Your primary
care doctor
gives you
your basic
care and
oversees
your
treatments.
In most
HMOs, you
must choose
a primary
care doctor.
You can
change
doctors if
you do not
like the
doctor you
have.
Your Rights
-
Your
doctor
should
help you
get the
services
you need
and
understand
your
care.
-
Your
doctor
should
tell you
all of
your
treatment
choices,
even if
they are
not all
covered
by your
plan.
-
Your
doctor
should
make
sure
that you
give
informed
consent
when you
have a
treatment.
-
You may
be able
to
change
doctors
if you
want. It
can take
up to a
month to
get a
new
doctor.
-
If
your
doctor
or
medical
group
leaves
your
health
plan,
you must
be told
so you
can get
another
doctor.
Choosing a
Doctor
-
Your
primary
care
doctor
can be a
family
doctor,
an
internist,
a
pediatrician
(children's
doctor),
a
gynecologist
(women's
doctor),
or a
nurse
practitioner
who
works
with a
doctor.
-
Your
primary
care
doctor's
office
should
be easy
for you
to get
to. You
can
usually
ask for
a doctor
within
15 miles
or 30
minutes
of your
home or
work.
-
Ask your
health
plan for
a list
of
primary
care
doctors.
You may
have to
call
more
than one
doctor
before
you find
a doctor
who is
taking
new
patients.
-
Ask
friends
and
co-workers
for the
names of
doctors
they
like.
Make the
Most of Your
Visit
-
Bring a
list of
your
questions
and
concerns.
-
Bring a
list of
all your
medicines
(including
over-the-counter
medicine
and
supplements)
and how
much
(the
dose)
you take
of each
one.
-
Repeat
what
your
doctor
tells
you in
your own
words,
to make
sure you
understand.
-
Take
notes.
-
Ask how
to reach
your
doctor
between
visits.
-
Bring
someone
with you
for
support.
Medical
Groups
A medical
group is a
group of
doctors who
have a
business
together and
have a
contract
with a
health plan
to give
services to
the plan
members.
Your primary
care doctor
and most of
the
specialists
you see will
usually be a
part of your
medical
group.
You may
receive your
care through
a medical
group, but
it is your
health plan
that is
responsible
for covering
your health
care. This
means your
plan must
make sure
you get the
same level
of health
care no
matter who
your doctor
is or what
happens to
his or her
medical
group
