What health insurance is Medi-Cal?
Asked by: Prof. Dashawn O'Connell III | Last update: September 15, 2025Score: 4.1/5 (56 votes)
What type of health insurance is Medi-Cal?
Medi-Cal is California's Medicaid health care program. This program pays for a variety of medical services for children and adults with limited income and resources. Medi-Cal is supported by federal and state taxes.
Is Blue Cross part of Medi-Cal?
Medi-Cal Managed Care (Medi-Cal)
are independent licensees of the Blue Cross Association. Anthem is a registered trademark of Anthem Insurance Companies, Inc. Blue Cross of California is contracted with L.A. Care Health Plan to provide Medi-Cal Managed Care services in Los Angeles County.
Is Medi-Cal hmo or ppo?
Almost all Medi-Cal plans are “managed care plans” which means they function similar to an HMO. Medi-Cal Plans can be found in the Medi-Cal Managed Care Health Plan Directory. A managed care plan means you'll have a primary care physician, and they're the one person you'll see if you need medical care.
What is Medi-Cal funded by?
Medi-Cal Is a Sizable Portion of the State Budget.
The enacted 2024‑25 budget provides $161 billion for Medi-Cal, roughly half of which is funded by the federal government and the remaining covered by state and local sources.
What Is Medi-Cal? (Part 1)
Who is the parent company of Medi-Cal?
Medi-Cal is jointly administered by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), while the county welfare department in each of the 58 counties is responsible for local administration of the Medi-Cal program.
Is Medi-Cal Obama care?
Prior to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Medi-Cal served low-income families and children, the elderly, and people with disabilities. Under the ACA, California lawmakers expanded the program to include low-income adults without children or a qualifying disability starting in 2014.
What is the best Medi-Cal health plan?
OAKLAND, Calif., Jan. 19, 2023 – Kaiser Permanente Northern California's Medi-Cal health plan is the highest rated in the state for quality care, according to a December 2022 report from the state's Department of Health Care Services (DHCS).
Why do doctors prefer PPO?
HMO plans might involve more bureaucracy and can limit doctors' ability to practice medicine as they see fit due to stricter guidelines on treatment protocols. So just as with patients, providers who prefer a greater degree of flexibility tend to prefer PPO plans.
What are the four types of Medicaid?
- State-operated fee-for-service (FFS)
- Primary care case management (PCCM)
- Comprehensive risk-based managed care (MCO model)
- Limited-benefit plans.
What disqualifies you from Medi-Cal?
To qualify, you must: Meet the medical requirements of Social Security's definition of disability. Be working and earning income (this can be part-time work). Have countable income less than 250% of the federal poverty level (in 2024, this equates to $3,158/mo.
Is UnitedHealthcare part of Medi-Cal?
UnitedHealthcare Medi-Cal is no longer active as of January 1, 2023.
Do all doctors take Medi-Cal?
Over 400 hospitals and approximately 130,000 physicians, pharmacists, dentists and other health care providers in California participate in the Medi-Cal program. Most Medi-Cal plans are managed care plans, which means they operate similarly to a Health Maintenance Organization (HMO).
Is Blue Cross the same as Medi-Cal?
Anthem Blue Cross Managed Care (Anthem) is an organized system of community partnerships across California, where limited contractual obligations and functions are delegated, in accordance with the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) Medi-Cal contract.
Is Medicaid an HMO or PPO?
Medicaid usually isn't HMO or PPO
Medicaid is a federal and state program that offers health coverage to low-income individuals and families.
Does Kaiser accept Medi-Cal?
The California Medi-Cal program provides health care coverage for some of the most vulnerable populations in the state and Kaiser Permanente participates in the Medi-Cal program to provide high quality care to enrolled beneficiaries in most counties currently served by the health plan.
What are 3 disadvantages of a PPO?
- Higher monthly premium.
- Higher out of pocket expenses.
- Must monitor in-network vs out-of network to control cost.
Which is better, PPO or HMO?
Generally speaking, an HMO might make sense if lower costs are most important and if you don't mind using a PCP to manage your care. A PPO may be better if you already have a doctor or medical team that you want to keep but doesn't belong to your plan network.
Why is PPO so expensive?
Because PPOs offer access to a larger provider network, your monthly costs may be higher. You'll likely need to meet an annual deductible, which is the minimum amount you'll need to spend on medical care before your insurance coverage kicks in.
What type of insurance is Medi-Cal considered?
Medi-Cal is California's version of the Federal Medicaid program. Medi-Cal offers no-cost and low-cost health coverage to eligible people who live in California. The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) oversees the Medi-Cal program. Your local county office manages most Medi-Cal cases for DHCS.
What is the disadvantage of Medi-Cal?
The perception that Medi-Cal offered poorer coverage or less respectful treatment than other types of insurance. Concerns among noncitizen respondents that applying for Medi-Cal might affect their immigration status.
What is the cheapest health insurance in California?
Affordable health insurance in California for 2025
L.A. Care has the cheapest rates in California, and it's the cheapest health insurance company for about a quarter of the people in California. But you can only get L.A. Care if you live in Los Angeles County.
How much is Medi-Cal per month?
How much does Medi-Cal cost? For many individuals who enroll in Medi-Cal, there is no premium, no co-payment, and no out of pocket cost. Effective July 1, 2022, all monthly premiums were reduced to $0.00.
Can you have Medi-Cal and private insurance at the same time?
You can have Medi-Cal even though you have Other Health Coverage (OHC) through individual or group private health (or dental) insurance coverage. See the email we rec'd May 17th from Medi Cal to clarify some of these issues. Read the rest of the page on which plan pays first, etc. namely, the other plan.