Medi-Cal (California Medicaid) MNT coverage: codes, telehealth and limits
The short answerThe Medi-Cal provider manual pays MNT with 97802 and 97803 (and 97804 for groups), up to 3 hours the first calendar year and 2 hours each year after, with a Treatment Authorization Request for more. Most members are in managed care plans that set their own rules. Telehealth takes POS 02 or 10 with modifier 95 for video or 93 for audio only.
By Javier Alvarez · Updated · 1 min read
1 row: Medicaid (by state) · California. Public policy, not the member's benefits.
Medi-Cal (California Medicaid)
Medicaid fee-for-service and managed care · California
| 97802 | Listed [1] |
|---|---|
| 97803 | Listed [1] |
| G0270 | Not published |
| G0271 | Not published |
| Diagnoses | Not published: call the payer. |
| Other codes | 97804, in 30-minute units. [1] |
| Telehealth POS | POS 02 or 10. [2] |
| Telehealth modifier | 95 for video, 93 for audio only. [2] |
| Visit limits | Fee-for-service: 3 hours the first calendar year, 2 hours each later calendar year; more with a Treatment Authorization Request (TAR). 97802 to 97804 can't be billed on the same date as DSMT (G0108, G0109). [1] |
| Referral and prior auth | Not published: call the payer. |
| Managed care plans | Plan-specific. For example, Partnership HealthPlan pays up to 12 hours of 97803 per rolling 12 months without a TAR. [3] |
- DHCS: Medi-Cal Provider Manual, Medicine: Nutrition Counseling, updated Oct 2025 (PDF), checked September 28, 2026
- DHCS: Medi-Cal Provider Manual, Telehealth Modalities, updated Nov 2025 (PDF), checked September 28, 2026
- Partnership HealthPlan of California: MCUP3052 Medical Nutrition Therapy Services (PDF), checked September 28, 2026
Check a Medicaid claim against the row
Before a Medi-Cal (California Medicaid) claim goes out, compare it with the row above: the code is one the policy lists, the place of service and modifier match for a video visit, and the units fit the limit. Change the filters to compare Medicaid with another payer, then download the PDF of what you see. More on the Medi-Cal (California Medicaid) coverage guide.