Bethany K. Laurence

California's Medicaid program (called Medi-Cal) provides health care coverage for people with low incomes. Historically, needs-based programs like Medi-Cal and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) have had strict limits on income and assets like bank accounts and real estate. In 2024, California removed the asset limit for Medi-Cal coverage, making more people eligible for coverage.

If Medi-Cal paid for your long-term care, California can try to recover those costs from your estate after you die, with a process known as Medi-Cal estate recovery. Many families worry about losing a home or savings to cover this debt. The good news is that estate recovery has limits: California can only collect from your "probate estate" and offers many exemptions as well as hardship waivers for some situations.

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a needs-based program for seniors and people with disabilities whose income and resources fall below specific limits. How much income you have affects both your eligibility for SSI benefits and the amount you receive each month. SSI pays up to the federal benefit rate ($943 per month in 2024), minus any countable income. But not all income counts for SSI purposes, and not all countable income is cash.