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Maternal and Perinatal Health Care Services

The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) runs a program called Medi-Cal. Medi-Cal helps people get health care services through two ways: fee-for-service (FFS) and Medi-Cal Managed Care Plan (MCP) systems.

Medi-Cal covers many types of care for birthing people and babies. These services are for all people from different backgrounds and languages throughout the state.

  • Pregnancy and postpartum services are important and help birthing people from the time they become pregnant until one year after the baby is born. These services include doctor and midwife visits, care during a miscarriage, abortion services, doulas, community health workers (CHWs), immunizations, prescriptions, laboratory services, hospital care, birth center services, and family planning and contraceptive services.
    • These services are available through both enrolled Medi-Cal FFS providers for Medi-Cal FFS members and Medi-Cal Managed Care Plans (MCPs) for Medi-Cal members in managed care, consistent with Medi-Cal policy.
  • Medi-Cal also covers other services to support pregnant and postpartum members, such as behavioral health (mental health and substance use) services and treatment; health education on childbirth and parenting; breastfeeding and nutrition support; and much more.
    • Talk with your Medi-Cal provider or MCP to learn if you are eligible to receive these services. Please note that some of these services may require additional approval. If so, your Medi-Cal provider or Medi-Cal MCP will assist you.

Member Resources

DHCS wants to make sure that Medi-Cal members have help to understand, navigate, access, and receive the health care and services they need. Medi-Cal members can choose health care and support services that fit their culture and the language they speak, as well as their own individual preferences in terms of the time, place, and type of birthing experiences.

Medi-Cal members can find out more information on the Medi-Cal webpage or through the My Medi-Cal Member Handbook about the services and benefits available. For members in a MCP, a MCP Member Handbook can also be requested through the assigned MCP Member Services Department.

Examples of some maternal health care services that are available to Medi-Cal members are listed below.

Services for Pregnant People and New Parents: This is a flyer that describes services that pregnant or new parent Medi-Cal members can receive.

Finding the Right Team for Your Pregnancy Fact Sheet : This is a flyer that describes different types of people who can help support you during your pregnancy and after the end of your pregnancy.

Vietnamese: Tìm Đội Ngũ Chăm Sóc Phù Hợp Cho Thai Kỳ Của Quý Vị

Midwifery Services 

A midwife is a medical provider who provides prenatal, labor, and postpartum care. There are two types of midwives: a certified nurse midwife (CNM) and a licensed midwife (LM), and each type of midwife might offer different services. Some can support deliveries in a hospital, a free-standing birth center, or at home. You have a choice of who delivers your baby. Talk to your Medi-Cal provider or Medi-Cal MCP to learn more about available midwifery services. For more information, visit the Midwifery Services website.

Doula Services

A doula is a person who helps with personal supports for you and your family during pregnancy, labor and delivery, and for one year after your baby is born. They provide emotional and physical nonclinical support. They also help people who have had a miscarriage or an abortion. For more information, visit the Doula Services for Medi-Cal Members website.

Comprehensive Perinatal Services Program (CPSP) 

Medi-Cal members can receive maternal health care services, including some additional services and supports, through CPSP. CPSP services are available from the time of learning about your pregnancy until up to 60 days after delivery. CPSP services include: an assessment to identify a member’s individual needs, nutrition evaluation and referrals, mental health education, assessments, and referrals, general pregnancy health education, and care coordination. You can ask your Medi-Cal provider if they offer these services or contact your MCP to find out more information. For more information, visit the CPSP website.

Community Supports and Enhanced Care Management

In addition to core pregnancy-related services and other services to support pregnant and postpartum members, many Medi-Cal members who receive services through Medi-Cal MCPs may also be eligible for Community Supports and/or Enhanced Care Management (ECM). These services are not available through FFS Medi-Cal. For more information, visit the Community Supports and ECM website.

  • Community Supports: Community Supports are services that can help with health-related needs in your life, such as help getting and keeping housing, healthy meals for certain nutrition conditions, and other community-based services. You can learn more about Community Supports services offered in your county through your Medi-Cal MCP using the Community Supports Search Tool and contacting your Medi-Cal MCP to see if you are eligible. 
  • Enhanced Care Management (ECM): ECM is a Medi-Cal program that helps people with certain health and social service needs. The program gives extra support by building strong relationships between members (you), member support people, and ECM providers. They help members get the health and social services needed. You can apply for ECM by talking to your Primary Care Provider (PCP) or by calling your Medi-Cal MCP to see if you qualify. Some health plans also have online forms you can use to ask for ECM services.

American Indian Maternal Support Services

American Indian women in some counties can get health care, education, emotional support, and home visits from trained clinic staff while pregnant and for the first year after the baby is born. For more information, visit the American Indian Maternal Support Services (AIMSS) program. Medi-Cal for Kids & Teens

Additional Resources

Medi-Cal members may also be eligible for additional critical supports through other state and local partner services:

  • Women, Infants and Children (WIC) and CalFresh: If you need help getting healthy and nutritious food, you can visit WIC and CalFresh WIC also helps with breastfeeding, no matter where you are in your breastfeeding journey. They offer education, support and advice if you have questions or problems with breastfeeding. Breastfeeding is good for the health of moms and babies. WIC helps each person in a way that fits their needs.
  • Paid Family Leave: If you want to know your rights around taking paid time off work when you are pregnant or have a new baby, visit Paid Family Leave to learn more. The other parent or another caregiver may also qualify for Paid Family Leave; visit the Paid Family Leave website to learn more and see if you qualify.
  • Black Infant Health Program: If you are a Black woman and want help with making life plans, setting goals, or finding resources, you can join the Black Infant Health Program. This program brings groups of Black women together so you can meet new people, share ideas, and make friends.
  • First 5: Each county in California has a First 5 office. They help young children 0-5 and their families grow and stay healthy. You can find out more information about your county’s First 5 at the statewide website: Find Your First 5.

Accessing Care

Medi-Cal Fee for Service members who need maternal health care before, during, and after pregnancy, or for their babies, can talk to their health care provider or call the Medi-Cal helpline at (800) 541-5555 or TDD at (800) 430-7077. You can also look at the myMedi-Cal website.

Medi-Cal members in a Medi-Cal MCP can find contact info in the Medi-Cal Managed Care Health Plan Directory or call your assigned Medi-Cal MCP. The phone number for your assigned plan is on your member ID card. Medi-Cal members in a Medi-Cal MCP can find a doctor by visiting the Medi-Cal Managed Care website .

After a Medi-Cal member’s child is born, Medi-Cal for Kids & Teens provides free health care services to keep children healthy from birth to age 21. This includes check-ups, shots, health screenings, and treatment for physical, mental, and dental health problems. Please see the Medi-Cal for Kids & Teens website for more information.

Medi-Cal Enrollment Pathways

DHCS and Covered California worked together to create a Single Streamlined Application for affordable health care coverage. People can use the Single Streamlined Application to apply for health care coverage, including free or low-cost Medi-Cal. The application process can be completed online, in-person, by phone, fax, or mail and is available in English, additional languages, and alternative formats.

Complete an application for Medi-Cal or low-cost health insurance online at Covered California or print and fill out the application, available on the DHCS website. The a paper application may be mailed to the local county office or mailed to Covered California at the following address:

Covered California

P.O. Box 989725

West Sacramento, CA 95798-9725

For more information about signing up for Medi-Cal, visit DHCS Medi-Cal website.

Provider Resources

DHCS has also created various Medi-Cal resources and materials for Medi-Cal providers, which include but are not limited to:

  • Medi-Cal Provider Manual: This comprehensive document contains coverage policies for both Medi-Cal FFS and managed care and Medi-Cal FFS billing and reimbursement requirements.
  • Resources for Midwives: California currently recognizes two kinds of midwives: Certified Nurse Midwives (CNM) and Licensed Midwives (LM). Additional information on how to become a Medi-Cal Midwife Provider and other midwifery provider information can be found on the DHCS website for Midwife-Information.
  • Medi-Cal Learning Portal: This resource offers Medi-Cal providers and billers self-paced online training about billing basics, policies, procedures, new initiatives, and upcoming changes to Medi-Cal. To register or login, Medi-Cal providers and billers can go to Medi-Cal’s Learning Portal webpage to view or search the online course catalog.
  • All Plan and Policy Letters: In addition to coverage policy information contained in the Medi-Cal Provider Manual, these documents provide additional guidance specific to Medi-Cal MCPs, which includes but is not limited to, reminders relative to managed care-specific contractual requirements and changes in federal or State statutes and regulations that affect the way in which Medi-Cal MCPs operate and/or deliver services to Medi-Cal members.
  • Home Visiting Guidance: DHCS, the CA Department of Public Health (CDPH), and the CA Department of Social Services (CDSS) have issued a Best Practices letter to strengthen referrals to and utilization of local home visiting programs (HVPs) for pregnant and postpartum Medi-Cal members. The joint agency Best Practices document clarifies and reinforces statewide requirements and program expectations related to the identification, referral, and connection of pregnant and postpartum Medi-Cal members to appropriate HVPs.