Under California's MAGI-based Medi-Cal eligibility rules, children under age 19 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 MAGI (Modified Adjusted Gross Income) Medi-Cal rules set separate income thresholds by age group. Adults aged 19 through 64 qualify at or below 138% of the federal poverty level, while children under 19 qualify at the substantially higher threshold of 266% FPL. The higher children's threshold reflects the policy priority of covering children and the generally lower cost of insuring them. Because the question asks about children under 19, 266% FPL is the correct eligibility figure, and the other options state thresholds that apply to different programs or age groups.
Why the other options are wrong
- B) 138% FPL is the Medi-Cal threshold for adults aged 19 through 64, not for children under 19, who are eligible at the higher 266% FPL standard. That threshold belongs to adults ages 19 through 64, not to children under 19.
- C) 400% FPL is the upper income limit for premium tax credit (APTC) eligibility through Covered California, not the income threshold for children's Medi-Cal. The 400% figure marks the top of premium tax credit eligibility, a different program entirely.
- D) 100% FPL is not California's MAGI child threshold; children under 19 are eligible for Medi-Cal at a substantially higher income level than 100% FPL. Children's Medi-Cal extends well above 100% FPL under California's MAGI rules.
Memory hook
Kids ride higher: 266 for under-19, 138 for grown-ups, 400 for tax credits. Three tiers, three numbers.