Adult Day Care in California

If you're new to this, start with what Medicare pays for adult day care.

In California, Medi-Cal pays for adult day health care through CBAS. The center gives you nursing, therapy, a meal and a ride, and your Medi-Cal plan decides who qualifies. If you've heard CBAS may end on December 31, 2026, DHCS says it's working to keep it going. People who don't qualify can try a licensed Adult Day Program, for a fee.

You may qualify if

• You're 18 or older, live where CBAS is offered, and get Medi-Cal because you're 65 or older, blind or disabled.
• You need nursing home level care, or have dementia, a brain injury, a long-term mental illness or a developmental disability.
• With some of these, you also need help with daily tasks like bathing, dressing, walking or taking medicines.

Not sure you qualify? Apply anyway, because a nurse checks your needs and your plan decides, not the center. A Pair Team advocate can help you ask for a review in one call.

What a CBAS center gives you

Who decides if I qualify for CBAS?

Your Medi-Cal health plan decides if you qualify for CBAS, DHCS says. A registered nurse usually meets you in person and uses a state checklist. The plan can skip the visit if it already has what it needs.

The center then writes your care plan, with your days and services. The plan checks again at least every 6 months, or every 12 months for some people. If you have Medi-Cal but aren't in a plan, the state's Los Angeles Medi-Cal Field Office decides instead.

What happens to CBAS after December 31, 2026?

CBAS runs under a federal approval called CalAIM that ends December 31, 2026. In May 2026, DHCS asked the federal government to renew CalAIM. In that request, DHCS said it intends to move CBAS to what it calls a permanent authority in Medi-Cal.

DHCS says it's working to keep CBAS going with no break in coverage for people who use it. If federal officials advise it, DHCS asked to keep CBAS under CalAIM instead. To find out if federal officials have said yes, check the DHCS CBAS page or ask your Medi-Cal plan.

What if I don't qualify for CBAS?

If you don't qualify for CBAS, a social Adult Day Program may fit. These offer activities, meals and supervision, without nursing and therapy. The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) licenses them. You can check a license on its care facility search under "Adult Residential and Daycare."

For a break as a family caregiver, California's 11 Caregiver Resource Centers offer respite and support groups, CDA says. Your Area Agency on Aging can point you to local day programs, so call 1-800-510-2020. For help at home, In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) may pay for an aide. See IHSS in California.

How much does adult day care cost in California?

With Medi-Cal, CBAS is a covered benefit, so your plan pays the center for the days in your care plan. Without Medi-Cal, adult day health care cost a typical $94 a day in California in 2025, CareScout found. That's about $24,440 a year for five days a week.

How to start CBAS

1. Find a center on CDA's list of CBAS providers, sorted by county.
2. Call the center. Ask if it works with your Medi-Cal plan and has space. Its staff will check your needs.
3. Call your Medi-Cal plan at the member services number on your card, and ask for a CBAS review.
4. Meet with the plan's nurse, and bring your list of medicines. Describe the help you need on a hard day.
5. Read the plan's letter. If it says yes, the center sets your days. If it says no, you can appeal.

If your plan says no

If your plan says no or cuts your days, appeal to the plan within 60 days, DHCS says. The plan has 30 days to answer. If it still says no, you have 120 days from its answer to ask for a state hearing at 1-800-743-8525. For help with a plan problem, call the Medi-Cal Managed Care Ombudsman at 1-888-452-8609.

What a Pair Team advocate does

California families often call us when a parent can't stay home alone and the Medi-Cal plan hasn't called back. This is what we do:

• Check that you have the right Medi-Cal and plan for CBAS, in one call.
• Find centers in your county and ask your plan for the nurse review.
• Help you appeal if the plan says no, and look at IHSS for help at home.
• Help with what usually comes with it: rides, CalFresh and bills.

An advocate is covered by Medicare if you qualify. It takes two minutes to find out.

Check if you qualify for a Pair Team advocate

Frequently asked questions

Is there a CBAS center near me?

There's a CBAS center in 28 of California's 58 counties, CDA's October 2026 list shows. Los Angeles County has 195 open centers, Orange 30, San Diego 13 and San Bernardino 11. In fiscal year 2023-24, 299 centers served 40,359 people, the state's plan on aging says.

Can someone with dementia go to CBAS?

Someone with dementia can go to CBAS if they have Medi-Cal and the plan approves. Moderate to severe dementia (stages 5 to 7) meets the health test on its own. With mild dementia (stage 4), you must also need help with 2 daily tasks, like bathing or taking medicines.

Can I get CBAS if I have Medicare too?

You can get CBAS with Medicare if you also have Medi-Cal, DHCS's rules say. Medicare itself doesn't pay for it. See Medicare and Medi-Cal together.

Does CBAS give rides?

CBAS gives rides to and from your home when you need them, DHCS says. The ride is part of your care plan, so ask about it when you start.

Is CBAS the same as adult day health care?

CBAS is California's adult day health care for Medi-Cal members. It replaced the old Medi-Cal Adult Day Health Care benefit on April 1, 2012, DHCS says. The centers are still licensed as adult day health care centers.

Sources

• Community-Based Adult Services, DHCS
• CalAIM Section 1115 Demonstration Special Terms and Conditions, approved through December 31, 2026 (STCs 19 and 20), DHCS
• CalAIM Section 1115 Renewal Application, submitted May 11, 2026, DHCS
• Notice of General Public Interest: Proposed Continuing CalAIM Section 1115 Demonstration Renewal (February 10, 2026), DHCS
• CalAIM 1115 Demonstration and 1915(b) Waiver, DHCS
• Medi-Cal Help Center: appeals and State Fair Hearings, DHCS
• Medi-Cal Managed Care Office of the Ombudsman, DHCS
• Community-Based Adult Services, California Department of Aging
• List of CBAS Providers, California Department of Aging
• California Older Americans Act State Plan on Aging 2025-2029, amended for October 1, 2026, California Department of Aging
• Find Services in My County, California Department of Aging
• Adult Care Licensing, California Department of Social Services
• Community Care Facility Search, California Department of Social Services
• State Hearing Requests, California Department of Social Services
• Cost of Care, California state medians for 2025, CareScout