Under California's MAGI-based Medi-Cal rules, children under age 19 generally qualify when household 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's Medi-Cal program uses MAGI, modified adjusted gross income, to determine eligibility for most adults and children. The applicable standard is expressed as a percentage of the federal poverty level: adults aged 19 to 64 qualify for Medi-Cal at or below 138% FPL, while children under age 19 qualify at the higher threshold of 266% FPL. The more generous child threshold reflects the policy priority of extending coverage to children and is one of the specific Medi-Cal numbers tested on the exam. These figures must be kept separate from the APTC ceiling of 400% FPL and the CSR band of 138% to 250% FPL.
Why the other options are wrong
- B) 138% FPL is the Medi-Cal threshold for adults aged 19 to 64. It is lower than the children's standard and is the wrong answer for a question about children under 19.
- C) 400% FPL is the ceiling for advance premium tax credits in Covered California, not the Medi-Cal eligibility threshold for children.
- D) 50% FPL is not a Medi-Cal MAGI threshold at all; it is well below every MAGI eligibility standard, which begin at 138% FPL for adults.
Memory hook
Kids get more: 266% FPL for children, 138% for grown-ups, 400% for tax credits.