General Discussion

Under the California Working Disabled Program, people who meet the federal definition of disability —an AIDS diagnosis qualifies as a disability — and whose net income is 250 percent of the federal poverty level can receive health coverage through Medi-Cal, California’s version of Medicaid.

Aguilar averaged $2,200 a month in income last year, he said. The Social Security Administration says disability benefits may cease for a person making $1,550 a month or more. But at times during the period covered by the letter, Aguilar wasn’t working, he said. He didn’t know why the administration chose the dates it did.