DREAM Health Referrals

 As an undocumented student with DACA you are eligible for free or low-cost health coverage through California’s Medi-Cal program. However, DACA recipients and undocumented people are excluded from purchasing health coverage and receiving tax credits through the Affordable Care Act, also known as “Obamacare.”

• • What Is Medi-Cal?

    It is a California’s Medicaid program, which is no cost or low-cost public health insurance program that provides medical services such as, doctor visits, dental services, and vision. It is for children and adults with limited income and resources.

  • Are You Eligible?

    In order to qualify for Medi-Cal you must make fewer than 138% of the Federal Poverty Level. The chart below shows the family size and income that meets the federal poverty level. To find out if you and your family may be eligible based on income, you can use the Income Guidelines chart to check online: https://www.coveredca.com/shopandcompare/#incomeGuidelines

    Note: Pregnant women, children, and disabled persons are allowed to have a higher income on the Federal Poverty Level scale and are urged to apply.

    Family Size	138% Federal Poverty Level
    1	16,242
    2	21,983
    3	27,724
    4	33,465
    5	39,205

    
    

    No Tax Penalty 
    Since undocumented folks are not eligible to purchase insurance in the market, they are not required to pay the federal “individual mandate”. This exempts them from paying the fee given to the uninsured. However there are some exceptions to this, for more info click the link below

    https://www.nilc.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Obamacare-tax-penalty.pdf

  • How do I Apply?
    1. In person on Campus: We have an East Valley representative at Mt. SAC every Tuesday and Wednesday from 10:30-12:30 at 9B first floor.
    2.  Online: Apply at CoveredCA.com. Applications are securely transferred directly to local county social services office since Medi-Cal is provided at the county level.
    3. Local County Office: https://www.dhcs.ca.gov/services/medi-cal/Pages/CountyOffices.aspx

    If you are applying in person with Mt. SAC’s East Valley representative, please bring the following documents with you:

    • Proof of Identity (CA driver’s license or ID card, passport, school ID, birth certificate)
    • Proof of California Residency (rent receipts, utility bill in your name, evidence of school enrollment)
    • Proof of income (a copy of your most recent pay stub, copy of federal income tax return)
    • Copies of documents that establish DACA status (employment authorization card, form i-797 Form of action)
  • What's Next After Applying?

    If you applied in person with a representative, you will receive a confirmation to the email you have provided with your application. It will have the following information for your application:

    Application #:	________________
    Case #:	________________

    Remember To Do An Independent Follow Up!

    Once a representative has assisted you with your application (if you have chosen the in-person application process), make sure to keep in mind that you are responsible to follow-up on your Medi-Cal application. The next steps are information that will help further assist you.

    Note: Each individual is only allowed one open case. If you applied and haven’t heard from anyone or haven’t been updated, you might want to pay a visit to your local Department of Public Social Services office which you can find on the following link on the previous page.

    Verifying Eligibility: Once you know you are eligible for Medi-Cal, you will receive your Identification Card in the mail.

    Receive BIC - When you receive your BIC in the mail, you are able to use of the many Medi-Cal benefits available to you. (You still need to “Enroll in a Plan” and choose a health plan option that best suits you. You will need to choose your primary physician.)

    The process for verifying your Medi-Cal eligibility, from the time your completed application is received to when you receive your Benefits Identification Card (BIC), normally takes 45 days.

  • Enrolling In A Plan

    When you first qualify for Medi-Cal and receive your BIC, you are covered under Fee-For-Service (also called, Regular Medi-Cal). Within 45 days of receiving your BIC, you will be mailed information explaining your health plan options.

     Depending on your qualifications: Do you have one health plan or multiple plans listed?

    1. If you see only one health plan, the county has chosen this plan for you. Please wait for your health plan information in the mail. 
    2. If you see multiple health plans listed, please explore each plan and choose the one that suits you and your family’s needs. Remember, if you do not pick a plan within 30 days of receiving your health plan information mailer, Medi-Cal will pick a plan for you.

    • You will receive a booklet (two booklets if you also applied for dental) of different health plan options to choose from. From this booklet, you will have a form that you need to fill out once you have chosen your particular health plan. You will mail this to the post office. The envelope with a free postal stamp is provided along with the address already written for you.

    Important: You must choose a health plan within 30 days of receiving your health plan information mailer. If you do not choose a plan within 30 days, Medi-Cal will choose a plan for you. The health plans available to you depend on what county you live in.

    This is a visual sample of what you will receive in the mail if you have chosen your health plan, doctors, or dentist. You will also receive an additional card depending on whom you have chosen as your health plan. (i.e. health net, L.A. Care, etc.)

    TIP: Research your health plan by looking at reviews. Use yelp to look up ratings of doctors and dentists. You have can choose your doctors. Take advantage of it! If you are not satisfied, the booklet you received comes with instructions on how to change your doctors.