If you have Medical Assistance or MinnesotaCare, mental health care is part of what these programs are designed to cover. The harder part is usually practical: working out which plan you are on, which providers are in its network, and what to ask before a first appointment. This guide walks through it.
The two programs in brief
Medical Assistance (MA) is Minnesota's Medicaid program. MinnesotaCare is a separate state program for people who earn too much for MA but still need affordable coverage. Both are run by the Minnesota Department of Human Services, and eligibility depends on things like income and household size.
You may hear either one called "state insurance" or "a public program." On your card, though, you will often see the name of a health plan instead.
Why your card may say UCare, Blue Plus or another plan
Many people on MA or MinnesotaCare get their coverage through a managed care health plan. The state pays the plan, and the plan manages your benefits and its own network of providers.
This matters because a therapist who works with one plan may not be in network with another. Two neighbors who both have Medical Assistance can have different plans and different provider networks.
Find out which plan you have
Look at your member ID card. The plan's name and a member services number are usually printed on it.
If you do not have a card or are not sure, call the member services number on any letter you have received about your coverage, or contact your county or tribal human services office.
Keep your member ID number handy. A provider's billing team will need it.
Questions to ask before a first appointment
When you call a therapy practice or your plan, these questions save time:
Is this provider in network with my specific plan?
Are therapy sessions covered, and is telehealth covered the same way?
Will I owe anything per visit?
Do I need a referral or prior authorization?
Is psychiatric medication management covered if I need it?
Is my coverage active right now, and when is my renewal date?
Write down the date, the name of the person you spoke with and what they said. Our post on how to check your mental health insurance before a first appointment has a longer checklist.
Keep your coverage active
Public program coverage has to be renewed. If a renewal form is missed, coverage can lapse without much warning, which can interrupt care in the middle of treatment. Open mail from the state or your plan promptly, and tell your provider if your coverage changes.
How Radiant works with Minnesota public programs
Radiant Recovery and Counseling Services works with many Minnesota Medicaid and managed care plans. Plans the practice often works with include Medical Assistance, MinnesotaCare, UCare, Hennepin Health, Blue Plus and HealthPartners.
A plan appearing on that list does not guarantee that your specific policy is in network. Coverage depends on your plan, member ID and eligibility, so Radiant's billing team verifies your benefits before your first appointment and tells you what they find. For the basics, see how insurance works for therapy.
Radiant offers therapy and psychiatric medication management by telehealth across Minnesota and in person in Minneapolis, with evening and weekend appointments.
A next step
Call (612) 429-1662 with your member ID card in hand, or request an appointment online, and ask for a benefits check. There is no obligation to book.
If you are in crisis or thinking about suicide, call or text 988. You do not need insurance to use it. Radiant provides outpatient care and is not a crisis service.
This article is general information, not insurance or legal advice. Program rules change; confirm details with your plan or the Minnesota Department of Human Services.