Choosing a Primary Care Physician

With many health insurance plans, you must select a primary care physician, or PCP, who is your “go-to” doctor for any health concerns. Typically, the only way you can get specialized health care is to first see your PCP, who will then give you a referral to the specialist. Thus, it is very important for you to choose a primary care physician who you trust.

Sometimes, however, your insurance provider can suddenly drop your PCP. In times like this, you may want to stay with the doctor that you know and trust, and instead change your insurance plan. To help find the best health insurance plan for your needs, contact an independent California health insurance agent from Catherine Michaels Insurance Services today at 888-875-9888.

Steps to Find Your Doctor

Normally, most people start by choosing their insurance plan and then picking a doctor on the insurance’s list. Once you get your health insurance, you can look at their recommended PCPs and perhaps match the list to doctors that your friends recommend or that you otherwise know. Next, you should narrow down your list to about three doctors, and visit their offices for an interview.

While you are there, you should ask yourself the following:

• Is the doctor’s office in a convenient location for me?
• Is this physician properly educated, trained, and board-certified?
• Would I feel comfortable discussing sensitive health topics with this doctor?
• Does the potential PCP have a good network so that I can get good referrals?
• Is the office and examination room clean and orderly?

Only you can decide whether or not you feel comfortable with the doctor. However, once this bond is made, it can be difficult to switch PCPs should your healthcare coverage change.

Contact Us

At Catherine Michaels Insurance Services, we believe that your health insurance should change to fit you, not the other way around. Thus, if you need to change your health insurance plan to better fit your needs and wants, you should contact a knowledgeable California health insurance agent from Catherine Michaels Insurance Services at 888-875-9888 today.