Healthy Kids - About Getting Care

• PHC Member Services Department
• Choosing your Primary Care Provider
• Making a Doctors Appointment
• Your Hospital
• Medical Care at Night and on the Weekends
• Linguistic Services
• Services for the Visually Impaired
• Services for the Hearing and Speech Impaired
• Pharmacy Services
• Mail Order Pharmacy Services
• Patient Safety Checklist
• Patient Safety Tips for your next appointment

PHC MEMBER SERVICES DEPARTMENT

PHC has a Member Services Department that is available Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm. You can call us at (707) 863-4120 or (800) 863-4155. The Member Services Representative are there to answer your questions about PHC and help you with any problems you may have related to your medical care.

You should call the Member Services Department if you:

• Want to transfer to a new primary care provider.
• Are getting a bill for medical care.
• Need a new PHC ID card
• Would like to file an appeal or complaint about PHC, your medical care, or your medical provider.
• Have any questions about PHC or the services PHC provides.
• Have a problem getting a medical appointment.
• Have a problem getting a prescription filled.

Multi-lingual services and services for hearing, speech and visually impaired members are available through the PHC Member Services Department. For more information about these services, call our Member Services Department or refer to the appropriately titled sections of this website for additional information.

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CHOOSING YOUR PRIMARY CARE PROVIDER

If you would like help picking a primary care provider, you can call the PHC Member Services Department at (707) 863-4120 or (800) 863-4155. If you would like a list of providers, you can call our Member Services Department or access the list through this web site. To view PHCs list of participating providers, you must select the prompt titled "Provider" from the menu bar that runs across the top of this screen. Next, you will scroll down to the menu selection titled "Provider Directory" and then select your county of residence.

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MAKING A DOCTORS APPOINTMENT

New PHC members should make an appointment with their primary care provider for a health check-up right away. This is a great way to get to know your doctor and make sure you are in good health. If you don't know who your doctor is, call our Members Services Department at (707) 863-4120 or (800) 863-4155.

Always carry your PHC ID card. Be sure to show your health insurance card when you receive medical care.

Sometimes doctor's offices get backed up and you may have to wait longer then you would like for an appointment. So if you're not feeling well, don't wait until the last minute to make an appointment to see your doctor.

If you are not able to keep your doctors' appointment, please call to cancel your appointment as soon as you can. Try to cancel your appointment at least 24 hours in advance.

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YOUR HOSPITAL

PHC members have been assigned to a primary care provider. Did you know that PHC members have also been assigned to a hospital? If you don't know which hospital you have been assigned to, call our Members Services Department at (707) 863-4120 or (800) 863-4155..

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MEDICAL CARE AT NIGHT AND ON THE WEEKENDS

Most doctor's offices and clinics are closed at night and on the weekends. So, what should you do if you need health care hours?

• Call your Primary Care Provider's office. Each office has after-hours services.
• Of, call the PHC Advice Nurse.

The Advice Nurse is available to your from 5:00 pm - 8: 00 am, Monday - Friday and 24 hours a day on the weekends and holidays. Phone: (866) 778-8873. You can use this free service if you're not sure if you should go to the emergency room or if you have a medical question that can't wait until the next day. If you have a life threatening emergency, you should go to the closest emergency room or call 911.

PHC members assigned to the medical providers listed below should use the after hours services available through their assigned medical providers.

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LINGUISTIC SERVICES

To choose a doctor or medical group who speaks your language, refer to the PHC Provider Directory for a list of languages spoken at each provider office. If you need interpreter services when accessing medical care, you should call your doctor or the PHC Member Services Department to request this service. Interpreting services are available to you at no charge when accessing health care. You can request face-to-face or telephone interpreter services. Face-to-face interpreting services need to be approved by PHC in advance. You do not need to use friends or family members as interpreters, unless you choose to. PHC also provides all written materials to our members in English, Spanish and Russian.

You have the right to file a complaint or an appeal if you feel your linguistic needs have not been met. For more information about filing a complaint or an appeal, call our Member Services Department at (707) 863-4120 or (800) 863-4155. You can also refer to the section of this web site titled "How to File a Complaint or Appeal".

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SERVICES FOR THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED

To receive an audio version of your PHC member materials, contact the PHC Member Services Department at (707) 863-4120 or (800) 863-4155. Braille versions are available to members who are visually and hearing impaired.

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SERVICES FOR THE HEARING AND SPEECH IMPAIRED

You can contact the PHC Member Services Department through the California Relay Service by calling (800) 735-2929 or through the TTD service. To use the TTD service, you should call (800) 226-2140.

For information about sign language interpreting, contact our Member Services Department at (707) 863-4120 or (800) 863-4155.

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PHARMACY SERVICES

If you have a prescription that needs to be filled, you should take it to one of the pharmacies on the pharmacy listed in this web site. If you are going to need to get a prescription filled while out of your county of residence, you should call the PHC Member Services Department for information about available pharmacies out of your county of residence.

There is a $5.00 co-payment per prescription. Generic Drugs are used unless there is not generic equivalent for a brand name drug, of unless there is a medical reason for you to have to take a brand name drug instead of the generic equivalent.

PHC keeps a list of drugs called a "Drug Formulary." PHC's Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee meets quarterly to review and revise the formulary. Drugs are evaluated and selected for the formulary based on tier safety, quality, effectiveness and affordability. In some cases your doctor may choose to prescribe a drug that is not on the formulary. In order for this drug to be covered, your doctor must obtain approval form PHC before your prescription is filled.

If you would like a copy of the PHC Drug Formulary, you can contact the PHC Member Service Department. The formulary is also available on the web site.

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MAIL ORDER PHARMACY SERVICES

PHC has contracted with Walgreen's Mail Order Service Pharmacy to provide a mail order service for maintenance medications and for PHC members. This is a great service that is FREE and will save you many unnecessary trips to the pharmacy.

For more information about this free service, please call our Member Services Department at 707-863-4120 or 800-863-4155.

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