Long Term Care

Long-Term Care Medi-Cal pays for care received in a hospital or nursing facility which lasts or is expected to last at least one full calendar month after the month of admission. If you reside in a nursing home (also known as long-term care facility) or need nursing home care, Medi-Cal could pay for all or part of the care and services you receive.

Covered Services

Nursing Home and Convalescent Care
Comprehensive Preventive Care
Primary and Specialty Care
Office Visits
Vision and Dental Care
Mental Health Services
Hospitalization
Prescription Medicines

Basic Eligibility Requirements

You must reside in California.
You must provide verification of income, property/resources, and other necessary information if requested.
Effective July 1, 2022, your countable property/resources must not exceed:
- $130,000 for an individual, or
- For married persons or Registered Domestic Partners,
  special rules may apply that allow the spouse/partner at
  home to keep additional property that belongs to the person
  in Long-Term Care.

Additional information on Property limitations.

You must be receiving or expected to receive care for at least 30 days after the month of admission in a:
- Hospital
- Skilled Nursing Facility
- Intermediate Care Facility (ICF)
- Convalescent Home

Income Requirements

Single Person:

There is no income limit, but most of your income will be used to pay the nursing facility where you reside.

Married Persons or Registered Domestic Partners:

Special rules may apply that allow the spouse/partner at home to keep additional income that belongs to the person in Long-Term Care

Estate Recovery

Estate Recovery applies to individuals who receive Long-Term Care
Medi-Cal.

Click Estate Recovery Program for more information.

Citizenship/Immigration Requirements

If you have Satisfactory Immigration Status, you may be eligible for Full-Scope Medi-Cal benefits.

If you have a non-satisfactory immigration status you may be eligible for Full-Scope Medi-Cal benefits regardless of your immigration status, if all other eligibility requirements are met and you are a:

Child between the age of 0 to 18
Young adult between the age of 19 to 25

Adults between the age of 26 to 49 with non-satisfactory immigration Status may be eligible for Restricted-Scope Medi-Cal benefits, if all other eligibility requirements are met.

Effective May 1, 2022, adults age 50 or older may be eligible for Full-Scope Medi-Cal benefits regardless of their immigration status, if all other eligibility requirements are met.

Renewal Requirements

Your Medi-Cal eligibility must be reviewed at least once a year.

Apply On-Line with BenefitsCal

The easiest and quickest way is to apply online at BenefitsCal.

Apply By Phone

You can apply by phone. Call the Customer Service Center (CSC) (866) 613-3777 to have an application mailed to you.

Apply In Person

You can apply In person at any Department of Public Social Services (DPSS) District Office or outreach site.

Find the LA County services and facilities that serve your area

Applicants for Long-Term Care must answer “Yes” to the question “Do you need help with long-term care or home and community-based services?” on the application.

If you are residing in a Nursing Facility: Applications are available at most Nursing Homes throughout Los Angeles County.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you are a single person, eligible to Long-Term Care Medi-Cal and reside in a nursing home, you may keep $35 from your income for personal expenses plus any Medicare or insurance premiums (medical, dental, etc.) The remainder of your income will be used to pay the nursing home or Long-Term Care facility.

If you are married, eligible to Long-Term Care Medi-Cal and reside in a nursing facility while your spouse lives at home, you can designate some or all your income to your spouse at home. The amount you can designate depends on the income of your spouse. For more details on how much income you can designate to your spouse at home, please ask your eligibility worker.

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