How to use it
- Pick who lives with you.
- Answer yes or no: are you 65 or older, blind, or disabled?
- Type the money you get each month. Use the amount before anything is taken out.
- Type what you pay each month for health insurance. If you pay nothing, leave it empty.
- Look at the blue box. Your answer shows up right away.
Only use numbers, like 1500. Nothing you type is saved or sent anywhere.
What your answer means
- $0: You may not have a share of cost. Ask your county to check.
- A dollar amount: This is about how much in doctor, drug, or dental bills you pay each month before Medi-Cal starts to pay.
- A purple box: You are close to the limit. A small insurance plan could bring your share of cost down to $0. The box tells you how much.
Estimate only. It does not include every deduction or program rule, and it cannot tell you whether you qualify. Ask your county for your official calculation.
How this share of cost calculator works
- Subtract a $20 general deduction, first from unearned income.
- From earnings, subtract $65 and then half of what is left.
- Subtract health insurance premiums you pay. The result is your countable income.
- If you are 65 or older, blind, or disabled and your countable income is at or below the Aged & Disabled limit ($1,836 for one person, $2,490 for a couple in 2026), you may qualify for Medi-Cal with no share of cost.
- Otherwise, your share of cost is countable income minus the maintenance need level for your household.
Why a small premium can matter so much
The two limits are far apart. One person with $1,900 of countable income is only $64 over the Aged & Disabled limit, yet their share of cost is $1,300 ($1,900 − $600). If an eligible premium of $64 or more brings their countable income to $1,836 or less, the share of cost may drop to $0, not just by $64. The calculator shows this gap when it applies. The county makes the final decision and also checks assets and other rules.
| Household | Maintenance need level |
|---|---|
| 1 person | $600 |
| 2 people (adult and child, or pregnant person) | $750 |
| 2 adults | $934 |
| 3 people | $934 |
| 4 people | $1,100 |
| 5 people | $1,259 |
| 6 people | $1,417 |
| 7 or more | Ask your county |
A worked example
$1,420 share of cost, before premiums
One person receives $2,040 a month in Social Security and has no earnings. $2,040 − $20 = $2,020 countable income. $2,020 − $600 = $1,420 share of cost. If they pay $202.90 for Medicare Part B, countable income is $1,817.10, which is under the $1,836 Aged & Disabled limit, so they may qualify for Medi-Cal with no share of cost. Ask the county to screen them for that program.
Other ways to $0
If you work and have a disability, ask about the 250% Working Disabled Program, which does not count SSDI and has no share of cost. See every way to lower a share of cost.
Common questions
How do I calculate my Medi-Cal share of cost?
Start with your gross monthly income. Subtract $20, then for earnings subtract $65 and half of the rest. Subtract health insurance premiums you pay. If you are 65 or older, blind, or disabled and the result is at or below $1,836 (one person) or $2,490 (couple), you may have no share of cost. Otherwise, subtract the maintenance need level ($600 for one person in 2026). What is left is your estimated share of cost.
Is this share of cost calculator official?
No. It is an independent estimate using the published formula. Only your county can give your official share of cost.
Is my information saved?
No. The calculator runs only in your browser. Nothing you type is sent or stored.
Check the sources
Start with the official rules. Ask your county how they apply to you.
- Health Consumer Alliance: 2026 Medi-Cal income chart (opens in a new tab)
- CANHR: Aged & Disabled and Medically Needy Medi-Cal (opens in a new tab)
- California premium deduction rule (opens in a new tab)
- DHCS: Medicare Part B premium and share of cost (opens in a new tab)
- CMS: 2026 Medicare Part B premium (opens in a new tab)