How does Medi-Cal work for California residents?

Medicaid, or Medi-Cal as it is known in California, is largely an income-based health care assistance program. Federal, state and local tax funds are used to aid eligible individuals with paying their medical expenses. Generally, Medi-Cal recipients are only required to pay a small co-payment for covered medical expenses, if anything at all. Medi-Cal will typically pay for some in-home services, but only if a physician certifies that home care services are actually needed for specified medical reasons.