AB 851: helps California’s workers with disabilities in building a better economic future.

Currently, Medi-Cal's California Working Disabled (CWD) program lets many people who are working with a disability pay for Medi-Cal coverage with a reasonable sliding monthly premium. You don't have to be using SSI, SSDI or any other benefit program to qualify.
 
If one is working, disabled, and has income that is too high to qualify for free Medi-Cal, the California Working Disabled Program (CWD) may allow one to get Medi-Cal by paying a small monthly premium. To qualify, you must:

1. Meet the medical requirements of Social Security’s definition of disability. You don't have to meet the income and work requirements.
2. Be working and earning income. The Medi-Cal regulations do not define what “working” means for this program, and you can qualify if you are working part-time. You can use pay-stubs or other written verification from an employer to prove that you’re working.
3. Have assets worth less than $2,000 for an individual ($3,000 for a couple). Note: retirement funds such as 401(k)’s are not counted as assets for this program.
4. Have countable income less than 250% of the Federal Poverty Level. Note: disability income such as SSDI, Worker’s Compensation, California State Disability Insurance, and any federal, state, or private disability benefits are not considered income for this program.
   
5. Have countable unearned income, not including disability income, less than the appropriate SSI/SSP benefit rate. For example, currently an individual with no unearned income or IRWEs can make $53,028 a year in gross income and still be eligible for this program.
   

The World Institute on Disability has sponsored AB 851 to bring needed improvements and asset building opportunities to the California Working Disabled Program. Authored by Assembly Member Julia Brownley, AB 851 allows: 

• the California Working Disabled Program to continue by removing the existing sunset provisions 

• program enrollees to save their earnings in separately identifiable bank accounts with no limits on how much can be saved

• those enrolled to stay in the program for up to 26 weeks when temporarily not working

• enrollees to continue working in the program at and after age 65 (as the bill exempts Social Security disability benefits that become Social Security retirement income)

• enrollees to keep their Individual Retirement Account (IRA) or other IRS approved retirement products when they stop working and need to transfer to another Medi-Cal category. 

AB 851 Advances the Olmstead implementation by encouraging CWD program enrollees to save and lead productive and independent lives while saving for there futures.
 
Last Amended on 06/04/08, AB 851 has been placed on the CA Senate Appropriations Committee suspense file to be heard on August 7th, 2008, and has Registered Support from 41 state, national, private, corporate, non-profit or government organizations or associations, with no registered opposition.

Please help support California’s workers with disabilities in building a better economic future by supporting AB 851.

To download a letter of support for AB 851 to send to your elected representatives, click below.

Download AB 851 Letter of Support template (Word Format)