Navigate Your Insurance If You Have a Plan Through Medi-Cal or Medicaid

How-To Guide: Connecting with Mental Health Services Through Medi-Cal or Medicaid Insurance.

Note: Most students who financially qualify for Medi-Cal or Medicaid also qualify for free or subsidized Cardinal Care insurance through Stanford. You may ask the Stanford Financial Aid Office (650.723.3058 or https://financialaid.stanford.edu/) about your options for financial support to cover Cardinal Care.

What is Your Coverage?

If you would like to know how much visits will cost through your Medi-Cal or Medicaid insurance plan, call the Member Services / Customer Service number (the phone number should be on the back of your insurance card) to ask for your mental health benefits information.

• You can use the “How-To Guide: Calling to clarify your insurance coverage for mental health services” for guidance around what specific questions you can ask to determine insurance coverage and visit costs.

Contact Information

• If your Medi-Cal is based in Santa Clara County, you can call the 24-7 Behavioral Health Call Center line (800.704.0900) to request mental health services.
• If your Medi-Cal is based in San Mateo County, you can call the Behavioral Health and Recovery Services ACCESS Call Center (800.686.0101) to request mental health services.
• If you have Medi-Cal or Medicaid based outside of the Stanford area, these plans typically will not cover services based near Stanford campus but may still cover telehealth visits. Call the Customer Service number for your specific plan to discuss your options for out-of-area coverage or other alternatives.

Additional Support and Resources

If you are unable to find in-network services near campus through your insurance, you can call CAPS (650.723.3785) and ask to meet with a provider for assistance. 

You may visit the CAPS Referrals website for information on financial aid, low-cost or sliding scale therapy options, and other information about connecting with mental health services off campus.