How to Get Credentialed with Medi-Cal in California
Quick Overview
Timeline
60 - 90 days
CAQH
Not Required
Re-credentialing
Every 5 year(s)
Delegated
No
California-Specific Requirements
Medicaid Information: California
Agency: Department of Health Care Services (DHCS)
Program: Medi-Cal
Portal: https://pave.dhcs.ca.gov
Phone: (916) 323-1945
Step-by-Step Enrollment Process
Gather Required Documents
Collect all necessary credentials including your medical license, DEA certificate, malpractice insurance, NPI number, and any state-specific requirements for California.
Prepare Your Application
Complete Medi-Cal's provider enrollment application with all required information and supporting documentation.
Submit Your Application
Submit your completed enrollment package to Medi-Cal.
Track & Follow Up
Credentialing typically takes 60-90 days. Monitor your application status and respond promptly to requests for additional information.
Free Consultation
Need help enrolling with Medi-Cal?
Our specialists handle the entire Medi-Cal enrollment process: applications, follow-ups, and approvals in California.
Required Documents Checklist
Background Check
Federal/state background check required for Medicaid enrollment
CV/Resume
Work history required
FINGERPRINT_CLEARANCE
ConditionalRequired for high-risk provider types
Fingerprinting required for high-risk provider types
Malpractice Insurance
ConditionalRequired in most states; some state programs waive for government employees
Medical License
NPI Certificate
Enrollment Forms
Medi-Cal PAVE Enrollment
RequiredFree Tools for Your Medi-Cal Enrollment
Related Articles
Can You Bill Retroactively After Credentialing? Medicare, Medicaid, and Commercial Payer Rules Explained
Can you bill retroactively? Medicare: 30 days back. Medicaid: varies by state. Most commercial payers: no. Payer-by-paye...
10 Credentialing Mistakes That Are Costing Your Practice $122K+ (And How to Fix Them)
85% of credentialing applications contain errors. These 10 mistakes cost providers $122K+ in delayed revenue. Real-world...
How Long Does Credentialing Really Take? Timelines by Payer, Specialty, and State
Medicare: 45-65 days. UHC: 60-90. Cigna: 60-120. Medicaid: 30-180 by state. Real timelines for 12 payers, plus 5 strateg...
Key Credentialing Terms
- Capitation
- A payment model where a payer pays a provider a fixed amount per member per month regardless of whether the member recei...
- CAQH
- The Council for Affordable Quality Health Care, an organization that maintains a universal provider database (CAQH ProVi...
- Credentialing
- The process of verifying a healthcare provider's qualifications, training, licensure, and professional background to ens...
- Effective Date
- The date on which a provider's enrollment or network participation becomes active, allowing them to begin billing a paye...
- Managed Care
- A healthcare delivery system organized to manage cost, utilization, and quality through techniques such as provider netw...
- Network Adequacy
- The requirement that a health plan's provider network has enough providers in each specialty and geographic area to give...
- NPI
- The National Provider Identifier is a unique 10-digit identification number issued by CMS to healthcare providers, requi...
- Primary Source Verification
- The process of verifying a provider's credentials directly from the original issuing source, such as medical schools, li...
Credentialing Checklist
Make sure you have everything ready before applying to Medi-Cal.
View Physician Credentialing Checklist →Contact Information
Provider Credentialing
National(916) 323-1945
Mon-Fri 8am-5pm
Provider Services
National(916) 323-1945
Claims & Billing
National(916) 323-1945
Quick Links
Reviewed by the PayerReady Credentialing Team
Our credentialing specialists verify every article against current CMS regulations, NCQA standards, and payer-specific enrollment requirements. See our editorial process.