Commonly Asked Benefits Questions

CalFresh

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To request a new EBT card you will need to provide your Social Security Number and have a residential mailing address. You can expect to receive the card in 3-5 business days, call:
EBT Customer Service (866) 663-3225

If you do not have either a Social Security Number or residential address, call your Eligibility Worker to request a card for you.

To keep getting CalFresh for as long as you are eligible, re-certify or renew your benefits before your certification period ends. As your certification period approaches, look for a letter from your Eligibility Worker.

You will get mail telling you when to submit reports. Be sure to let us know if your home address or phone number change so we can alert you about your appointments.

Your Worker will schedule an appointment for you with a specific date and time. Usually your recertification can be completed over the phone, although, if you prefer, you can request to meet face-to-face with your Eligibility Worker at one of our local offices instead. Your worker will help you fill out the necessary forms, discuss your rights and responsibilities, answer any questions you have and may ask you for proof of: income available to your household, expenses you are responsible for (such as housing, utility, childcare, medical costs and child support) and disability status for anyone in your home.

An Eligibility Worker will review your application and may ask for the following:

Proof of Identity
Proof of Contra Costa County residency
Proof of Immigration Status
Proof of Income
Social Security Numbers from all household members who have one

Additionally, if you have any of the following, it can be beneficial to your case, although they are not required:

Proof of Expenses, such as housing and utility costs, child care or child support you pay or medical costs
Proof of Disability for any of your household members

As a condition to receiving CalFresh benefits, you are required to report:

When your gross household income exceeds the Income Reporting Threshold (IRT) (200% of the Federal Poverty Level in most cases) for your CalFresh household size. You should have received a Notice of Action telling you what the IRT level for your family is; if you are unsure of your IRT level please contact your worker.
If a household member is required to meet the Federal ABAWD (Able Bodied Adult Without Dependents) rules, you must report when the number of hours worked is less than 20 hours weekly or 80 hours monthly

Each correspondence and notice you receive in the mail from us will show your worker’s name in the top right corner, along with their phone number to call. If your worker’s name is MCSC, you can call our Medi-Cal & CalFresh Service Center at 866-663-3225 to be assisted by any of our Eligibility Workers. Don’t have any recent mail from us? Call (866) 663-3225, an operator will tell you your worker’s name and phone number.

Medi-Cal

When you access medical resources, such as visiting a doctor, filling a prescription, going to the emergency room, etc, you will be asked to provide up to 3 different cards to verify health coverage.

Medi-Cal card is white with orange poppies (the older cards are blue & white)
To order a Medi-Cal card, call your Medi-Cal Eligibility Worker
Health Plan card (in Contra Costa County) will be either from Anthem Blue Cross, Contra Costa Health Plan or Kaiser
To order a card from your Health Plan, call your plan’s member services
Anthem Blue Cross: 800-407-4627
Contra Costa Health Plan (CCHP): 877-661-6230
Kaiser: 800-464-4000
MediCare card is red, white & blue
To order a MediCare card login to your Social Security Account online or call 800-772-1213

Once a year your Medi-Cal will need to be renewed. Some families will have their benefits automatically renewed, however, if your case requires additional authentication, you will receive correspondence from Contra Costa County. Be sure to let us know if your home address or phone number change so we can alert you about your case updates.

When it is time for your renewal, it can be completed by returning the packet of forms and requested verifications Contra Costa County sent to you, or you can call your Eligibility Worker and complete the process over the phone.

There are many types of documents needed to validate income, assets and expenses. The lists below are the most common types of the documents needed to determine if you qualify. You will need to bring current proof of identification, income, expenses, assets, disability, and support.

Identification

California Driver’s License or Identification Card
Proof of California Residency
Immigration status
Birth Certificates, passports, naturalization certificates
Social Security and Medicare Card

Income

Wage or income verifications
Unemployment insurance
Checking and savings account statements
State or private disability insurance income
Child and spousal support income

Expenses

Proof of child and dependent care costs
Free room and board statement
Loan documents and balance owed
Property tax statements and balance owed

Assets

Registration or title for all vehicles you own
Stocks and bonds
Annuities, Life estates, Life insurance, Trust funds, and deeds
Health insurance cards

As a condition to receiving Medi-Cal coverage, within 10 days of a change, you must inform the Employment & Human Services Department of your circumstances when:

Any source of income has started or stopped
You get married or divorced
You have a baby
You move to a new address
Another form of health insurance has started or stopped
Have a change in your disability condition
Gain or lose a tax dependent
Have change in your tax filing status
Your citizenship or immigration changes
You become or are released from incarceration
Have a correction to your name, date of birth and/or Social Security Number
Experience any other changes affecting your income and number of persons in your household

In Contra Costa County you have 3 options for a managed care plan through Medi-Cal: Anthem Blue Cross, Contra Costa Health Plan and Kaiser (for previous Kaiser members).

To change your current plan, call:
The State Office of Managed Health Care Options 1-800-430-4263

Or call to make an appointment at one of Contra Costa County’s local offices:
Antioch 4545 Delta Fair (925) 706-4689
Hercules 151 Linus Pauling (510) 262-8573
Pleasant Hill 400 Ellinwood (925) 602-4110
Richmond 1305 Macdonald (510) 412-3006

Covered California is available to US citizens and residents of California. The plans available through Covered California are at a monthly cost similar to a sliding scale. For families below 400% of the Federal Poverty Level, federal assistance to help pay monthly premiums are available.

If you apply for Covered California and are told you are eligible to Medi-Cal at no cost, your Covered California will convert to a Medi-Cal plan. You can opt-out of Medi-Cal but your premiums will be full price for a Covered California Plan without federal assistance to help pay them.

Medi-Cal is the California equivalent to Medicaid found in most other States. There are many qualifiers for Medi-Cal, for which some provide health coverage at no cost.

The Medi-Cal Share of Cost program is for those who have too much income to qualify for Medi-Cal at no cost. You do not pay a monthly fee or premium. The share of cost is determined based on the income you receive. Let’s say your share of cost is $250 and your most recent trip to the doctor results in a bill for $300, you will be responsible for the first $250 and Medi-Cal will pay the remainder on qualifying procedures also any other health care expenses for the month will be billed to Medi-Cal because you already met your monthly share of cost responsibility. Your share of cost resets at the beginning of each month.

Commonly Asked Benefits Questions

CalFresh

Medi-Cal

EHSD

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