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Medicaid Planning · California

California Long-term-care Medicaid eligibility

Long-term-care Medicaid eligibility rules for California.

Published: Not yet published. Last checked: September 2, 2026.

Income limits

Institutional long-term-care income limit

Source unavailable. Check with the state Medicaid agency.

Applies to the applicant under the institutional long-term care pathway for institutional long-term care. This is a cap. Details: single applicant; California uses multiple eligibility and share-of-cost pathways.

State Medicaid agency

Asset limits

Asset limit for one person

$130,000

Applies to the applicant under the aged, blind, or disabled pathway for Medi-Cal programs subject to the restored asset test. This is a cap. Details: one person.

Source: DHCS All County Welfare Directors Letter 26-02 [state-medicaid-agency] — Dated January 28, 2026; limits effective January 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027 Additional authority: DHCS Medi-Cal Asset Limit FAQs [state-medicaid-agency] — Asset limit restored January 1, 2026

Asset limit for two people

$195,000

Applies to the household under the aged, blind, or disabled pathway for Medi-Cal programs subject to the restored asset test. This is a cap. Details: two people; add $65,000 for each additional person through 10 people.

Source: DHCS All County Welfare Directors Letter 26-02 [state-medicaid-agency] — Dated January 28, 2026; limits effective January 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027 Additional authority: DHCS Medi-Cal Asset Limit FAQs [state-medicaid-agency] — Asset limit restored January 1, 2026

Community spouse resource allowance (CSRA)

Community-spouse resource allowance

$162,660

Applies to the community spouse under the spousal impoverishment pathway for institutional long-term care. This is a cap. Details: new spousal-impoverishment determinations beginning January 1, 2026.

Source: DHCS All County Welfare Directors Letter 26-02 [state-medicaid-agency] — Dated January 28, 2026; limits effective January 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027

Monthly maintenance needs allowance (MMMNA)

Community-spouse monthly maintenance-needs allowance

$4,067 per month

Applies to the community spouse under the spousal impoverishment pathway for institutional long-term care. This is a cap. Details: institutionalized applicant with a community spouse; California uses its rounded statewide amount.

Source: DHCS All County Welfare Directors Letter 26-02 [state-medicaid-agency] — Dated January 28, 2026; limits effective January 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027

Home-equity limits

Separate numeric home-equity limit

Source unavailable. Check with the state Medicaid agency.

Applies to the applicant under the institutional long-term care pathway for long-term-care services. This is a cap. Details: applicant whose principal home may otherwise be excluded.

State Medicaid agency

Sources

Methodology & sources

Checked at least annually and whenever the state or CMS publishes new long-term-care eligibility figures.

General information, not legal advice.