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​​​​​​​​The Newborn Gateway ​​​

Newborn Gateway is a new way for health providers to ensure babies have health insurance coverage right away. As of July 1, 2024, if you are enrolled in Medi-Cal or Medi-Cal Access Program (MCAP) and you give birth in participating hospitals or clinics, your provider will help your baby enroll in health insurance coverage.​​

​What Should You D​o?​​​​​​

  • Let your provider know if you have Medi-Cal or Medi-Cal Access Program (MCAP) health coverage. Not every hospital, clinic or provider participates in Newborn Gateway. If they do, they are required to enroll your baby within 72 hours of the birth. You should report the birth of your newborn to your County Medi-Cal Office or the Medi-Cal Access Program (MCAP) unless your provider tells you otherwise. 
  • Give your provider a copy of your State of California Benefits Identification Card (BIC). 
    • ​​If you don’t have a copy of your BIC, that’s okay! Let them know you have coverage so they can look you up.
  • Provide your Social Security Number to your provider so they can look you up. 
    • ​If you don’t have a Social Security Number, that’s okay! Your baby can still be enrolled in health coverage. 
  • If you have Medi-Cal Access Program (MCAP) coverage, you may be contacted by mail or phone with follow-up questions. 

How Do I Know If My ​Provider Participates in Newborn Gateway?​​​​​​

  • Ask your health care provider if they participate in Newborn Gateway or “Presumptive Eligibility".
  • Ask a Health Enrollment Navigator if your health care provider participates in Presumptive Eligibility. The Navigator can help you check using the lists below.  
  • See if your health care provider is on a Qualified Provider list – they participate if they appear on any of these lists:

What Does My Provider​​ Need?​​

If your provider participates in Newborn Gateway, they need your:

  • Full name,
  • Date of Birth, and
  • One of the following:
    • State of California Benefits Identification Card (BIC) or the card number,
    • Medi-Cal Identification number, or
    • Social Security Number.  ​
​

To complete a Newborn Gateway Application, your provider may ask you for information about your address, phone number, newborn’s name, and preferred language. If they don’t ask you for these details, they will use the information from health records to enroll your baby. 

Because Only Some Providers Participate in Newborn Gateway, Please Report the Birth of Your Newborn unless Told Otherwise:

Medi-Cal​​​
MCAP

If you are receiving coverage through Medi-Cal, please report the birth information at:

benefitscal.com or by calling County Offices (ca.gov).

You may also send the county a Newborn Referral form found here.

If you are receiving coverage through MCAP, please call to report the birth information:

(800) 433-2611

Or fax:

(888) 889-9238

Resourc​​es​

Questions?

Please email general questions about the Newborn Gateway to NewbornGateway@dhcs.ca.gov.​

Last modified date: 9/16/2024 8:45 AM