Does my mother really need to spend all her money to qualify for Medi-Cal to pay for her nursing care?

To qualify for Medi-Cal, you must meet two requirements: an asset limit and care needs. The current asset limit is $2,000. However, it is expected that around July 1, 2022, California will raise that asset limit to $130,000. For couples, that upper limit is to be raised to $195,000. This will be a big help to low-income individuals who are hanging on with substandard assistance because they currently have too much money to qualify. If you were going to make a move to skilled nursing this year – hold on a few months and do not start spending to qualify because that might not be needed. An elder law attorney who specializes in Medi-Cal or Medicaid planning might be a good resource. You also need to meet the “care” requirements for skilled nursing.