Planning for Medicaid eligibility in California requires understanding how state-specific financial rules are applied. While Medicaid is a federal program, eligibility is administered at the state level, and limits can vary. In California, the CA Dept. of Health Care Services (Medi-Cal) sets the rules and limits on Medicaid qualification.

Asset Limits
To qualify for long-term care Medicaid in California, applicants must remain under specific asset thresholds:

• Individual applicant asset limit: $130,000
• Spouse asset limit: $162,660

Assets above these limits may affect eligibility. Certain assets may be excluded or treated differently under state rules.

Lookback Period
California applies a 60 month lookback period when reviewing Medicaid applications. During this time, asset transfers are reviewed to determine whether they impact eligibility. Transfers made during the lookback period may result in a penalty period of Medicaid ineligibility.

Qualification Strategies
There are several different Medicaid Qualification strategies that are used in California:

• Home Equity Increase (within California's allowed limits)
• Qualifying Debt Payoff
• Irrevocable Final Expense Planning

We cover information regarding these strategies and more in our free eBook.