CalWORKs benefits continuing but Medi-Cal stopped after refusing child support cooperation - can they do this?

Unfortunately, yes - the rules for Medi-Cal and CalWORKs are different when it comes to child support cooperation. For CalWORKs, you get the 25% penalty but still receive benefits. For Medi-Cal, adult coverage can be completely terminated for non-cooperation while children's coverage continues. And yes, they can still refer the children's case to child support enforcement even if you don't want them to - it's considered the children's right to support, not the parent's choice to waive.

I went thru this last yr. They CAN cut ur medical but u should still qualfy for the county indigent program depending on ur income. Check with ur countys health dept. The child support thing is dumb af when parents already have agreements but the county doesn't care they just want their money back for the benefits.

Have you tried explainjng your situation to your eligibility worker? There are some good cause exemptions for child support cooperation. Like if you have reason to believe cooperation could result in physical or emotional harm to you or the children, they might grant you an exemption. You'd need to provide some documentation though. Worth asking about before your Medi-Cal gets cut completely.

they just did this to my sister!!! they cut her medi-cal AND they still went after her ex for support even tho she told them not to! he got SO MAD at her cause he thought she was lying about not wanting support. now they barely even talk and its so much worse for the kids. the system is totally broken.

The legal distinction here is important to understand: CalWORKs gives you the option to accept a 25% penalty as an alternative to cooperation, while Medi-Cal technically requires cooperation without a penalty option (unless you qualify for good cause). This is because they're governed by different sections of federal and state law. Your options are: 1. Ask for a good cause exemption (but sounds like you might not qualify based on standard criteria) 2. Apply for other healthcare coverage (County Medical Services Program or Covered California) 3. Consider cooperating just for Medi-Cal purposes One important thing to know: even if you cooperate now, you can still inform the LCSA (Local Child Support Agency) that you and your ex have a working arrangement, and they sometimes can take that into account in how they proceed.

I spent 4 hours tring to reach my worker about this exact issue last month. Kept getting disconnected. Finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) after my friend recommended it. They got me through to an actual person at the county in like 20 minutes. The video on https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE shows how it works. Turns out I qualified for good cause exemption for my situation and got to keep my Medi-Cal without cooperation. Worth a shot for you.

This happen to me to. The county says one thing but does a nother. They ALWAYS say kids have right to support from BOTH parents and county wants $$ back they spent on ur kids. My worker told me they HAS to refer any1 getting benefits 4 the kids even if parent doesn't cooperate. It's not fair but thats how they do it.

Ask for a fair hearing RIGHT AWAY! You only have 90 days from the notice date. Even if you're not sure you'll win, request the hearing because sometimes they'll offer alternatives during the pre-hearing review. Say you want aid paid pending which means they can't cut your Medi-Cal until after the hearing decision if you request it in time.

If you decide to request a fair hearing, make sure to specifically address why the child support cooperation should be waived in your case. While most 'good cause' exemptions relate to safety concerns, there are occasionally exceptions made for situations where forced cooperation would disrupt a functioning co-parenting relationship to the detriment of the children. Gather any evidence showing your current arrangement works well for the children's wellbeing - documentation of how expenses are shared, childcare arrangements, etc. If the hearing officer sees that disrupting your arrangement would harm the children, you might have a chance.

btw just to be clear - did u check ur Medi-Cal status on the state website? Sometimes the notices are wrong but ur coverage still active. worth double-checking before u panic.

I'm dealing with something similar right now. The key thing to understand is that even though you're not cooperating for CalWORKs purposes, the state still considers the children entitled to support from both parents. When you receive any benefits for the kids (even just Medi-Cal for them), you're automatically assigning their right to support over to the state so they can recover costs. It's frustrating when you have a working arrangement, but the county sees it as their legal obligation to pursue support on behalf of the children. You might want to contact your ex beforehand to explain that this isn't your choice - that way he knows you're not going behind your agreement when the county contacts him.

This is such a frustrating situation and I totally get why you're upset. The system really doesn't make it clear how different the rules are between CalWORKs and Medi-Cal when it comes to child support cooperation. One thing I'd suggest - if you do end up having to cooperate just to keep your medical coverage, you might want to have a conversation with your ex first. Explain that the county is forcing this and it's not you going back on your agreement. Sometimes when the LCSA contacts the non-custodial parent out of nowhere, they assume the other parent initiated it, which can damage your co-parenting relationship. Also, even after you provide his information, you can still communicate with the LCSA caseworker about your existing arrangement. They won't necessarily stop the case, but sometimes they'll work with both parents if everyone's on the same page about maintaining the kids' wellbeing. It's worth documenting everything you can about how your current setup benefits the children. Hope you can get this sorted out without losing your healthcare coverage. The whole system seems designed to punish people for trying to handle things maturely on their own.

I went through this exact same situation about 6 months ago and it's absolutely maddening. The worker never explained that Medi-Cal and CalWORKs have completely different rules for child support cooperation - I only found out when I got the termination notice just like you did. What really helped me was documenting EVERYTHING about our co-parenting arrangement before I had to cooperate. I gathered text messages showing how we split costs, our custody schedule, receipts for shared expenses, anything that proved our system was working well for the kids. When I finally had to give his info to keep my medical coverage, I made sure to tell the LCSA worker upfront that we had a functioning arrangement and provided all that documentation. The caseworker actually noted in my file that both parents preferred to handle things privately, and while they still had to pursue the case (because it's required by law), they were less aggressive about it. My ex was initially mad when they contacted him, but because I'd warned him ahead of time that this wasn't my choice, he understood. Also - definitely look into that fair hearing option someone mentioned. Even if you don't win, requesting "aid paid pending" can keep your coverage active during the hearing process, which buys you time to explore other options or gather better documentation for a good cause exemption. The whole system is backwards - they punish people for being responsible and working things out themselves. But don't give up on finding a way to keep your healthcare while protecting your co-parenting relationship.

This is such a complicated and frustrating situation - I'm really sorry you're going through this. The lack of clear communication about how differently CalWORKs and Medi-Cal handle child support cooperation is honestly terrible. You shouldn't have to find out about losing your healthcare coverage through a notice when you already knew about and accepted the CalWORKs penalty. From what I understand reading everyone's responses, it sounds like your best bet might be to request that fair hearing with aid paid pending to keep your coverage active while you figure things out. Even if the good cause exemption is a long shot without safety concerns, documenting how well your current arrangement works for the kids could be worth presenting. If you do end up having to cooperate to keep your Medi-Cal, definitely talk to your ex first like others suggested. Maybe you can both be proactive and contact the LCSA together to explain your situation? Sometimes when both parents are on the same page and present a united front about what's working for the children, caseworkers are more willing to work with you. It's just wrong that the system forces families who are already doing the right thing into these impossible positions. Your arrangement sounds like it's working well for everyone involved, especially the kids, and that should matter more than bureaucratic requirements. Hope you can find a way through this that doesn't mess up what you've built.

I'm new to this community but going through something similar right now. Reading through all these responses has been so eye-opening - I had no idea that Medi-Cal and CalWORKs had completely different rules for child support cooperation. Like you, I was prepared for the 25% CalWORKs penalty but blindsided by the medical coverage termination. What's really frustrating is how the system seems designed to punish functional co-parenting arrangements. You and your ex have figured out what works for your family, but the county doesn't care about that - they just want their reimbursement. From everything I'm reading here, it sounds like your best options are: 1) Request that fair hearing with aid paid pending ASAP to keep coverage while you fight it, 2) Document everything about how well your current arrangement works for the kids, and 3) Have an honest conversation with your ex before the county contacts him so he knows this isn't your choice. The advice about contacting the LCSA together as a united front is brilliant - if both parents can show they're prioritizing the children's wellbeing over bureaucratic requirements, maybe there's a chance they'll handle things more reasonably. This whole situation shows how broken the system is when it comes to families who are already doing the right thing. Hope you can keep both your healthcare and your co-parenting relationship intact!

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this - it's incredibly frustrating when the system punishes families for having functional arrangements. I went through something similar last year and was shocked to learn that Medi-Cal has completely different cooperation requirements than CalWORKs. One thing that really helped me was immediately requesting a fair hearing with "aid paid pending" - this keeps your coverage active during the entire hearing process, which can take months. Even if you're not sure about winning, it buys you crucial time to explore options and keeps you from losing healthcare coverage while fighting it. Also, consider applying for your county's indigent care program as a backup. Many counties have these programs for people who lose Medi-Cal but still meet income requirements. It's not as comprehensive as Medi-Cal but it's better than nothing. The most important thing I learned is to communicate with your ex BEFORE the county contacts him. When they reach out without warning, it can really damage your co-parenting relationship because he might think you initiated it. If you explain upfront that this is the county forcing cooperation to keep your medical coverage, he's more likely to understand. Document everything about your current arrangement - texts about shared expenses, custody schedules, anything showing it works well for the kids. Sometimes LCSA workers will note this in your file and handle things less aggressively when both parents are clearly prioritizing the children's wellbeing. The whole system is backwards, but don't lose hope - there are ways to navigate this while protecting both your healthcare and your family relationships.

I'm really sorry you're going through this - it's such a betrayal when the system doesn't clearly explain these crucial differences upfront. The fact that CalWORKs and Medi-Cal have completely opposite approaches to child support cooperation is honestly ridiculous, and you shouldn't have had to find out through a termination notice. From everything I've learned dealing with similar issues, your best move is to request that fair hearing with "aid paid pending" immediately - like within the next day or two. This will keep your Medi-Cal active throughout the entire hearing process, which could take several months and gives you time to explore all your options without losing coverage. Even if the good cause exemption seems unlikely without safety concerns, it's still worth documenting how your current arrangement benefits the children. Gather those texts about shared expenses, custody schedules, anything that shows your system is stable and working well for the kids. Sometimes hearing officers recognize that disrupting functional co-parenting can harm children more than help them. And definitely have that conversation with your ex before the county contacts him. Explain that this isn't your choice and you're only cooperating to keep your healthcare. When both parents understand the situation and can present a united front to the LCSA, they sometimes handle things more reasonably. The whole system is designed backwards - it punishes responsible parents who are already doing what's best for their kids. But don't give up hope. There are people here who've navigated this successfully while keeping both their healthcare and their family relationships intact.

This whole situation is incredibly frustrating and unfortunately very common. You're absolutely right to be upset - the county should have clearly explained that Medi-Cal and CalWORKs have completely different cooperation requirements when you first said you weren't cooperating. Here's what I'd recommend doing immediately: 1. **Request a fair hearing with "aid paid pending" RIGHT NOW** - you only have 90 days from the notice date and this will keep your Medi-Cal active during the entire hearing process (which can take months). This is crucial. 2. **Document your co-parenting arrangement thoroughly** - gather all texts showing how you split expenses, coordinate schedules, share custody, etc. Even if good cause exemptions usually require safety concerns, showing that your arrangement actively benefits the children might give you a shot. 3. **Talk to your ex BEFORE the county contacts him** - explain this isn't your choice and you're only cooperating to keep healthcare. When parents present a united front, LCSA workers sometimes handle things more reasonably. 4. **Look into your county's indigent care program** as backup - many counties have these for people who lose Medi-Cal but still meet income requirements. The system is completely backwards for punishing families who already have functional arrangements, but don't give up. I've seen people successfully navigate this while keeping both their healthcare and co-parenting relationships intact. The key is acting fast on that fair hearing request.

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this nightmare - it's absolutely infuriating that they don't explain these crucial differences upfront when you decline cooperation. The fact that CalWORKs lets you take a penalty but Medi-Cal just cuts you off completely is such a betrayal, especially when you have a working arrangement that's best for your kids. Everyone's advice about requesting that fair hearing with "aid paid pending" is spot on - do this IMMEDIATELY to keep your coverage active while you fight it. Even though good cause exemptions typically require safety issues, there have been rare cases where they've granted them to preserve functional co-parenting arrangements that clearly benefit the children. Document EVERYTHING - your texts about shared expenses, custody schedules, how stable your arrangement has been for the kids. But honestly? You'll probably have to cooperate to keep your healthcare. The key is getting ahead of it with your ex. Have that conversation NOW before the county contacts him. Explain this isn't your choice and you're being forced into it just to keep medical coverage. When both parents understand the situation and can communicate that to the LCSA worker, they sometimes handle things less aggressively. The whole system punishes people for being mature and responsible parents. It's completely backwards, but don't let them destroy what you've built. You can navigate this and come out with both your healthcare and your co-parenting relationship intact.

This is such a frustrating situation and I completely understand your anger! The lack of transparency about how differently these programs handle child support cooperation is really unacceptable. You shouldn't have to find out about losing your healthcare through a termination notice when you already knew about and accepted the CalWORKs penalty. From everything I've read here, your immediate priority should be requesting that fair hearing with "aid paid pending" - this will keep your Medi-Cal active throughout the entire hearing process while you explore your options. Even if the good cause exemption seems like a long shot without safety concerns, documenting how well your current arrangement works for the kids could still make a difference. The advice about talking to your ex first is crucial - explain that this isn't your choice and you're only considering cooperation to keep your healthcare coverage. When both parents can present a united front about what's working for the children, LCSA workers sometimes handle things more reasonably. It's absolutely backwards that the system punishes families who are already managing things responsibly. Your arrangement sounds like it's been stable and beneficial for your kids, which should matter more than bureaucratic requirements. Don't let them destroy what you've built - there are ways to navigate this while protecting both your healthcare and your co-parenting relationship. Stay strong and act quickly on that hearing request. You've got this!

I'm really sorry you're going through this - it's so frustrating when the system doesn't clearly explain these important differences upfront! I'm dealing with a similar situation right now and was also blindsided by how differently Medi-Cal handles cooperation compared to CalWORKs. From reading all the responses here, it sounds like your best bet is to request that fair hearing with "aid paid pending" ASAP - this will keep your coverage active during the entire hearing process which could give you months to figure things out. Even if the good cause exemption is tough without safety issues, documenting how well your arrangement works for the kids might still help your case. The advice about talking to your ex first is so important - explain that this isn't your choice and you're only considering cooperation to keep healthcare coverage. Our co-parenting relationships are too valuable to let the county mess them up by contacting them out of nowhere. It's really backward that they punish families who already have functional arrangements, but don't give up hope! It sounds like there are people here who've successfully navigated this while keeping both their healthcare and family relationships intact. You've got a good support system here to help you through this mess.