Last Updated: August 29, 2026
Using Medi-Cal When You Attend College: A Guide for California Students (2026)
If you have Medi-Cal and are starting college, you may wonder whether you can keep your coverage while you are away at school.
This can be especially confusing if your college is in a different California county from your permanent home.
The good news is that going to college in another California county does not automatically mean you lose Medi-Cal. However, you may need to report your temporary college address so that you can access appropriate health care and enroll in a Medi-Cal health plan in the county where you attend school.
This guide explains how Medi-Cal generally works for California college students, including what to do when attending school in another county, how health plans may change, and what to consider before using a college student health plan.
If you temporarily live in another California county to attend college, your Medi-Cal does not automatically transfer to a new eligibility case. However, you should report your temporary college address to your local county Medi-Cal office. The county can update your address so you can enroll in an appropriate Medi-Cal health plan in the county where you attend school.
1. Can College Students Have Medi-Cal?
Yes. Being a college student does not by itself prevent you from having Medi-Cal.
Medi-Cal eligibility depends on the eligibility rules that apply to you, including factors such as income, household and tax-filing circumstances, age, pregnancy, disability, and other program requirements.
A student may qualify for Medi-Cal even if the student's parents have other health insurance, depending on the student's individual circumstances.
2. What If Your College Is in the Same County?
If you attend college in the same county where you already live and your address has not changed, your Medi-Cal health plan may continue to work as it did before.
However, if you move to a dorm, apartment, or another address, make sure Medi-Cal has accurate contact information for you.
It is also a good idea to check whether doctors, clinics, urgent care centers, and hospitals near your college participate in your specific Medi-Cal health plan.
3. What If Your College Is in a Different California County?
This is where Medi-Cal rules become especially important for students.
According to the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), when a Medi-Cal member temporarily leaves the home county — including a student going to college — Medi-Cal does not simply transfer the entire eligibility case to the new county.
Instead, the temporary address should be reported to the local county Medi-Cal office.
The county can update the student's address so that the student can enroll in a Medi-Cal health plan in the county where the student is temporarily living for school.
Do not assume that the Medi-Cal Managed Care plan you use at your family home will have the same provider network near your college. Medi-Cal Managed Care health plan options are based largely on county.
4. Report Your Temporary College Address
If you temporarily live in another California county for college, contact your local county Medi-Cal office and report the temporary address.
Explain that you are attending college in another county and that the move is for school.
The county can update the appropriate address information so that you can receive health plan enrollment information for the county where you are attending college.
You can find county Medi-Cal contact information here:
→ Find Your County Medi-Cal Office
5. Will Your Medi-Cal Health Plan Change?
It may.
Medi-Cal Managed Care health plans are organized by county, and the health plan available in your home county may not be available in the county where you attend college.
When the county updates your temporary college address, your existing health plan enrollment may change and you may receive information about health plans available in your college county.
Depending on the county, you may need to choose a plan or you may be automatically enrolled.
6. How Do You Find the Medi-Cal Plans in Your College County?
Use the official DHCS Medi-Cal Managed Care Health Plan Directory.
Select the county where you attend college to see the Medi-Cal Managed Care health plans currently associated with that county.
→ Find Medi-Cal Health Plans by County
Check whether the doctors, clinics, hospitals, mental health providers, specialists, and urgent care centers near your college participate in the plan.
7. What Happens While You Are Changing Health Plans?
There may be a period between the end of one Managed Care health plan enrollment and the start of another.
DHCS guidance for college students explains that students can continue using the same Medi-Cal Benefits Identification Card (BIC) and may have access to Fee-for-Service Medi-Cal while enrollment in the new county's health plan is being completed.
Before receiving non-emergency care during this period, ask the provider whether they accept Fee-for-Service (FFS) Medi-Cal.
8. Keep Your Medi-Cal BIC
Your Medi-Cal Benefits Identification Card (BIC) remains important even if your Managed Care health plan changes.
Do not throw away your BIC when you receive a new health plan card.
You may have both:
- Your Medi-Cal Benefits Identification Card (BIC)
- Your Medi-Cal Managed Care health plan member ID card
Keep both cards in a safe place.
9. How Do You Find a Doctor Near College?
Once you know which Medi-Cal health plan you have in your college county, use the health plan's provider directory to search for nearby providers.
You may want to look for:
- Primary Care Providers (PCPs)
- Urgent care centers
- Hospitals
- Mental health providers
- Specialists
- Pharmacies
- Women's health providers
Before making an appointment, call the provider and confirm that they currently accept your specific Medi-Cal health plan and are accepting new patients.
10. Can You Use the Student Health Center?
Many colleges and universities operate student health centers.
Whether your school's health center can bill Medi-Cal or your specific Medi-Cal Managed Care plan depends on the school, the services provided, and the health center's participation with Medi-Cal or your plan.
Do not assume that a campus health center automatically accepts Medi-Cal.
“Do you accept my Medi-Cal health plan?” If not, ask whether there are fees for students and where you should go for services covered by Medi-Cal.
11. What About Urgent Care?
If you need urgent but non-emergency medical care, contact your Medi-Cal health plan or check its provider directory for an urgent care center that participates in your network.
If you are outside your plan's normal service area and need urgent care, contact your health plan for instructions when possible.
Using an out-of-network provider for non-emergency services can have different rules, so checking with your plan before receiving care can help prevent problems.
12. What If You Have a Medical Emergency?
If you believe you are having a medical emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.
Do not delay emergency care because you are away from your home county or because the hospital is not part of your regular provider network.
Medi-Cal Managed Care plans cover emergency care according to applicable Medi-Cal rules, including emergency care outside the plan's normal provider network.
13. What About Mental Health Services at College?
College students may have several possible sources of mental health support.
These may include:
- Your college counseling or student health center
- Your Medi-Cal Managed Care health plan
- County behavioral health services when applicable
- Other Medi-Cal providers
Start by checking what services your college provides and contact your Medi-Cal health plan if you need help finding covered mental health providers near campus.
14. What About Prescription Medications?
If you take prescription medications, plan ahead before moving to college.
Check whether there is a pharmacy near your college that can process your Medi-Cal prescription coverage.
Medi-Cal pharmacy benefits are generally administered through Medi-Cal Rx.
If you regularly take medication, make sure you know how to refill your prescription before you run out.
15. What If You Go Home During School Break?
Students often return to their family home during summer, winter, or other school breaks.
DHCS guidance recognizes that a college student may move between the college county and the family's home county.
If you return home and need medical care, contact your county Medi-Cal office when appropriate to make sure your current address information reflects where you are living and to understand how your health plan coverage will work.
Because Managed Care health plans are county-based, changing where you live may affect the plan and provider network available to you.
16. What If You Permanently Move?
A permanent move is different from temporarily living in another county for college.
If you permanently change your address, Medi-Cal requires you to report the change.
DHCS states that a change of address should be reported to either county within 10 days of the change.
If you permanently move to another county, your Managed Care health plan in your old county will generally end at the end of the month, and you will need to enroll in a health plan available in the new county.
17. What If You Attend College Outside California?
This situation requires more planning.
Medi-Cal is California's Medicaid program and generally is not designed to provide routine health care outside California.
DHCS states that when you travel outside California, Medi-Cal may help in certain situations, such as an emergency caused by an accident, injury, or severe illness.
Except for emergencies, a Medi-Cal Managed Care plan generally must approve out-of-state medical services before you receive them.
Contact your Medi-Cal health plan before school begins and ask exactly what services will be covered while you are away. You may need to consider other health coverage for routine medical care near your out-of-state college.
18. What About a College Student Health Plan?
Many colleges and universities offer student health insurance plans.
Before enrolling in or waiving a student health plan, compare it carefully with your Medi-Cal coverage.
Consider:
- Where the college is located
- Whether your Medi-Cal network has providers near campus
- Whether the school health center accepts your Medi-Cal plan
- The cost of the student health plan
- Deductibles, copayments, and other costs
- Prescription coverage
- Mental health services
- Coverage when traveling or returning home
Covered California advises students to consider both the location of available doctors and clinics and the cost of accessing services when comparing health coverage options.
19. Can You Have Other Health Insurance and Medi-Cal?
In some situations, a person may have Medi-Cal and other health insurance at the same time.
If you have other health coverage, you must report it as required.
Generally, the other health insurance is billed before Medi-Cal because Medi-Cal is the payer of last resort in many situations.
If your college offers health insurance, do not assume that enrolling in it automatically ends Medi-Cal. However, make sure Medi-Cal has accurate information about your other coverage and confirm how the two types of coverage will coordinate.
20. College Student Medi-Cal Checklist
Before leaving for college:
- ✓ Check whether your college is in the same or a different county.
- ✓ Report your temporary college address when appropriate.
- ✓ Find out which Medi-Cal health plans are available in the college county.
- ✓ Check whether you need to choose a new health plan.
- ✓ Find a PCP or clinic near campus.
- ✓ Find an in-network urgent care center.
- ✓ Check nearby hospitals.
- ✓ Check mental health services near campus.
- ✓ Find a pharmacy that works with your Medi-Cal coverage.
- ✓ Keep your Medi-Cal BIC.
- ✓ Keep your health plan member ID card.
- ✓ Save your health plan Member Services phone number.
- ✓ Compare Medi-Cal with any student health plan offered by your school.
- ✓ If studying outside California, contact your health plan before leaving.
21. Key Takeaway
Going to college does not automatically end your Medi-Cal coverage.
If you attend college in another California county, report your temporary college address to your county Medi-Cal office. This can help you enroll in a Medi-Cal health plan that serves the county where you attend school.
Before school starts, check which health plan you will use, find doctors and urgent care near campus, understand where to get prescription medications, and keep your Medi-Cal BIC and health plan information with you.
If you attend college outside California, contact your Medi-Cal health plan before leaving because routine out-of-state medical care may not be covered without prior approval.
Official Sources & Resources
- California DHCS – Medi-Cal Help Center
- California DHCS – Medi-Cal Managed Care Health Plan Directory
- California DHCS – Find a County Medi-Cal Office
- California DHCS – Access to Medi-Cal Benefits for College Students
- Covered California – Health Coverage Information for Students
Disclaimer: California Benefits Guide is an independent informational website and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), Covered California, any county Medi-Cal office, any college or university, or any other government agency.
Medi-Cal eligibility, health plan enrollment, provider networks, address requirements, student health coverage, and other program rules may change. This article provides general information only and does not provide an official Medi-Cal eligibility determination or legal advice. Students should verify their individual coverage with DHCS, their county Medi-Cal office, their Medi-Cal health plan, and their college or university when applicable.