Question: I am married but file separately for taxes. My spouse does not wish to apply for Covered CA for since they are covered by their University's coverage. Do I include them in current monthly household income? We have separate bank accounts. Also, I do not currently work. I am full-time in grad school and only have student loans/grants. Do I include these loans/grants in my monthly household income?

Answer: If you file taxes as "Married Filing Separately", you are not eligible for premium assistance (subsidy). Your grant and student loan income are not taxed as income, so your taxable income appears to be $0, making you eligible for Medi-Cal. If you choose not to enroll in Medi-Cal, you can purchase individual health insurance directly from any insurance company licensed in California.