Most families navigating home care for an aging parent assume they’ll be paying out of pocket. What they don’t know — and what very few agencies in Orange County explain clearly — is that California has fundamentally changed what’s available through Medi-Cal.
Under CalAIM, thousands of Orange County families may qualify for in-home care services at little or no cost. This guide explains what CalAIM is, who qualifies, and how to find out whether your family is eligible.
What is CalAIM?
CalAIM stands for California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal. Launched in 2022 and expanded through 2023 and beyond, it represents the most significant overhaul of California’s Medi-Cal program in decades.
The core idea: instead of only covering medical care after something goes wrong, CalAIM invests in the services and supports that keep people healthy, stable, and out of the hospital in the first place. That includes in-home care.
What CalAIM covers for home care
Under CalAIM, eligible Medi-Cal members can access two categories of in-home support:
Community Supports — a menu of services that Medi-Cal managed care plans can offer to address social determinants of health. For home care, the most relevant Community Supports include personal care and homemaker services (help with bathing, dressing, grooming, meal preparation, light housekeeping, and medication reminders), housing tenancy and sustaining services, and medically supportive food and nutrition services.
Enhanced Care Management (ECM) — a more intensive care coordination service for Medi-Cal members with complex needs. ECM assigns a dedicated lead care manager who coordinates across all of a member’s providers — medical, behavioral health, and social services.
Who qualifies for CalAIM home care benefits?
Eligibility starts with Medi-Cal enrollment. For a single adult, approximately $1,732/month. For a couple, approximately $2,342/month. California eliminated the asset test for most Medi-Cal categories in recent years. In Orange County, the relevant managed care plan is CalOptima.
CalAIM vs. IHSS — what’s the difference?
IHSS is administered by the county and provides authorized hours of care for eligible Medi-Cal recipients — often provided by a family member. CalAIM Community Supports are delivered through Medi-Cal managed care plans and can be provided by enrolled agencies like Care partners. The two programs can work in parallel.
What makes Care partners different in the CalAIM space
Most home care agencies in Orange County are not actively helping families access CalAIM benefits. Care partners is one of the few agencies in the region actively working within the CalAIM framework — we understand how the program works, which managed care plans are participating, and how to help families get access to services they’re entitled to.
Schedule a free consultation — we’ll tell you exactly what your family may be eligible for.