This is the most common insurance question we get, and the answer has a wrinkle worth understanding before you book.
Cardinal Care is the name Virginia gives to its entire Medicaid program. It is not a carrier, and there is no such thing as a Cardinal Care card that works everywhere on its own.
Under Cardinal Care Managed Care, your actual coverage runs through one of five health plans. That plan is who processes your claims and who decides which providers are in network for you. So when a benefits check comes back saying simply “Cardinal Care,” that does not yet answer the question. The next step is finding out which of the five plans you are enrolled in.
This matters for a practical reason: being in network with one Cardinal Care plan does not automatically mean being in network with the other four. Credentialing happens plan by plan.
Being in network with one Cardinal Care plan does not mean being in network with all five. Here is exactly where this practice stands with each one.
Status as of August 2026. Credentialing dates can move, so please call (703) 791-9099 to confirm before you book.
Anthem HealthKeepers Plus
In network now. If this is your plan, you can book today and your visits are billed in network.
Humana Healthy Horizons of Virginia
Credentialing in progress, expected to be in network in late August 2026.
Aetna Better Health of Virginia
Credentialing in progress, expected to be in network in September 2026.
UnitedHealthcare Community Plan
Credentialing in progress, expected to be in network in September 2026.
Sentara Health Plans
Not in network. The panel is currently closed, so we are unable to accept these members at this time.
It takes about two minutes, and it saves a wasted appointment.
Look at your member card
The plan name is on the front. You are looking for Anthem HealthKeepers Plus, Humana Healthy Horizons, Aetna Better Health, UnitedHealthcare Community Plan, or Sentara Health Plans.
Or check your Cardinal Care account
You can see your assigned health plan by logging in to the Virginia Medicaid member portal, or by calling Virginia Medicaid Managed Care Helpline.
Call us with the plan name
Once you know which plan you have, call (703) 791-9099 and we will confirm your current network status before scheduling anything.
If your plan is not in network yet
Tell us anyway. Several plans are in credentialing now, and we can let you know when your plan goes live rather than leaving you to guess.
For members whose plan is in network, behavioral health is a covered benefit and no referral is required.
Partly, and the honest answer depends on your specific plan. Cardinal Care is the Virginia Medicaid program rather than one insurance company, and your coverage runs through one of five health plans. This practice is currently in network with Anthem HealthKeepers Plus. Several other plans are in credentialing now, and Sentara Health Plans is not in network because that panel is closed.
Each of the five health plans maintains its own provider network and its own credentialing process. A practice has to be approved separately by each one, and plans sometimes close their panels when they have enough providers in an area. It is frustrating and it is outside a provider’s control.
Yes. That plan is in network today, so you can schedule and your visits are billed in network.
Sentara Health Plans is not in network here and their panel is currently closed. You can ask Virginia Medicaid about switching plans during an open enrollment period, or ask us for other options. We would rather point you somewhere useful than have you book a visit that will not be covered.
Call and tell us which plan you have. We can note it and let you know when the contract goes live. If you need care sooner than that, we can talk about self-pay or help you look at alternatives, but nobody should sit untreated waiting on paperwork.
No. Cardinal Care plans do not require a referral for outpatient behavioral health.
Yes. Evaluation, medication management, and supportive therapy are all available fully in Vietnamese, with no interpreter involved.
Not sure which Cardinal Care plan you have?
Call (703) 791-9099 with the plan name on your card and we will confirm your network status before you schedule anything.
If you are in crisis right now, please do not wait for an appointment.
Call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Free, confidential, available 24/7.
For emergencies, call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.
Alice Tran Psychiatric Care does not operate 24/7 and does not provide crisis services. Emails, voicemails, text or portal messages are typically responded to within 24 to 72 business hours.