Your primary care physician

Your primary care physician (PCP) is the doctor or other healthcare provider that delivers the majority of your preventive care and services. You get to pick your PCP and can change it at any time.

Medicaid provider talks with a member

What is a PCP?

Your PCP (sometimes called a family doctor or practitioner) typically is:

  • A pediatrician
  • A provider providing internal medicine services
  • A provider who specializes in family medicine or who has a general practice
  • A provider group practice
  • An advanced practice nurse
  • An advanced practice nurse group that specializes in a specific type of care (e.g., OB-GYN care)
  • An individual provider

Your PCP will work with you to direct your health care and:

  • Give you checkups (usually once a year, for people 3 and older)
  • Give you necessary immunizations (shots)
  • Treat most of your routine healthcare needs

Your PCP may send you to other providers or specialists, or admit you to a hospital, if needed.

You can reach your PCP by calling the PCP's office. Your PCP's name and telephone number are printed on your member ID card.

Changing your PCP

You can change your PCP when you need to. Please make sure we know the name of your PCP. If you try to get primary care services from a doctor we don’t have on file as your PCP, the doctor:

  • May not see you
  • May ask you to call and update us before you can get the services

To change your PCP:

We will update your records and send you a new member ID card.

You can change your PCP as needed.

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