SSI and Medicaid

Medi-Cal is the name of the Medicaid program in the State of California.

Sara, in El Centro California, asks “If I qualify for Supplemental Security Income disability benefits, will I also qualify for Medi-Cal?”

Medi-Cal is the name of the Medicaid program in the State of California. It is jointly administered by the California State Department of Health Care Services and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

Medicaid is a welfare health insurance program for low-income individuals and eligibility is determined by household income and assets. It is generally available to people who are eligible to receive federally assisted income maintenance payments. Medicaid is available to everyone that is eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. Medicaid eligibility starts the same month as SSI eligibility.

If you qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits, then you might be eligible for Medicare. However, there is a 24 month waiting period for SSDI recipients before they can start receiving Medicare.

For more information about disability benefits and health insurance, contact a disability attorney. Click here to contact an experienced disability attorney in the Southern California area (San Diego, Riverside, Los Angeles, etc…).