mental health
T
here was a change in Medi-
Cal coverage that expands
substance use disorder and
mental health bene ts.
What is the change?
As of
Jan. 1 of this year, Kern Family Health
Care (KFHC), your Medi-Cal managed
care plan, covers some of your mental
health services that you get in regular
Medi-Cal and will also cover some
substance use disorder services.
What are the substance use
disorder benefits?
You will
receive the following substance use
disorder bene ts through KFHC:
Alcohol misuse screening and
counseling for people 18 and up.
We do not cover treatment for
major alcohol problems, but if you
need services for major alcohol
problems you may be referred to the
County Alcohol and Drug Program.
What are the mental health
benefits?
If you qualify, you will
receive the following mental health
services through KFHC:
Individual and group mental health
testing and treatment (psychotherapy).
Psychological testing to evaluate a
mental health condition.
Outpatient services that include
lab work, drugs and supplies.
Outpatient services to monitor
drug therapy.
Psychiatric consultation.
Specialty mental health services
currently provided by County Mental
Health and community-based
organizations will continue to be
available.
What does this mean for
you?
If you are currently receiving
mental health services, you may be
able to keep your doctor. Ask your
doctor if he or she works with KFHC.
If the doctor does, you will keep your
doctor.
If your doctor doesn’t work with
KFHC and you want to keep that
doctor, you can call our Member
Services Department for help. We
will let you keep the doctor for up
to 12 months, if the doctor agrees to
work with us.
If your doctor won’t work with
KFHC, you will need to nd a new
doctor.
For help keeping your doctor or
Important news
nding a new doctor, call us at the
telephone numbers listed below.
Where can I find out
more information on the
expanded benefits?
To nd
out more information about the
expanded bene ts, you may call our
Member Services Department at
661-632-1590
, or toll-free at
800-
391-2000
, Monday through Friday,
from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Members with
hearing or speech impairments can
call us through the TDD/TTY line at
711
. We have sta who speak your
language.
Member rights
If you have a service or
quality of care complaint
against Kern Family Health
Care (KFHC) or a provider,
call us first at
661-632-1590
(Bakersfield) or
800-391-2000
(outside Bakersfield) or visit
our website,
www.kernfamily
healthcare.com
.
You may call the Department
of Managed Health Care
(DMHC) for help if:
Your grievance is an
emergency.
You are not happy with
KFHC’s decision.
It has not been resolved in
30 days.
The DMHC’s toll-free
number is
888-HMO-2219
(
888-466-2219
). Its TDD
line (for people with hearing
and speech impairments) is
877-688-9891
. You may also
call the Department of Health
Care Services (DHCS) Office
of the Ombudsman toll-free
at
888-452-8609
.
MENTAL HEALTH BENEFITS
5
family
health
