State RegulationsCA specific✓ Verified · outline & fact-checked · Sep 2026Difficulty 2/5
Under California's MAGI-based Medi-Cal eligibility rules, children under age 19 qualify for Medi-Cal when family income is at or below:
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Answer & full 3-part explanation (select an option above, or peek)
Why A is correct
California determines most Medi-Cal eligibility using MAGI (Modified Adjusted Gross Income): adults aged 19 to 64 qualify at or below 138% of the federal poverty level, while children under 19 qualify at the higher threshold of 266% FPL. The elevated child threshold reflects the historical children's coverage expansions that folded into Medi-Cal. The 266% figure is a signature California number and is distinct from the adult 138% standard and the 400% APTC ceiling. These thresholds are updated annually with the FPL.
Why the other options are wrong
- B) 138% FPL is the adult 19-64 Medi-Cal threshold, not the children's standard. 138% FPL is the adult 19-64 Medi-Cal threshold, and it is not the standard for children under 19.
- C) 400% FPL is the ceiling for advance premium tax credits through Covered California, not the Medi-Cal children's income limit. APTC ceilings apply to marketplace subsidies, and not to Medi-Cal eligibility.
- D) 100% FPL matches no standard California MAGI threshold; the statutory child threshold is 266%. The 100% FPL figure matches no standard California MAGI threshold for children's Medi-Cal eligibility at all.
Memory hook
266 for kids, 138 for grown-ups, 400 for tax credits — three California numbers, three different doors.