California Medicaid waiver funding, explained

What this program is

Medi-Cal is California's Medicaid program. It is administered by the California Department of Health Care Services.

California uses federal Medicaid waiver authorities for targeted services, geographic arrangements, and coverage outside some traditional Medicaid rules. The state lists current section 1115, section 1915(b), and section 1915(c) waiver materials.

A waiver is an approval that lets a state operate specified parts of Medicaid differently from ordinary program rules. Each waiver has its own authority, terms, eligible groups, services, and limits.

Who helps pay for it

Medicaid is jointly funded. The federal government pays an approved federal share. California supplies the applicable state share.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) uses the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) as one matching-rate method. The regular FMAP is a baseline. Other federal matching rules can apply.

What the funding numbers mean

Applicable period: Federal fiscal year 2026, October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026

Regular federal FMAP

50.00%

Federal fiscal year 2026

Calculated state share

50.00%

Federal fiscal year 2026

What the numbers do not prove

• The regular FMAP does not establish the exact federal share for a particular waiver or service.
• It does not replace an approved waiver's terms, budget rules, or special matching provisions.
• Different rules can apply to the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), some eligibility groups, administrative costs, enhanced service categories, and supplemental payments.
• It does not prove that either government paid a particular claim.
• It does not establish concealment, diversion, a legal violation, or any person's eligibility.

No exact waiver-specific allocation is stated here because the controlling sources do not establish one common allocation for every California waiver.

Where to ask for help

Start with the state agency for applications, eligibility, coverage, claims, replacement cards, and provider questions. CMS directs these questions to the state Medicaid agency.

• Medi-Cal Helpline 800-541-5555
• Medi-Cal Helpline, local number 916-636-1980

If a written notice denies, reduces, suspends, or ends Medicaid, read that notice promptly. It should explain how to request the state's fair-hearing process and the applicable deadline.

Where to raise a federal concern

This page gives general public information. It does not provide individualized legal advice.