Does UCLA take Medi-Cal patients?

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Yes, UCLA Health accepts Medi-Cal, but coverage depends on your specific health plan and provider.

What is Covered

  • Hospitals: UCLA Health hospitals (such as Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center and UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center) accept Medi-Cal.
  • Managed Care Plans: UCLA Health has contracts with specific Medi-Cal managed care plans, including L.A. Care Health Plan.
  • Doctors and Specialists: Not all UCLA Health physicians or specialty clinics accept Medi-Cal. You must verify coverage with the individual doctor or clinic before scheduling an appointment.

How to Check Your Coverage

  • Review the UCLA Health Accepted Insurance Guide for general plan details.
  • Call the UCLA Health insurance and billing department at 310-301-8700 to confirm if your exact Medi-Cal plan or doctor is in-network.

Which doctors in Los Angeles accept Medi-Cal?

You can find and book doctors in Los Angeles who accept Medi-Cal using the official Medi-Cal Managed Care Health Care Options search tool or booking platforms like Zocdoc.

Local Clinics and Hospitals

  • Adventist Health White Memorial4.4(4.7K)HospitalBoyle Heights
    A major teaching hospital located at 1720 E Cesar E Chavez Ave (Phone: 323-268-5000) that serves a high volume of Medi-Cal and Medicare patients.
  • United Care Family Medical Center4.2(27)Medical clinicPico-Union
    Located at 2324 W Pico Blvd (Phone: 213-383-3600), offering family practice and primary care services.
  • Complete Care Community Health Center2.5(50)Medical clinicBoyle Heights
    Offers primary care, pediatrics, and women's health across multiple L.A.-area locations.
  • Los Angeles County Department of Health Services
    Operates public clinics and helps patients enroll in Medi-Cal or financial assistance programs.

Major Managed Care Plans in L.A.

Most Medi-Cal recipients in Los Angeles are enrolled in managed care plans through networks like L.A. Care Health Plan or Health Net. You must check with your specific plan to confirm whether a provider is in-network and if you need to list them as your Primary Care Provider (PCP).

What is the 3 month rule for Medi-Cal?

The "3-month rule" in Medi-Cal most commonly refers to the three-month grace period to re-enroll after losing coverage, or historically, the 3-month retroactive coverage period for past medical bills.

1. Three-Month Re-enrollment Grace Period

  • What it is: If your full-scope Medi-Cal coverage ends (such as missing a renewal deadline), you have a 3-month window to sign up again and restore your full benefits.
  • Who it affects: Recently, under updated enrollment guidelines for certain adult groups (such as specific adult immigrants or those undergoing eligibility transitions), missing this 3-month re-application window means you may lose full-scope coverage and be downgraded to restricted-scope Medi-Cal (which only covers emergency, pregnancy, and nursing home care).
  • Managed Care Plan Protection: If you temporarily lose Medi-Cal and re-enroll within 3-month grace parameters, you can also retain your previous health plan.

2. Retroactive Coverage (Past Medical Bills)

  • What it is: Medi-Cal previously allowed up to 3 months of retroactive coverage, meaning the program could help pay for medical services you received in the three months before the month you officially applied, provided you were eligible during those months.
  • Current Limits: Due to recent federal policy adjustments, retroactive coverage has been shortened for many groups (reduced to 1 month for ACA expansion adults and 2 months for children, older adults, and individuals with disabilities). You must request retroactive help through your local county social services office within one year of receiving the service.

What race is the most uninsured?

American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) and Hispanic people have the highest uninsured rates in the United States.

According to data from KFF, the uninsured rates for people under age 65 break down as follows:

  • American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN): 18.9%
  • Hispanic: 18.4%
  • Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (NHPI): 12.3%
  • Black: 10.1%
  • White: 6.8%
  • Asian: 5.7%

What insurances does UCLA Health accept?

UCLA Health accepts a wide range of major health insurance plans, including most PPOs, HMOs, POS plans, Medicare, and Medi-Cal.

You can view the full provider guidelines and general breakdown directly on the UCLA Health Accepted Insurance Types page.

Accepted Insurance Categories

  • Government Programs: Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage, and Medi-Cal (note that while UCLA Health hospitals accept Medi-Cal, not all individual doctors do).
  • Employer-Sponsored & Individual Plans: Various local and national PPO, HMO, and POS networks.
  • Covered California: Specific individual and family exchange plans (such as select Blue Shield PPO and L.A. Care options).
  • Specialized Care: Coverage for behavioral health as well as organ and stem cell transplants.

Because coverage can change by specific medical group, individual physician, or specific employer tier, it is always recommended to verify your exact policy. You can check your network status using the UCLA Health Open Enrollment Guide or call their insurance verification line directly at 310-301-8700 or 1-800-UCLA-MD1 (1-800-825-2631).

Preparing for your procedure at UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center

9 related questions found

Do UCLA doctors accept Medi-Cal?

UCLA Health accepts Medi-Cal, but coverage depends on your specific managed care plan and whether your individual doctor participates in that network.

Medi-Cal Acceptance Details

  • Managed Care Plans: You must be enrolled in a Medi-Cal plan that contracts directly with UCLA Health, such as certain options through L.A. Care Health Plan.
  • Individual Providers: Not all UCLA Health physicians participate in every plan or accept Medi-Cal.
  • Primary Care vs. Specialist: Most patients need a designated UCLA Primary Care Provider (PCP) or proper network assignment/authorization to access specialty care.
  • Community Consensus: Users on Reddit note that seeing a UCLA doctor through Medi-Cal strictly requires verification that your exact medical group and doctor are in-network under your specific plan.

How to Confirm Coverage

  • Check the UCLA Health Insurance Guide for accepted plans.
  • Call the UCLA Physician Referral Service at 1-800-UCLA-MD1 (1-800-822-2631) or your specific doctor's office before scheduling an appointment.
  • Contact your Medi-Cal managed care plan provider directory to verify network inclusion.

What is the income limit for Medi-Cal in 2026?

For most adults aged 19 to 64, the 2026 Medi-Cal income limit is 138% of the Federal Poverty Level, which is $1,800 per month ($21,597 per year) for a single person.

Income Limits by Household Size (138% FPL)

For standard MAGI-based Medi-Cal (adults, expansion groups):

  • 1 person: $1,800 / month ($21,597 / year)
  • 2 people: $2,432 / month ($29,187 / year)
  • 3 people: $3,065 / month ($36,777 / year)
  • 4 people: $3,697 / month ($44,367 / year)
  • 5 people: $4,330 / month ($51,957 / year)

You can check complete, official household charts directly through the Department of Health Care Services Eligibility Chart.

Limits for Other Groups

  • Children and Pregnant Individuals: Qualify at higher thresholds, up to 266% of the Federal Poverty Level (~$3,774/month for a single-person household).
  • Aged, Blind & Disabled (ABD): The basic non-MAGI limit sits around $1,801/month for a single individual (factoring in California's standard income disregard).
  • Working Disabled Program: Allows higher earnings up to 250% of the FPL (~$3,260/month for individuals).

Is Trump cutting Medi-Cal?

President Donald Trump's 2025 tax and budget legislation enacted federal cuts to Medicaid, which is leading to significant funding reductions and new restrictions for California's Medi-Cal program.

Impact on Medi-Cal

  • Funding Reductions: Federal legislation is projected to cut Medicaid spending by roughly $1 trillion nationally over a decade, translating to an estimated loss of around $30 billion per year for Medi-Cal in California.
  • Work and Eligibility Rules: The changes impose new 80-hour monthly work or community engagement requirements, more frequent six-month verification rules, and reduced retroactive coverage limits.
  • Coverage Loss: Policy analysts and state reports (such as those from CalMatters) estimate that millions of residents could lose coverage or face stricter qualification limits due to these federal shifts and related administrative changes.
  • Immigrant Eligibility: Federal rules have narrowed full-scope Medicaid definitions for certain non-citizens, though state adjustments have attempted temporary stopgap coverage for some impacted groups.

Further administrative actions by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) continue to roll out rules that expand these federal cuts.

What is the downside of Medi-Cal?

The primary downsides of Medi-Cal include limited doctor networks, longer wait times for appointments, and strict income or asset rules.

Limited Provider Access and Wait Times

  • Fewer Doctors: Many physicians and specialists do not accept Medi-Cal because the state reimbursement rates are lower than private insurance or Medicare.
  • Longer Waits: Finding a doctor who takes new Medi-Cal patients can be difficult, leading to longer wait times for specialized care.
  • Restricted Networks: Your choice of hospitals and medical groups may be more restricted compared to private plans found through Covered California.

Strict Rules and Paperwork

  • Income and Asset Limits: Qualification depends strictly on your income, and certain programs enforce asset limits or look-back periods on transferred property or gifts.
  • Renewal Challenges: You must complete regular renewal paperwork. Missing a notice or failing to update your address can result in losing coverage due to administrative errors.

How much money can I have in my bank account for Medi-Cal?

How much money you can have in your bank account for Medi-Cal depends on which type of Medi-Cal program you are enrolled in.

The asset and resource rules for California's Medicaid program operate under the following limits:

1. Most Adults & Children (MAGI Medi-Cal)

If you qualify for Medi-Cal based primarily on your income (such as lower-income adults ages 19–64, pregnant individuals, and parents/children), there is no asset limit. Your bank account balance, savings, and investments do not affect your eligibility at all; only your monthly income is evaluated.

2. Older Adults & People with Disabilities (Non-MAGI Medi-Cal)

If you are age 65 or older, blind, disabled, or need long-term nursing home care, California has reinstated asset tests.

  • Current Limit (Through June 30, 2027): You can have up to $130,000 in countable assets for an individual ($195,000 for a married couple). You can add $65,000 for each additional household member up to 10 people.
  • Upcoming Limit (Starting July 1, 2027): The asset limit is scheduled to drop to $21,000 for an individual and $31,000 for a couple (plus $1,550 for each additional household member).

Note: Money in checking, savings, and digital wallets (like Venmo or Apple Pay) all count toward these totals. However, your primary home, one vehicle, and household goods are exempt from being counted.

3. SSI-Linked Medi-Cal

If you receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI), your Medi-Cal is automatically tied to your SSI eligibility. SSI retains a strict federal bank account and resource limit of $2,000 for a single person or $3,000 for a married couple.

How to protect your savings

If you have a disability and are worried about the asset limit, you can save money without affecting your Medi-Cal eligibility by using a CalABLE Account. CalABLE allows eligible individuals to save up to $529,000 tax-free for qualified disability expenses, and these funds are entirely excluded from standard Medi-Cal asset limits.

For more details on what resources are counted and how to complete your renewals, you can review the official California Department of Health Care Services Asset FAQs.