Medi-Cal Member Handbook - LA Care Health Plan

How to change health plans
We believe you will like Anthem Blue Cross. But
you can change your health plan for any reason.
Call L.A. Care at 1-888-839-9909 to change
your health plan. If you call L.A. Care before
the 20 th of the month, the change will be effective
on the 1 st of the next month. If you call L.A. Care
on or after the 20 th of the month, the change will
start on the 1st of the month following the next
month. For example, if you call on June 15 th to
change health plans, the change will become
effective on July 1 st . If you call after June 20 th to
change health plans, the change will become
effective August 1 st . When you change health
plans, you will get an ID card from your new
health plan. Be sure to tear up your old health
plan ID card.
Some plans do not serve all of Los Angeles
County. Call the health plan to ask about their
service area and to make sure it can serve you
before you change. You can’t get routine care like
Medi-Cal Member Handbook / Benefit Year 2010-2011
checkups outside of your health plan’s service
area. But don’t worry – no matter which health
plan you choose, you can get urgent or
emergency care anywhere when you need it –
even outside of Los Angeles County. For more
information, see the “Emergency care: How do I
get care in an emergency?” section of this
handbook.
How to change your Health Maintenance
Organization (HMO)
You can also leave L.A. Care to enroll with
another HMO at any time and for any reason. To
change your HMO, call Health Care Options
(HCO). You can find HCO’s phone number in the
“Important Phone Numbers” section of this
handbook. When you change your HMO, you
will get a new ID card and Member Handbook
from your new HMO. Be sure to tear up your old
ID card.
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Anthem Blue Cross Customer Care Center toll-free 1-888-285-7801
L.A. Care Health Plan Member Services Department toll-free 1-888-839-9909