Timeframes for Processing Applications

Application Processing

The determination of MC eligibility must be completed within 45 days; except, when determination depends on establishing disability or blindness, in which case the limit is 90 days.

If the application cannot be processed within the required time limit, there must be good cause and it must be documented. The extended time must not exceed three months from the application date.

Immediate Need Criteria

If the applicant has an immediate medical need, the EW must expedite the MC eligibility determination within available resources.

Pregnant women and/or persons with medical emergencies are to be given priority appointments, if there is an available appointment. Pregnancy, in and by itself, signifies an immediate medical need and applications must be processed immediately.

Note: These requirements apply whether or not a pregnant woman intends to terminate the pregnancy.

Beginning Date of Eligibility

MC Only

The beginning date of eligibility for persons applying for MC only is the first day of the month:

Of application, or date of request to add a family member to an ongoing case, if all eligibility requirements of the appropriate MC program are met within that month,

Following the month of application in which the eligibility criteria of the appropriate MC program are met.

Note: For the purposes of this section, eligibility requirements are considered to be met for the entire month if they are met at any time during the month except individuals who are incarcerated or pending incarceration.

Cash-linked MC

The beginning date of MC eligibility for persons who apply under any public assistance program is the first day of the month of application, regardless of the beginning date of the cash grant, providing the person meets the following criteria:

Citizenship
Residency
Financial eligibility.

For persons who do not meet these eligibility criteria during the month of application, the beginning date of eligibility for cash-linked MC is the first day of the first month in which the above criteria are met.

Note: When cash-linked MC is established in a month after the month of application, MC Only eligibility requirements must be explored for the month of application.

CalWORKs Denials

The beginning date of eligibility specified above also applies to a CW applicant who meets eligibility requirements in the month of application but whose application is denied because they no longer meet eligibility requirements at the time CW eligibility is determined.