Once my child gets Medi-Cal, do I need to switch all providers to ones who accept Medi-Cal?

Getting your child Medi-Cal coverage can help reduce out-of-pocket costs for their medical and therapeutic care, but only if your child is seeing providers who accept Medi-Cal. If you've just gotten Medi-Cal and your child's doctors and specialists don't accept it, you may wonder whether you need to completely switch all your child's providers. Here are some other options.

If you live in Los Angeles County, Medi-Cal has some subcontracted plans that some doctors participate in even if they don’t participate in LA Care. You can ask your child's providers about a similar program in your area.

If Medi-Cal doesn’t have someone with a specialty your child needs in-network, you can ask your health plan to contract with someone.

If a provider doesn't accept Medi-Cal, you may still be able to reduce out-of-pocket costs by requesting co-pay assistance from your Regional Center. Families who qualify must be under 400% of poverty level for their family size.

Note that if your child's providers don't accept Medi-Cal, other things can be covered by it, such as lab work and medical supplies. You can look into a plan that supports “high use” services (such as hospital stays or ABA therapy), even if your child's primary doctor or other specialists don’t take Medi-Cal.

IHSS is also a program to look into once your child has Medi-Cal.