Friday, March 7, 2008

What is a Share-of-Cost?

Some categories of Medi-Cal require the recipient to pay a Share-of-Cost every month before they have access to full-scope Medi-Cal.
If the consumer's total countable income is less than $1,081 (this number will change as of April 1) and he/she is disabled he/she will have no-share-of-cost Medi-Cal. In other words, it's "free."

If the monthly amount is over $1,081, the recipient will be eligible for a share-of-cost program.
The share of cost program allows the consumer $620 to live on per month if they want/need Medi-Cal to pick up the rest of their healthcare coverage for the rest of the month.

If the consumer's monthly countable income is $1200, he/she must pay $1200 - 620 = $580.
$580 is the Share of Cost.

If the consumer's monthly countable income is $1,400,he/she must pay $1400 - 620 = $780.
$780 is the Share of Cost.

The one thing everyone who is in a Share of Cost category is that regardless of monthly countable income, each has $620 to live on per month if they want access to full scope Medi-Cal.

There are several strategies to employ to get around this Share of Cost and we will talk about them soon.

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