California adults ages 19 to 64 who get Medi-Cal because of their income will have to show 80 hours a month of work, volunteering, school or job training starting January 1, 2027. The state Department of Health Care Services says eligibility for the same group will also be checked twice a year instead of once, beginning March 1, 2027. Missing a deadline can end coverage.
What counts as 80 hours or $580 a month
The department’s work rules guidance lists the ways to comply. They are paid work earning at least $580 a month, seasonal work averaging $580 a month over the last six months, job training for at least 80 hours a month, volunteering or community service for at least 80 hours, or school at least half-time. A mix that adds up to 80 hours or $580 also counts.
Half-time school is described as roughly two or three classes, or six to eight credits a semester. The $580 test lets a worker comply by earnings alone, and the seasonal option averages the last six months so that a slow month does not sink a person who worked a busy season…