Patient Resources
The Asset Rules Changed in Your Favor
For most Medi-Cal categories, California no longer counts your assets at all. If old rules kept you from applying, it is time to look again.
Written by the Health Service Alliance care team. Updated July 2026.
The big change
For years, savings accounts, second cars, and modest nest eggs disqualified people from Medi-Cal. California eliminated the asset test for most Medi-Cal categories, meaning eligibility now rests on income, not on what you own. People who were denied years ago under asset rules may qualify today.
What this means in practice
- Your savings account does not count against you in most categories
- Your car, your home, and your retirement funds are not the barrier they once were
- Renewals focus on income documentation
- Some specialized programs, like certain long-term-care arrangements, can still have their own rules: check specifics at dhcs.ca.gov
Get Help
What do you need today?
A few quick taps, completely confidential. Answer right here on the page.
If an old denial is why you never re-applied
This is the article to act on. Rules changed in your favor, applying is free, and our team walks you through it at any center. The worst case is a clear answer; the best case is comprehensive coverage you have been living without unnecessarily.
Check your situation with us
Bring a pay stub and ten minutes. We will look at your household against current rules, help you apply if it fits, and set up the sliding-fee discount if it does not.
We accept Medi-Cal, Medicare, and most plans
No insurance, or not sure what you have? You are still welcome, and our team helps you apply for Medi-Cal.
Sliding-fee scale available based on household income.
- Medi-Cal and Medicare welcomeAlong with IEHP and most major plans.
- Free coverage checkWe call you back with a clear answer.
- Sliding-fee scaleCosts adjusted to your income when you are uninsured.
Frequently Asked Questions
Straight answers to the questions we hear most. Anything else? Call us, day or night.
Do I have to sell anything to qualify now?
For most categories, no: assets are simply not counted. Eligibility rests on household income.
I was denied years ago because of savings. Worth trying again?
Yes, genuinely. That denial happened under rules that no longer exist for most categories.
Where do I verify the current rules?
The official source is dhcs.ca.gov, and benefitscal.com applies current rules automatically when you apply. Or bring your questions to any of our centers.
Your family deserves good care, close to home.
Request an appointment or check your coverage. Medi-Cal and most plans accepted, and nobody is turned away for inability to pay.