Mental health and substance use disorder services are required to be provided to individuals enrolled in Medi-Cal, California’s Medicaid program, Covered California, and employer-sponsored health insurance. Under law, health plans must provide all medically necessary mental health and substance use disorder services to their members. This includes, but is not limited to, counseling, medication, and hospitalization. Medicare provides a similar scope of behavioral health services.
Major policy changes enacted this year by both the federal government and the California state government will severely limit immigrant access to behavioral health services by restricting immigrant access to health coverage in Medi-Cal, Covered California, and Medicare.