A 30-year-old California resident with no dependents has household income equal to 150% of the federal poverty level. Which statement about her coverage options is correct?

Why A is correct

For an adult aged 19-64, Medi-Cal eligibility requires income at or below 138% of the FPL; at 150% she exceeds that threshold, so Medi-Cal is unavailable. At 150% she is within both the APTC range, up to 400% of the FPL, and the CSR range, 138% to 250% of the FPL, so purchasing a Silver QHP through Covered California delivers premium tax credits plus reduced cost sharing. This layering of income thresholds is the core of California eligibility logic. The math turns on two thresholds. At 138 percent of the FPL, Medi-Cal ends for childless adults; at 250 percent, cost-sharing reductions phase out. Because her income of 150 percent sits between the two, she qualifies for both premium tax credits and cost-sharing reductions on a Silver plan through Covered California.

Why the other options are wrong

• B) Medi-Cal for adults requires income at or below 138% of the FPL; 400% is the APTC ceiling, not the Medi-Cal threshold. The childless-adult Medi-Cal threshold is 138 percent of the FPL, so 150 percent is above the cutoff and does not confer Medi-Cal eligibility.
• C) At 150% of the FPL she qualifies for both APTC and CSR, not CSR alone. Between 138 and 250 percent of the FPL, the enrollee qualifies for both premium tax credits and cost-sharing reductions on a Silver plan, not reductions alone.
• D) Applying for employer coverage is not a precondition for Medi-Cal eligibility; eligibility is determined by income under the MAGI rules. A prior application for employer coverage is not a precondition for exchange subsidies; affordability and access rules govern eligibility for the credit.

Memory hook

150% = above Medi-Cal (138%), below APTC (400%), inside CSR (138%-250%). Silver it is.