California Behavioral Health Reimbursement Rates
California Medi-Cal uses managed care organizations (MCOs) with county-specific contracts. Urban GPCI localities command 15–25% above national Medicare for psychotherapy.
Medicare 90837
$187.04
Medicaid 90837
$153.37
Commercial (est.)
$180.00–$210.00
Medicare Locality Rates — CPT 90837
GPCI-adjusted Medicare psychotherapy rates by county and metro locality in California.
| Locality | Medicare 90837 | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco County | $213.76 | +28% |
| Los Angeles County | $192.05 | +15% |
| Santa Clara County | $220.44 | +32% |
| San Mateo County | $217.10 | +30% |
| Marin County | $215.43 | +29% |
| Orange County | $190.38 | +14% |
| Riverside County | $170.34 | +2% |
| Kern County | $163.66 | -2% |
| Rest of California | $175.35 | +5% |
Key CPT Code Rates — California
CPT 90791
Diagnostic Evaluation
Medicare: $194.15
Medicaid: $159.20
CPT 90832
Psychotherapy, 30 min
Medicare: $96.14
Medicaid: $78.84
CPT 90834
Psychotherapy, 45 min
Medicare: $127.57
Medicaid: $104.61
CPT 90837
Psychotherapy, 60 min
Medicare: $187.04
Medicaid: $153.37
Medicaid in California
California Medicaid uses a managed care model. Published estimates approximate 82% of Medicare for key outpatient behavioral health CPT codes — actual fee schedule dollars vary by code and provider type.
Master's-level clinicians typically receive 75–80% of psychologist rates for identical psychotherapy CPT codes under most state Medicaid fee schedules.
Source: California Medicaid fee schedule (effective 2026-01-01).
Explore California Rates
Use the interactive explorer below — pre-loaded for California.