did not understand what was going on. Why was their subsidy unilaterally changed by Covered California with no warning? They did not trust Covered California to get the numbers correct. I created a spreadsheet to see if the new subsidy and subsequent totals matched what they were eligible for at the estimated income.
Basic Income Types Covered California and How They Work
Annual income. When entered on income section, Covered California will take the total amount and divide it by 12 and distribute an equal amount in each month. For example, you enter an annual income amount of $12,000 beginning in January. Each month through December will be allotted $1,000 to add to your monthly income and annual income totals.
Revised Covered California 2023 Income Table
The income columns that have been updated to reflect the higher federal poverty levels are 138%, 213%, 266%, and 322%. All those income columns, based on household size, correspond to Medi-Cal eligibility for adults, Medi-Cal for Pregnant Women, Medi-Cal for Children, and Medi-Cal Assess Program and CCHIP for children in counties in San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties. The other income columns that are not tied to Medi-Cal eligibility remain unchanged from the 2023 open enrollment period.
Tax Credit or Repayment? Health Insurance Subsidies for 2022
Lines 24 through 26 of Part II of form 8962 determine if the household is eligible for an additional Premium Tax Credit. In this situation, the final household MAGI was slightly lower than estimated income amount of the Covered California application. The result is that the household is eligible for an additional $23 in Premium Tax Credit. They were eligible for an annual subsidy of $16,832, but only received $16,809.
MAGI Medi-Cal Income Eligibility For 2023 Increases Over 6%
In 2022, a single adult earning $1,564 or less per month (138% FPL) was eligible for Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) Medi-Cal. The 2023 FPL income levels increases approximately 6.70 percent. This means that a single adult can qualify for MAGI Medi-Cal in 2023 with a monthly income of $1,677. For 2 adults, the household income can go as high as $2,269 per month and still maintain Medi-Cal eligibility.
Medi-Cal versus Covered California Income, Who Decides?
Because Medi-Cal workers don’t understand or comprehend some of these sources of income, they terminate the Covered California enrollments of adults and children. This creates chaos for these families. An unknown, uninvited, and unauthorized individual accesses a Covered California application and makes an uneducated determination of the household’s income. Then this same elusive individual terminates coverage for individuals and families, some of them undergoing health care treatment with specific providers not in any Medi-Cal HMO network.
Relief for Crippling Employer Health Insurance Premiums – Covered California
The subsidy benefit for families burdened with crippling employer group health insurance premiums can be enormous. Unfortunately, acquiring the necessary employer information and calculating the affordability percentage can be daunting for some families. However, Covered California has created some worksheets and tools to help in the process.
Why Are Your Children Suddenly Medi-Cal in Covered California?
Many people do not update their income every year. While the income stays static, the threshold for Medi-Cal creeps up. The 2022 federal poverty levels are being applied for the 2023 Covered California subsidy and Medi-Cal eligibility. Many families are being caught by surprise that their current income is too low to maintain subsidies for their children.
