Low-Income Health Insurance in California
Medi-Cal, California's Medicaid program, provides health insurance to adults, children and families with low incomes.
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To get Medi-Cal, you have to make less than about $1,800 per month if you're single. Pregnant women can make up to $3,754 per month and get Medi-Cal, and they can make even more and get on the Medi-Cal Access Program. Children usually get cheap or free health insurance through Medi-Cal or the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP).
How to get free health insurance in California
The best way for most people with low incomes to get free health insurance in California is through Medi-Cal.
Medi-Cal is California's Medicaid program. Adults with or without children, pregnant women and children can all get Medi-Cal.
Program | Who it's for | Monthly income limit for a family of three |
|---|---|---|
| Medi-Cal for adults | Adults with low incomes | $3,065 |
| Medi-Cal for pregnant women | Pregnant women | $4,730 |
| Medi-Cal Access Program | Pregnant women | $4,730 to $7,151 |
| Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) | Children | $4,619 to $5,907 |
| Medi-Cal for children | Children | $5,907 |
California also has other programs, like the California Children’s Services (CCS); Family Planning, Access, Care, and Treatment (PACT); and the Aged, Blind and Disabled Federal Poverty Level (FPL) Program to help specific groups of people get coverage.
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Medi-Cal (California Medicaid) for adults
Adults in California can get Medicaid if they have a low enough income.
A single person has to make less than $1,800 per month to get Medicaid. For a family of three, the income limit is $3,065 each month. Medi-Cal pays for all or nearly all of your health care. That means your costs are very low, and health care can even be free.
Medi-Cal income limits for adults
Household size | Monthly income limit |
|---|---|
| 1 | $1,800 |
| 2 | $2,432 |
| 3 | $3,065 |
| 4 | $3,697 |
| 5 | $4,330 |
If you have more than eight people in your household, add $633 to the monthly income limit for each extra person.
You don't have to have children or a disability to get Medicaid in California. That's because California expanded its Medicaid program in 2014. The expansion allows anyone with a low enough income to get coverage.
California Medicaid for immigrants
Anyone who lives in California, regardless of immigration status, can get Medi-Cal if they meet the income requirements. Signing up for Medi-Cal won't affect your immigration status, and it allows you to go to the doctor, get medications and vaccines, get mental health care and more for free.
California Medicaid for pregnant women
Pregnant women in California with low incomes have two options for health insurance: Medi-Cal or the Medi-Cal Access Program (MCAP).
A single pregnant woman has to make less than $3,754 per month to get Medi-Cal. But if you make more — between $3,754 and $5,675 each month — you can get on the Medi-Cal Access Program. If you're on MCAP, the Medi-Cal Access Infant program could cover your baby for up to two years after birth.
Medi-Cal and MCAP income limits for pregnant women
To get coverage through the Medi-Cal Access Program, you can't have health insurance or be eligible for regular Medi-Cal. You also can't be eligible for Medicare, and you have to be less than 30 weeks pregnant when you sign up.
Medi-Cal (California Medicaid) for Children
Medi-Cal offers free or low-cost health coverage for eligible children in California.
To get on Medi-Cal for Children, you or your child has to be under age 19 and you have to meet the income requirements. A single parent with a child can make up to $4,688 per month, while a family of four can make up to $7,127 per month.
Medi-Cal income limits for children
Household size | Monthly income limit |
|---|---|
| 1 | $3,469 |
| 2 | $4,688 |
| 3 | $5,907 |
| 4 | $7,127 |
| 5 | $8,346 |
A single household member could be a child who doesn't live with a parent or other relative.
For households with more than eight people, add $1,219 per month to the income limit.
Other low-income health insurance plans for children in California
California has several other health insurance programs specifically for children who are part of families with low incomes. Each program has its own income limits, and some are only offered in certain areas or to children with specific health conditions.
The Children's Health Insurance Program is very similar to Medi-Cal, but it's designed specifically for children. To qualify, you or your child has to be 18 or younger and meet the income requirements.
For children ages six to 18, there is overlap between Medi-Cal and CHIP eligibility. You may want to talk to someone at Medi-Cal who can help you figure out which program is best. You can call Medi-Cal at 1-800-541-5555.
The County Children’s Health Initiative (CCHIP) is similar to the Medi-Cal for Children and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) but has higher income limits. That means you might be able to get it even if you can't get CHIP or Medi-Cal. However, CCHIP is only available in part of the Bay Area in San Mateo, San Francisco and Santa Clara counties.
You can only get CCHIP if you meet the income requirements.
Household size | Monthly income limit |
|---|---|
| 1 | $3,469 to $4,199 |
| 2 | $4,688 to $5,675 |
| 3 | $5,907 to $7,151 |
| 4 | $7,127 to $8,627 |
| 5 | $8,346 to $10,103 |
A single household member could be a child who doesn't live with a parent or other relative.
For households with more than eight people, add $1,476 per month to the income limit.
To get coverage from the County Children's Health Initiative, you also have to meet other requirements.
- Live in San Mateo, San Francisco or Santa Clara counties
- Be less than 20 years old
- Be uninsured and not eligible for Medi-Cal
- Be a citizen, national or lawfully-present immigrant
You also can't have access to a health insurance plan from your job, called group health insurance.
You don't have to pay anything for CCHIP coverage. You might sometimes pay a bit when you take your child to the doctor, but the amount is capped at $250 per year. Preventive care, vaccines and medications are always free with CCHIP.
The California Children's Services (CCS) program is for children in low-income families who also have certain medical conditions.
To get on CCS, you or your child has to:
- Live in California
- Be under 21
- Make less than $40,000 per year OR have medical bills that are more than 20% of your income
- Have a medical condition that CCS covers
CCS covers children with medical conditions that are physically disabling and require medical care. For example, children with heart disease, cancer, serious kidney problems, hearing loss or rheumatoid arthritis may qualify.
Covered California plans with rate discounts
If you make too much for Medi-Cal but still have trouble affording health insurance or health care, you could consider a plan from Covered California.
You can save on your monthly rate with rate discounts and you can save on health care with Enhanced Silver plans.
Covered California is California's state health insurance marketplace. It's where you can browse, compare and buy an Affordable Care Act (ACA) plan.
Rate discounts
If you make between $15,060 and $60,240 per year as a single person, you can get a discount on your monthly health insurance rates from Covered California.
In California, the average monthly rate for a policy with subsidies is $143 per month. That's less than one-fourth of the average cost for health insurance in California without a discount, which is $656 per month.
The discount is called a subsidy. You can use your subsidy to lower the cost of any Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum plan on the marketplace, no matter what company it's from.
Enhanced Silver plans
Enhanced Silver plans let you pay less for medical care. This type of discount is called a cost-sharing reduction.
California offers three Enhanced Silver plans: Silver 73, Silver 87 and Silver 94. None of the plans have a deductible, and they all have lower copays, coinsurance and out-of-pocket maximums compared to regular Silver plans.
You can figure out how much of your health care you'll pay for by looking at the number in the Enhanced Silver plan name. The number is the percentage of your medical bills that your insurance will pay for. You have to pay the rest.
For example, if you have a Silver 73 plan, your insurance will pay for 73% of your medical bills. You have to pay the remaining 27%.
As of 2025, anyone in California can get a Silver 73 plan, no matter what they make. If you have a low income, you can get a Silver 87 or Silver 94 plan, which pays for more of your medical bills.
Income limits for Enhanced Silver plans by household size
Plus, you can get rate discounts on Enhanced Silver plans. This gives you a cheaper monthly rate for the plan and cheaper medical bills when you go to the doctor.
Plans for members of federally recognized tribes
If you're a Native American or Alaska Native, you might be able to get a plan that gives you cheap medical care. There are two plans available: limited cost-sharing and zero cost-sharing.
- Limited cost-sharing plans require you to pay for some of your medical bills. However, you'll have lower deductibles, copays and coinsurance than you would with a regular plan.
- Zero cost-sharing plans pay for all of your covered medical care. If you can get one, you won't have to pay for covered medical care, with no deductible, copays or coinsurance to worry about.
Everyone in a federally recognized tribe, no matter how much they make, can get a limited cost-sharing plan. To get a zero-cost-sharing plan, you have to meet income limits.
Income limits for a zero cost-sharing plan
Household size | Monthly income limit |
|---|---|
| 1 | $1,255 to $3,765 |
| 2 | $1,703 to $5,110 |
| 3 | $2,152 to $6,455 |
| 4 | $2,600 to $7,800 |
| 5 | $3,048 to $9,145 |
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Other cheap or free health insurance options in California
Community health centers are a good option for a lot of people, because they provide health care services at low costs based on your income. California also has programs to help people access reproductive health care and for seniors and those with disabilities.
Community health centers
Community health centers can give you access to primary medical care, dental and vision care, mental health services and women's health care. The amount you pay is based on your income and how many people are in your family. The less you make, the less you'll have to pay for medical care.
You can use find a community health center using this search tool from the Department of Health and Human Services.
Family Planning, Access, Care, and Treatment (PACT)
The Family Planning, Access, Care, and Treatment (PACT) program gives you free family planning services and reproductive health care. You have to live in California, have a medical need for family planning care, and make below a certain amount.
Household size | Monthly income limit |
|---|---|
| 1 | $2,608 |
| 2 | $3,525 |
| 3 | $4,442 |
| 4 | $5,358 |
| 5 | $6,275 |
You might still be able to get coverage through the Family PACT program even if you have Medi-Cal or other health insurance.
Programs for seniors and people with disabilities
California has two programs for seniors and people with disabilities who also have low incomes.
The Aged, Blind and Disabled Federal Poverty Level (FPL) Program helps seniors and people who are blind or have disabilities get Medi-Cal. To qualify, you have to be 65 or older, be blind or have a disability.
You also have to meet the income requirements, which are the same as regular Medi-Cal.
Household size | Monthly income limit |
|---|---|
| 1 | $1,800 |
| 2 | $2,432 |
| 3 | $3,065 |
| 4 | $3,697 |
| 5 | $4,330 |
For each person over the tenth, add $634 to the monthly income limit.
This program helps you get Medi-Cal when you are disabled and still working. You also have to have a low income.
Household size | Monthly income limit |
|---|---|
| 1 | $3,263 |
| 2 | $4,408 |
| 3 | $5,553 |
| 4 | $6,700 |
| 5 | $7,845 |
If you have more than 10 people in your household, add $1,148 per month to the income limit for each additional person.
To join the 250% Working Disabled Program (WDP), you also have to meet other requirements.
- Be disabled according to the Social Security Administration (SSA)
- Work in some capacity. This includes self-employment or working for a friend, family member or neighbor
- Show proof that you are working
- Meet the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or State Supplementary Payment (SSP) income rules
- Be a citizen or have a satisfactory immigration status
Frequently asked questions
What is the health insurance for low-income people in California?
The California health insurance program for people with low incomes is called Medi-Cal. Medi-Cal offers free or low-cost health coverage to people with low incomes, including adults, pregnant women and children. Children can also get coverage from the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP).
What if I can't afford health insurance in CA?
If you can't afford health insurance, you might be able to get cheap or free care from Medi-Cal, California's Medicaid program. If you're single, you have to make less than $1,800 per month to get on Medi-Cal. If you make too much for Medicaid, you should shop for a plan on Covered CA. If you make between $1,255 and $5,020 per month, you could get rate discounts on a plan from Covered CA.
Who is eligible for the Affordable Care Act in California?
You can buy an Affordable Care Act (ACA) plan, sometimes called an Obamacare plan, from the Covered California website if you don't have health insurance through your job or if the health insurance you could get from your job is unaffordable. To get discounts on your rate, you have to make between $15,060 and $60,240 per year if you're single or between $31,200 and $124,800 per year if you're part of a family of four.
Methodology and sources
Health insurance rates for 2025 are from the Covered California state health insurance exchange. The rates are based on a 40-year-old with a Silver plan unless another plan level is noted.
The rates for plans with subsidies applied is from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). This rate is for everyone who purchased a plan during the 2024 open enrollment period and got advance premium tax credits (APTCs) on their monthly bill.
Info about low-income health insurance in California comes from the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCA), CMS, Covered CA, FamilyPACT.org, the Health Resources & Services Administration, KFF, the Los Angeles Department of Public Social Services and the National Academy for State Health Policy.
About the Author
Insurance Writer
Cate Deventer is a ValuePenguin writer who specializes in health insurance, Medicare, auto and home insurance. She's been a licensed insurance agent since 2011.
She started her insurance career working as a customer service agent for State Farm. She later moved to an independent agency, where she worked with several insurance companies and hundreds of clients. She quoted policies, filed claims and answered insurance questions. In 2021, she pivoted her career and began writing about insurance for Bankrate. She moved to ValuePenguin in 2023 and began writing about health insurance and Medicare.
Cate has a passion for helping readers choose insurance to fit their needs. She enjoys knowing that her research and knowledge help people choose insurance products that make a positive difference in their lives.
How insurance helped Cate
Cate used her health insurance knowledge to navigate a surgery in 2023. Understanding how her policy worked let her focus on recovery instead of worrying about bills.
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