About MediGuide.health

What MediGuide.health is

MediGuide.health is a free public resource that helps Californians understand their health coverage options. It does not sell anything, collect personal information, or earn a commission.

The site takes information from official government sources — Medi-Cal, Covered California, Medicare, the California Department of Aging, and others — and explains it in plain, direct language. The goal is to give people a clearer starting point before they call an agency or start an application.

California has more health coverage options than most people realize. This guide helps people find the right starting point instead of guessing.

Who this guide is for

This site is for everyday Californians — parents, workers, seniors, students, and anyone else trying to navigate health coverage. It is not written for insurance professionals, lawyers, or people who already understand how health programs work.

If you have ever felt overwhelmed by government websites, confused by program names like "Medi-Cal" and "Covered California," or unsure whether you even qualify for anything — this site is for you.

Our plain-English approach

California health programs come with a lot of jargon. Terms like "metal tiers," "cost sharing," "formulary," and "prior authorization" are used in official materials without much explanation. This can make it hard for people who are new to the system to understand what they are actually looking at.

MediGuide tries to use everyday words. When a program term is unavoidable, we explain it. When a page gets too long, we cut it. Every page is written with someone in mind who is overwhelmed and needs to know what to do next — not someone who wants a full policy summary.

Where the information comes from

All health program information on this site comes from official public sources, including:

• California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) — dhcs.ca.gov
• Covered California — coveredca.com
• Medicare — medicare.gov
• California Department of Aging — aging.ca.gov
• BenefitsCal — benefitscal.com
• Social Security Administration — ssa.gov
• California Children's Services and other state program pages

Health program rules change. If you spot something that looks outdated or inaccurate, please let us know through the Contact page.

Who built this

MediGuide was created by Aaron Kim, an undergraduate at UC Davis, after noticing a gap that rarely gets talked about: millions of Californians are technically eligible for health coverage but never receive it — not because they don't qualify, but because no one has ever explained what they qualify for in plain language. The programs exist. The funding exists. The gap is in knowing where to start.

MediGuide is an independent project with no commercial ties, no advertising, and no data collection. If you have feedback, spot something inaccurate, or want to discuss bringing MediGuide into a clinical or community setting, you can reach Aaron directly at aarkim@ucdavis.edu or through the feedback form below.