Description

Medi-Cal

Medi-Cal provides programs of comprehensive medical services for California residents.

Information

Medi-Cal Rules Have Changed

Eligibility

Generally, public assistance recipients, pregnant women and children under 21 years of age are eligible for Medi-Cal benefits. All residents of California may qualify for Medi-Cal. If you are residing in California and plan to remain permanently, you may be eligible for one of the Medi-Cal programs. You can prove that you are a California resident with one of the following:

• California driver’s license (DL)
• California identification (ID) card
• Lease or rent receipt
• Utility or telephone bill
• Letter from family or friends
• Letter from an employer
• Alien registration card

NOTE: You do not need to be a citizen to receive Medi-Cal benefits. Many California residents who are not U.S. citizens are eligible for Medi-Cal. Groups covered by Medi-Cal include:

• Families receiving CalWORKs (formerly AFDC)
• Low-income families who choose not to receive CalWORKs
• Families leaving CalWORKs due to earnings or receipt of child support
• Pregnant women
• Children in low income families
• People who are disabled, aged (65 years or older) or blind
• Many different types of immigrants

Income and property rules

Your monthly income and the value of any other property (such as a bank account) must be below the level allowed for Medi-Cal eligibility. The amount of income allowed by Medi-Cal depends upon your individual situation.

Some kinds of income and property are exempt (not counted). Examples of exempt income include SSI, CAPI and CalWORKs cash benefits. Exempt property includes your home (if you live in your home), at least one motor vehicle, your household furnishings and personal property.

The following groups can now receive Medi-Cal regardless of the family’s property:

• Children age 1-5 with income at or below 133% of the federal poverty level
• Children age 6-18 with income at or below 100% of the federal poverty level
• Pregnant women and children under 1 year of age with income at or below 200% of the federal poverty level.

How to apply

In Person

If you wish to apply in person, you may go to one of the following Alameda County Social Services Agency public contact offices Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and Noon and from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

By Mail

You may apply for Medi-Cal by mail, please call (510) 777-2300 or 1-800-698-1118(toll free) to request a Medi-Cal Mail -In Application and Instructions booklet. Remember, whether you take your application to the SSA or you mail it, you should not pay anyone to help you with the completion of this application.

Online

To apply for Medi-Cal online, please click onto the following Benefits CalWIN link: www.mybenefitscalwin.org

 

Medical Care for Elders & Disabled Adults

The Department of Adult and Aging Services process specialized medi-cal programs for individuals who are aged, blind or disabled. These specialized programs provide the benefit of paying only part of the medicare premiums, co-payments and deductables for certain low income individuals who qualify. Applications may be made at the County Social Services Agency. It may be possible to apply by telephone depending on individual situations.

Regular full scope Medi-Cal applications are still handled by the Workforce and Benefits Administration.

Individuals may have regular full scope Medi-Cal coverage and those who are on SSI have full scope Medi-Cal linked to the SSI program, however that coverage does not include all of the coverage provided by the QMB; SLMB; QI-1 QI-2 Medi-Cal programs described below.

To be eligible for any of these programs certain eligibility factors have to be met.

1. A person must be eligible for Medi-care Part A.
2. Have property at or below twice the regular Medi-Cal property limits.
3. Meet income level requirements.
4. Be otherwise eligible for Medi-Cal (i.e. residency, linkage, etc.).

Mental Health

The Social Services Agency contracts with Alameda County Behavioral Health Care Services (BHCS) to provide mental health services to eligible CalWORKs Welfare to Work program participants with barriers to employment. Services are also available for the participants’ children, if the children’s conditions cause barriers to the parent’s employment.

Welfare to Work participants can be referred to one of the contracted providers located throughout Alameda County.  Services may be individual, group, or family, and include support groups and medication evaluation/support.  Providers have the capacity to serve customers who speak Spanish, Farsi, Cantonese, Cambodian and Vietnamese.  A referral can be requested by calling the Support Services Specialist at the numbers below:

North County Self Sufficiency Center (510) 271-0539Eastmont Self Sufficiency Center (510) 383-5347Eden Area Multi-Service Center (Hayward)(510) 259-2277

Other individuals may receive referrals to non-CalWORKs funded Mental Health services by calling ACCESS at 1-800-491-9099.

Alcohol & Drug Addiction

The Social Services Agency contracts with Alameda County Behavioral Health Care Services (BHCS) to provide Substance Use Treatment services to all eligible individual in The Social Services Agency’s programs. Individuals can call the Substance Use Treatment and Referral Helpline to receive information and referrals for substance use services.

The number for the Substance Use Treatment and Referral Helpline is 1-844-682-7215 and is available 24 hours a day/7 days a week.

The following substance use treatment services that are available to all Alameda County residence include:

• Opioid Treatment Program (OTP) /Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT);
• Withdrawal management: 24/7 clinically managed detoxification and sobering support
• Residential Services;
• Recovery Residence (aka: Sober Living Environments)
• Intensive Outpatient Treatment;
• Outpatient Treatment; and
• Recovery Support Services: services to help the client develop both internal and external resources to support ongoing self-management.

The Helpline staff are able to provide information and referrals in languages other than English. For more information, please visit http://www.acbhcs.org/substance-use-treatment/

 

Health Care Reform

What’s Important to Know

Facts:

• Most U.S. citizens and legal residents will be required to have health insurance.
• Individuals may qualify for financial assistance to help buy private insurance. If they do, the federal government will pay part of the monthly cost of their insurance.
• Individuals will buy insurance through an insurance marketplace, called Covered California.
• Covered California will open for enrollment October 2013.
• In 2014, Medi-Cal will be expanded to cover more people, including childless adults.

What is the difference between Health Care Reform, ObamaCare and the Affordable Care Act?

They are one in the same. On March 23, 2010, President Obama signed into law, The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Health Care Reform or ObamaCare, with a primary objective to increase the number of Americans with health insurance and cut the overall costs of health care. The new law expands the Medi-Cal program and provides financial assistance to help individuals, families, and small businesses pay for health insurance. To assist those without insurance to get coverage, ACA required California to set up an insurance exchange focused on providing a centralized place to compare and buy health insurance. The exchange is known as Covered California and is designed to work with counties to provide comprehensive access to all available health coverage options.

Must everyone have health insurance?

Yes. The ACA stipulates that health insurance will be required starting January 1, 2014. That means everyone must get or have health insurance. This law was passed to help more people obtain affordable health care.

Are there any exceptions to this law?

Yes. Some individuals will not be fined if they do not get insurance. Individuals may not have to pay a fine if:

• They cannot find insurance that costs less than 8% of their household income.
• They are a Native American, religious objector, or in prison, or their income is low but they do not qualify for any government program.

THERE IS NO WRONG DOOR TO HEALTH COVERAGE

There are many ways to apply for benefits:

• Online at:
  • www.coveredca.com
  • www.mybenefitscalwin.org
• By telephone
  • 1-800-300-1506
• In person at any of the Social Services Agency offices listed below:
  • 2000 San Pablo Ave Oakland, Ca 94612
  • 24111 Amador St. Hayward CA, 94544
  • 8477 Enterprise Way, Oakland Ca, 94621
  • 39155 Liberty St, Suite 330, Fremont Ca, 94536
  • 6955 Foothill Blvd, Oakland, CA 94605
• By mail at:
  • 8477 Enterprise Way, Oakland Ca, 94544
• At various community locations throughout the County.

For more information on Medi-Cal Health Coverage in Alameda County go to:

www.alamedasocialservices.org

www.mybenefitscalwin.org

For more information on Health Care Reform throughout California go to:

www.coveredca.com

Disclaimer: The community resource directory information is deemed accurate and up-to-date, however, you should always contact the agency or provider to confirm this information and make an appointment. Be sure to confirm payment information with the provider, if payment is required. We are not affiliated to any of the organizations listed in this app/website. The information provided in this app/site is for the benefit of the community and and we are not liable for any information changed from the date we published this information. Please contact us if you like to make any changes in the information by emailing beracahsites@gmail.com