23 Feb Undocumented Older Adults Can Apply for Medi-Cal, Thanks to AB 133!

February 23, 2022—  

Kheir Clinic hosted a press conference today to raise awareness of Assembly Bill 133, which extends Medi-Cal eligibility to low-income adults ages 50 and older, regardless of their immigration status. Kheir is providing in-language application assistance and navigation services to help monolingual immigrants prepare for the expansion of Medi-Cal benefits, which will go into effect on May 1, 2022.

“I am thrilled to partner with Kheir as we expand Medi-Cal to adults 50 years and older,” said Assemblymember Miguel Santiago. “Kheir plays an integral role providing culturally sensitive care to thousands of residents in the Los Angeles area. The expansion of Medi-Cal not only helps at-risk Californians but also helps Kheir and similar clinics advance their work ensuring that the most vulnerable Californians have access to essential medical care.” 

To enroll, one must be at least 50 years old, undocumented, and have an income of 138% or less of the Federal Poverty Level. For those age 65 and over, Medi-Cal approval also depends on owned assets and allows for a single home, one car, and a bank account of $2,000 or less for an individual, or $3,000 or less for a married couple. For individuals currently enrolled in My Health LA– the Los Angeles County healthcare coverage program for low-income, undocumented immigrants–benefits will end 90 days after the Older Adult Expanion goes into effect on May 1.

“I’m proud that approximately 250,000 low-income uninsured Californians will soon have access to healthcare,” Senator María Elena Durazo (D-Los Angeles) addressed in a statement to Kheir. “More than half of undocumented immigrants are part of mixed-status families, and two-thirds have lived in the U.S. for more than 10 years, contributing over $3 billion in local and state taxes to fund programs like Medi-Cal, yet are excluded from accessing the life-saving safety net program that their tax monies fund. California needs to lead the way to cover our most vulnerable seniors as soon as possible, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.” 

Under full-scope Medi-Cal, individuals will have access to a wide range of services, including medical, dental, vision, and mental healthcare.

Medi-Cal Expansion Resource Library

Kheir Clinic has created helpful resources in multiple languages, outlining eligibility requirements and frequently asked questions about the Older Adult Medi-Cal Expansion.

Older Adult Medi-Cal Expansion Frequently Asked Questions & Answers: 

 ENGLISH (PDF)  |  한국어 (PDF)  | ESPAÑOL (PDF)

ENGLISH (VIDEO) | 한국어 (VIDEO) |  ESPAÑOL (VIDEO)

Kheir Clinic is ready to help eligible adults get started on the Medi-Cal enrollment process immediately. Our Patient Resources Department (PRD) provides enrollment assistance for Emergency Medi-Cal, Full-Scope Medi-Cal, My Health LA, and other programs in English, Korean, Spanish, Bengali, and Thai.

To schedule an enrollment appointment with Kheir Clinic’s Patient Resources Department, call (213) 427-4000 or text (213) 632-5521. Current Kheir Clinic patients and non-patients are welcome.