How to Apply

How To Apply?

How do I become a member of Kern Family Health Care (KFHC)?
To become a member of Kern Family Health Care, you need to be eligible for Medi-Cal or for the Healthy Families Program. Kern Family Health Care does not determine eligibility for these programs; the State of California makes eligibility determinations. Once you apply and have qualified for one of these programs, you can choose Kern Family Health Care as your Health Plan. Kern Family Health Care is chosen by more people who qualify for Medi-Cal or the Healthy Families Program than any other health plan in Kern County.

To apply for Medi-Cal

1. To apply for Medi-Cal, please call the Kern County Department of Human Services (DHS) at 661-631-6000.
2. Once you qualify, you need to fill out a Medi-Cal Choice Form from Health Care Options (HCO), the company that enrolls KFHC members. You can call HCO at 661-633-7201 for assistance or go to a HCO Presentation in your community.
3. Wait for HCO to send you a letter to let you know you are enrolled. This may take 15 to 45 days.
4. Continue to use your regular Medi-Cal services while you are waiting.

How to join Kern Family Health Care…

1. Fill out a Medi-Cal Choice Form. If you need a form, call 661-633-7201. You will need to answer all of the questions on the form.
2. To pick Kern Family Health Care, completely fill in the oval next to “303 Kern Family Health Care” in the “Health Plans” section of the Medi-Cal Choice Form. Be sure to choose a Primary Care Practitioner (PCP) so we can assign you to the PCP of your choice when we get the enrollment form.
3. When Kern Family Health Care is notified that you are a member, we will mail you a Member ID card and other member materials.

To apply for The Healthy Families Program

1. To apply for the Healthy Families Program, call KFHC at 1-800-391-2000 or the Healthy Families Program directly at 1-800-880-5305. We can mail you a Healthy Families Program Handbook and Application.
2. You need to fill out a Healthy Families Program application. If you need help filling out the application, please call us directly at 661-664-5536 or 661-664-5168 and we can help you over the phone.  You can also download the list of local businesses/organizations that will help you free of charge. It is very important that the application is filled out correctly and completely.
3. To pick Kern Family Health Care, write “Kern Family Health Care 1015” in line 45 (Health Plan Name/Code) on the Healthy Families Program application. Be sure to choose a Primary Care Practitioner (PCP) so we can assign you to the PCP of your choice when we get the enrollment form.
4. Mail your completed application and premium payment to the Healthy Families Program. If you qualify, you will receive a written notification from them.
5. Once you qualify for the Healthy Families Program and KFHC is notified that you chose us as your health plan, we will mail you a Member Handbook, Provider Directory and Member ID card.

Open Enrollment
The Healthy Families Program annual open enrollment period is April 15 – May 31. If you are currently enrolled in the Healthy Families Program and want to choose Kern Family Health Care as your health plan, please call the Healthy Families Program at 1-800-880-5305. New members can enroll at any time – you don’t have to wait until open enrollment to apply.

Application Assistance
There are Certified Application Assistors in communities throughout Kern County who are available to assist you at no cost with the Medi-Cal and Healthy Families Program enrollment process. You can also call Kern Family Health Care directly at 661-664-5536 or 661-664-5168 and we can help you complete the application over the phone.