New Members
New Members
As a new member of KFHC you will be receiving your Member I.D. card as well as other member materials in the mail within a couple of weeks of joining. One of our Member Service Representatives will also call you to welcome you, assist you with getting started, and to answer any questions you may have about your healthcare plan.
The steps you need to follow to get started in accessing your healthcare services are:
Choose a Primary Care Practitioner (PCP) or Clinic
You can choose a PCP or clinic from our Provider Directory mailed to you or by using the Doctor Search tool on our website. Call Member Services at 1-800-391-2000 and one of our Member Services Representatives will note your choice or assist you with your selection. You must choose your PCP within 30 days of becoming a member. If not, Kern Family Health Care will choose one for you. However, you may call Member Services at any time to change your PCP.
Make an Appointment with your Doctor
Once you have selected your PCP you should call to make an appointment with them for an Initial Health Assessment (IHA). An IHA is a complete physical exam. You do not have to be sick to see the doctor. You and all of the other KFHC members of your family should have an IHA. If you need help scheduling your IHA, call Member Services at 1-800-391-2000 and ask for the member liaison.
Read your Member Handbook
You must make time to read your Member Handbook. There are helpful tips in it about how to access your health care. If you have questions, please call us at 1-800-391-2000. We are happy to help.
If you need to see a Specialist?
Call your PCP and make an appointment. If your PCP agrees that you need to see a specialist, he will generate a referral and send it to Kern Family Health Care. Routine referrals take 5 to 7 working days. If it is urgent, the approval takes 24 to 48hrs.
Need Gynecology or Obstetrics care? (Females only)
You can go to any provider that is contracted with KFHC. This does not require an authorization from your PCP. Review your Provider Directory for a list of providers you can choose from.
Need to see a Vision doctor? (Medi-Cal members only)
Eye exams and glasses (if needed) are covered every 24 months. For a list of vision doctors, refer to your Provider Directory or call Member Services at 1-800-391-2000 and we will be happy to help you.
Need to go to an Urgent Care or a Hospital Emergency Room?
If your doctor is not available and you need to go to an urgent care, call our 24 hour Nurse Advice line at 1-800-391-2000 (including weekends and holidays). The nurse will talk to you about your medical condition and, if appropriate, refer you to an urgent care that is contracted with KFHC. If you are traveling or out of the Kern County area, you do not need to get an authorization from KFHC before receiving care. Urgent care services are covered if they are provided within the United States and are determined to be medically necessary.
If you have an emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. An emergency is a medical condition with severe symptoms that require immediate medical attention which otherwise may place the person’s health in serious jeopardy, or cause serious impairment to the bodily function or organs of the patient. Examples of conditions that would be an emergency include: severe chest pains, difficulty breathing, poisoning, overdose, uncontrollable bleeding, convulsions, or unconsciousness. Emergency services are covered if they are provided within the United States. Emergency services in Canada or Mexico requiring hospitalization are covered. Emergency services provided in any other country are not covered.
Transport by ambulance is only a covered benefit when used for a situation that is justified by medical necessity or is pre-approved by KFHC.
Did you have a baby?
We will cover your baby’s care from the month he or she is born to the end of the next month. You must apply for Medi-Cal through the Kern County Department of Human Services to continue coverage after that. Call your caseworker at (661) 631-6000 for more details.
If you are a Healthy Families Program member, your baby will be covered for 30 days. After that you must apply to enroll your baby in the Healthy Families Program. Call 1-800-880-5305 for more details.
Looking for a Pharmacy?
Refer to your Provider Directory for a list of pharmacies you can choose from in your community. Or call our Member Services Department at 1-800-391-2000 and we will be happy to help you. Pharmacies that are not available to KFHC members in Kern County are Wal-Mart and Target.
Health Education Programs
From classes to informational materials, it’s easy to get the help and the support you need. Learn about Weight Management, how to Stop Smoking and more! Just call Kern Family Health Care at 1-800-391-2000.
While you’re enrolled with Kern Family Health Care, Medi-Cal fee-for-service still covers:
- Dental
- Chiropractor
- Mental Health Services.
Need a Kern Family Health Care Member ID card?
Call our Member Services Department at 1-800-391-2000 or submit your request online.
Healthy Families Members Only
You have a co-payment of $5.00 for doctor’s visits and $5.00 for each pharmacy prescription. Co-pays are collected from many areas where you receive services. It might be a doctor’s office, a hospital emergency room, a pharmacy, a mental health provider or other types of providers. Your family will not have to pay more than a total of $250 in co-payments in one year. Each time you are required to pay a co-pay for any member of your family that is a KFHC Healthy Families member, have the provider office fill out the Co-pay Tracking Card. Once the card has been fully completed, submit it to KFHC, 9700 Stockdale Hwy, Bakersfield, CA 93311, ATTN: Member Services. If you would like a Co-pay Tracking Card call Member Services at 1-800-391-2000.
