DID YOU KNOW? y You can get a $15 gift card when your child completes a blood lead screening by their second birthday. y And $10 gift cards each time your baby completes a wellness visit: –Up to six times by 15 months old. –Twice between 15 and 30 months old. Lead toxicity October 23rd through 29th is National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week! U.S. laws have decreased rates a lot in the last 50 years by taking lead out of gas, paint, toys and plumbing. Sadly, lead poisoning is still common among young children. Even low levels of lead have been shown to change a child’s growing brain. So what do we do? y Get older homes and water checked for lead and remove it if any is found. HEALTH TM WINTER 2022 Menopause symptoms Antipsychotics and diabetes Tips for talking to your doctor In this issue 6 Page 4 Page 2 Page Standard U.S. Postage PAID Walla Walla, WA Permit No. 88 y Clean well around play spaces. y Wash hands and toys often with soap and water. y Feed children healthy foods with calcium, iron and vitamin C, which help keep lead out of the body. y Talk to your child’s doctor about getting a blood lead test. This is the clearest way to tell if they have been exposed to lead and is covered by Kern Family Health Care (KFHC). During a blood lead test, a small amount of blood is taken from the finger, heel or arm. Sources: Check out the levels of lead in your area here: calpirg.org/ feature/cap/get-lead-out-statewide -map; Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program | CDC How to Prevent Lead Poisoning in Children (cdc.gov); Cómo prevenir el envenenamiento por plomo en los niños (cdc.gov) SOURCES OF LEAD EXPOSURE See where lead can be found in a child’s environment. Learn more from the graphic shown at cdc.gov/ nceh/lead/prevention/sources.htm.
FAMILY HEALTH 2 Menopause starts in the late 40s or early 50s for most women. During this time, at least 2 out of 3 women will go through the warning signs of menopause. What should a woman look for when menopause is starting? y Hot flashes. y Night sweats. y Mood swings. y Anger. y Fatigue. Here is a list of natural ways that could help you lower the symptoms of menopause: y Eat foods rich in calcium and vitamin D. – Cheese. – Yogurts. – Milk. – Dark leafy greens. y Foods that are high in phytoestrogens. – Flaxseeds. – Soybeans. – Soy nuts. – Tofu. y Cut down on processed foods. y Cut down on refined sugars. y Eat plenty of fruits and veggies a day. Natural ways to reduce menopause symptoms y Work out regularly—at least 30 minutes a day. y Reach and keep a healthy weight. y Don’t skip meals. y Drink enough water (at least half of your body weight in ounces). Menopause is a natural part of life. We know the symptoms are not easy to deal with at times. The tips above can help you during this big change. We hope you have an easy and more enjoyable menopause.
FAMILY HEALTH 3 Care after hours Did you know that KFHC has an Advice Nurse Line? You can call and speak to an advice nurse to help you decide what to do when you or someone in your family gets sick or hurt. Our advice nurses can be reached 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They can answer health care questions when you can’t reach your doctor. To speak with an advice nurse, call us at 800-391-2000. NEED HELP? Call the Advice Nurse Line at 800-391-2000 or your child’s doctor. What is abdominal pain? Abdominal pain is when your belly aches. What are the most common causes of belly pain? Changes in a child’s eating habits can lead to stomach pain. Gut problems are more likely to happen when a child lacks plenty of fluids and healthy foods. Other causes may involve: y Appendicitis. y Lactose intolerance. y Urinary infections. y Constipation. Stomach pain is a sign of appendicitis. This can be a swollen appendix. If appendicitis happens, your child may become very sick. Appendicitis almost always needs surgery. Symptoms to watch for: y Not wanting to eat. y Pain that gets stronger. y Nausea and vomiting. y Swollen belly. y Fever. What can parents do? Keep your child on a meal plan with lots of whole grains and fresh fruits and veggies. What is TB? Tuberculosis (TB) is a disease caused by germs that are spread from person to person through the air. TB most often affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body, such as the brain, the kidneys or the spine. A person with TB can die if they do not get proper care. What are the warning signs of TB? y Feelings of sickness. y Lack of strength. y Weight loss. y Fever. y Night sweats. The symptoms of TB disease of the lungs also involve coughing, chest pain and the coughing up of blood. How can TB spread? TB germs are put into the air when a person with TB disease of the lungs or throat coughs, sneezes, speaks or sings. These germs can stay in the air for many hours, based on the environment. Persons who breathe in the air containing these TB germs can become sick. This is called latent TB infection.
FAMILY HEALTH 4 Are antipsychotic medications safe in diabetes treatment? People with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder may be using a drug to treat mental illness. Antipsychotics and high blood sugar can be an unsafe mixture because mental health treatment drugs often lead to weight gain and high blood sugar. Antipsychotic drugs, such as risperidone, aripiprazole and olanzapine, are known to have side effects. These side effects can increase hunger and weight gain, which can raise the risk of type 2 diabetes. If you are taking these types of meds, you should have routine checkups of your weight and your blood sugars. What you should do next: y Ask for a yearly diabetes test (such as HbA1c blood test) from your doctor. y Share test results with all of your doctors to help arrange the best care plan for you. y Know the warnings signs of high blood sugar: – Frequent peeing. –Being more thirsty than normal. – Being tired. – Eyesight changes. Get serious about treating hemorrhoids Have you ever had hemorrhoids? By age 50, about half of us have. They can be a painful, itchy and messy problem. But as annoying as they can be, hemorrhoids are not life-threatening. Their care is most often easy and works well. Clinically speaking, hemorrhoids are enlarged veins either in the lower rectum on the inside or under the skin around the anus on the outside. They’re often the result of extra pressure on the abdomen. How can they start? y From constipation (not enough fiber and water). y From pushing too hard when going number 2. y From sitting on the toilet for a long time. y During pregnancy. y From being obese. Bleeding from the anus after going to the restroom is the most common sign of internal (inside the rectum) hemorrhoids. Pain may be a sign of external (outside) hemorrhoids. How are they treated? Hemorrhoids sometimes go away on their own and do well with simple home remedies. Start by drinking plenty of water and eating high-fiber foods, such as fruits, veggies and whole grains. Use the toilet as soon as possible when you have the need to go number 2. Don’t sit on the toilet too long or push too hard. Over-the-counter hemorrhoid meds can help with pain and itching. If these methods aren’t working, talk to your doctor. There are a number of choices that could be right for you. Some involve using chemicals, heat, cold or infrared light to wipe out hemorrhoids. One method involves putting a small rubber band around the problem tissue, which cuts off blood flow so the hemorrhoid drops off on its own. (This can only be done by your doctor.) In rare cases, surgery may be needed. Always talk to your doctor to get the best care for you! If you need help setting up a doctor’s visit, we can help. Give us a call at 800-391-2000.
NONDISCRIMINATION NOTICE Discrimination is against the law. Kern Family Health Care follows State and Federal civil rights laws. Kern Family Health Care does not unlawfully discriminate, exclude people, or treat them differently because of sex, race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, ethnic group identification, age, mental disability, physical disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, gender, gender identity, or sexual orientation. Kern Family Health Care provides: y Free aids and services to people with disabilities to help them communicate better, such as: ✓ Qualified sign language interpreters ✓ Written information in other formats (large print, audio, accessible electronic formats, other formats) y Free language services to people whose primary language is not English, such as: ✓ Qualified interpreters ✓ Information written in other languages If you need these services, contact Kern Family Health Care at 1-800-391-2000 between 8:00am – 5:00pm, Monday through Friday. If you cannot hear or speak well, please call the California Relay Service at 711. Upon request, this document can be made available to you in braille, large print, audiocassette, or electronic form. To obtain a copy in one of these alternative formats, please call or write to: Kern Family Health Care 2900 Buck Owens Boulevard Bakersfield, CA 93308 1-800-391-2000 711 (California Relay Service) HOW TO FILE A GRIEVANCE If you believe that Kern Family Health Care has failed to provide these services or unlawfully discriminated in another way on the basis of sex, race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, ethnic group identification, age, mental disability, physical disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, gender, gender identity, or sexual orientation, you can file a grievance with Kern Family Health Care’s Discrimination Grievance Coordinator. You can file a grievance by phone, in writing, in person, or electronically: y By phone: Contact Kern Family Health Care’s Discrimination Grievance Coordinator between 8:00am – 5:00pm, Monday through Friday by calling 1-800-391-2000. Or, if you cannot hear or speak well, please call the California Relay Service at 711. y In writing: Fill out a complaint form or write a letter and send it to: Discrimination Grievance Coordinator Kern Family Health Care 2900 Buck Owens Boulevard Bakersfield, CA 93308 y In person: Visit your doctor’s office or Kern Family Health Care and say you want to file a grievance. y Electronically: Visit Kern Family Health Care’s website at www.kernfamilyhealthcare.com. OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS – CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH CARE SERVICES You can also file a civil rights complaint with the California Department of Health Care Services, Office of Civil Rights by phone, in writing, or electronically: y By phone: Call 916-440-7370. If you cannot speak or hear well, please call 711 (California Relay Service). y In writing: Fill out a complaint form or send a letter to: TM —Continued on the next page
Deputy Director, Office of Civil Rights Department of Health Care Services Office of Civil Rights P.O. Box 997413, MS 0009 Sacramento, CA 95899-7413 Complaint forms are available at http://www .dhcs.ca.gov/Pages/Language_Access.aspx. y Electronically: Send an email to CivilRights@dhcs.ca.gov. OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS – U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES If you believe you have been discriminated against on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability or sex, you can also file a civil rights complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights by phone, in writing, or electronically: y By phone: Call 1-800-368-1019. If you cannot speak or hear well, please call TTY/TDD 1-800-537-7697. y In writing: Fill out a complaint form or send a letter to: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 200 Independence Avenue, SW Room 509F, HHH Building Washington, D.C. 20201 Complaint forms are available at http://www .hhs.gov/ocr/office/file/index.html. y Electronically: Visit the Office for Civil Rights Complaint Portal at https://ocrportal.hhs.gov/ ocr/portal/lobby.jsf. —Continued from the previous page TAGLINES TA LINES English Tagline ATTENTION: If you need help in your language call 1-800-391-2000 (TTY: 711). Aids and services for people with disabilities, like documents in braille and large print, are also available. Call 1-800-391-2000 (TTY: 711). These services are free of charge. اﻟﺸﻌﺎر ﺔ ��� بﺎﻟﻌ (Arabic) � � ﻳُﺮ اﻻﻧتبﺎە : إذا اﺣﺘﺠﺖ � إ اﻟﻤﺴﺎﻋﺪة بﻠﻐﺘﻚ، ﻓﺎﺗﺼﻞ بـ 1-800-391-2000 (TTY: 711) . ﺗﺘﻮﻓﺮ ﺎ � ﻀ � أ اﻟﻤﺴﺎﻋﺪات واﻟﺨﺪﻣﺎت ﻟﻸﺷﺨﺎص ذوي اﻹﻋﺎﻗﺔ، ﻣﺜﻞ اﻟﻤﺴتﻨﺪات ﺔ �� اﻟﻤﻜﺘ ﻘﺔ �� بﻄ ﻞ �� ﺑ واﻟﺨﻂ ي . � ﺒ � اﻟ اﺗﺼﻞ بـ 1-800-391-2000 (TTY: 711) . ﻫﺬە اﻟﺨﺪﻣﺎت ﺔ. � ﻣﺠﺎﻧ Հայերեն պիտակ (Armenian) ՈՒՇԱԴՐՈՒԹՅՈՒՆ: Եթե Ձեզ օգնություն է հարկավոր Ձեր լեզվով, զանգահարեք 1800-391-2000 (TTY: 711)։ Կան նաև օժանդակ միջոցներ ու ծառայություններ հաշմանդամություն ունեցող անձանց համար, օրինակ` Բրայլի գրատիպով ու խոշորատառ տպագրված նյութեր։ Զանգահարեք 1-800-391-2000 (TTY: 711)։ Այդ ծառայություններն անվճար են։ �� ស�� ល់���ែខ� រ (Cambodian) ចំ�ំ៖ េបើ អ� ក ្រត� វ �រជំនួយ ��� របស់អ� ក សូម ទូរស័ព� េ�េលខ 1-800-391-2000 (TTY: 711)។ ជំនួយ និង េស�កម� ស្រ�ប់ ជនពិ�រ ដូច�ឯក�រសរេសរ�អក្សរផុស ស្រ�ប់ជនពិ�រែភ� ក ឬឯក�រសរេសរ�អក្សរពុម� ធំ ក៏�ចរក�នផងែដរ។ ទូរស័ព� មកេលខ 1-800-391-2000 (TTY: 711)។ េស�កម� �ំងេនះមិនគិតៃថ� េឡើ យ។ 简体中文标语 (Chinese) 请注意：如果您需要以您的母语提供帮助，请致电 1-800-391-2000 (TTY: 711)。 另外还
7/21 ស្រ�ប់ជនពិ�រែភ� ក ឬឯក�រសរេសរ�អក្សរពុម� ធំ ក៏�ចរក�នផងែដរ។ ទូរស័ព� មកេលខ 1-800-391-2000 (TTY: 711)។ េស�កម� �ំងេនះមិនគិតៃថ� េឡើ យ។ 简体中文标语 (Chinese) 请注意：如果您需要以您的母语提供帮助，请致电 1-800-391-2000 (TTY: 711)。 另外还 提供针对残疾人士的帮助和服务，例如盲文和需要较大字体阅读，也是方便取用的 。请致 电 1-800-391-2000 (TTY: 711)。这些服务都是免费的 。 (Farsi) ﻓﺎرﺳﯽ زﺑﺎن ﺑﮫ ﻣطﻠب ﺗوﺟﮫ: اﮔر ﻣﯽ ﺧواھﯾد ﺑﮫ زﺑﺎن ﺧود ﮐﻣﮏ درﯾﺎﻓت ﮐﻧﯾد، ﺑﺎ 1-800-391-2000 (TTY: 711) ﺗﻣﺎس ﺑﮕﯾرﯾد. ﮐ ﻣﮏ ھﺎ و ﺧدﻣﺎت ﻣﺧﺻوص اﻓراد دارای ﻣﻌﻠوﻟﯾت، ﻣﺎﻧﻧد ﻧﺳﺧﮫ ھﺎی ﺧط ﺑرﯾل و ﭼﺎپ ﺑﺎ ﺣروف ﺑزرگ، ﻧﯾز ﻣوﺟود اﺳت. ﺑﺎ 1-800-391-2000 (TTY: 711) ﺗﻣﺎس ﺑﮕﯾرﯾد. اﯾن ﺧدﻣﺎت راﯾﮕﺎن اراﺋﮫ ﻣﯽ ﺷوﻧد. िहंदी टैगलाइन (Hindi) �ान द� : अगर आपको अपनी भाषा म� सहायता की आव�कता है तो 1-800-391-2000 (TTY: 711) पर कॉल कर� । अश�ता वाले लोगों के िलए सहायता और सेवाएं, जैसे ब्रेल और बड़े िप्रंट म� भी द�ावेज़ उपल� ह� । 1-800-391-2000 (TTY: 711) पर कॉल कर� । ये सेवाएं िन: शु� ह� । Nqe Lus Hmoob Cob (Hmong) CEEB TOOM: Yog koj xav tau kev pab txhais koj hom lus hu rau 1-800-391-2000 (TTY: 711). Muaj cov kev pab txhawb thiab kev pab cuam rau cov neeg xiam oob qhab, xws li puav leej muaj ua cov ntawv su thiab luam tawm ua tus ntawv loj. Hu rau 1-800391-2000 (TTY: 711). Cov kev pab cuam no yog pab dawb xwb. 日本語表記 (Japanese) 注意日本語での対応が必要な場合は 1-800-391-2000 (TTY: 711)へお電話ください。点 字の資料や文字の拡大表示など、障がいをお持ちの方のためのサービスも用意していま す。 1-800-391-2000 (TTY: 711)へお電話ください。これらのサービスは無料で提供し ています。 한국어 태그라인 (Korean) 유의사항: 귀하의 언어로 도움을 받고 싶으시면 1-800-391-2000 (TTY: 711) 번으로 문의하십시오. 점자나 큰 활자로 된 문서와 같이 장애가 있는 분들을 위한 도움과 서비스도 이용 가능합니다. 1-800-391-2000 (TTY: 711) 번으로 문의하십시오. 이러한 서비스는 무료로 제공됩니다. ແທກໄລພາສາລາວ (Laotian) ປະກາດ: ຖ້າທ່ານຕ້ອງການຄວາມຊ່ວຍເຫຼືອໃນພາສາຂອງທ່ານໃຫ້ໂທຫາເບີ 1-800-391-2000 (TTY: 711). ຍັງມີຄວາມຊ່ວຍເຫຼືອແລະການບໍລິການສໍາລັບຄົນພິການ ເຊັ່ນເອກະສານທີ່ເປັນອັກສອນນູນແລະມີໂຕພິມໃຫຍ່ ໃຫ້ໂທຫາເບີ 1-800-391-2000 (TTY: 711). ການບໍລິການເຫຼົ່ານີ້ບໍ່ຕ້ອງເສຍຄ່າໃຊ້ຈ່າຍໃດໆ. Mien Tagline (Mien) LONGC HNYOUV JANGX LONGX OC: Beiv taux meih qiemx longc mienh tengx faan benx meih nyei waac nor douc waac daaih lorx taux 1-800-391-2000 (TTY: 711). Liouh lorx jauv-louc tengx aengx caux nzie gong bun taux ninh mbuo wuaaic fangx mienh, beiv taux longc benx nzangc-pokc bun hluo mbiutc aengx caux aamz mborqv benx domh sou se mbenc nzoih bun longc. Douc waac daaih lorx 1-800-391-2000 (TTY: 711). Naaiv deix nzie weih gong-bou jauv-louc se benx wang-henh tengx mv zuqc cuotv nyaanh oc. ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਟੈਗਲਾਈਨ (Punjabi) ਿਧਆਨ ਿਦਓ: ਜੇ ਤੁਹਾਨੂੰ ਆਪਣੀ ਭਾਸ਼ਾ ਿਵੱਚ ਮਦਦ ਦੀ ਲੋੜ ਹੈ ਤ� ਕਾਲ ਕਰੋ 1-800-391-2000
Русский слоган (Russian) ВНИМАНИЕ! Если вам нужна помощь на вашем родном языке, звоните по номеру 1-800-391-2000 (линия TTY: 711). Также предоставляются средства и услуги для людей с ограниченными возможностями, например документы крупным шрифтом или шрифтом Брайля. Звоните по номеру 1-800-391-2000 (линия TTY: 711). Такие услуги предоставляются бесплатно. Mensaje en español (Spanish) ATENCIÓN: si necesita ayuda en su idioma, llame al 1-800-391-2000 (TTY: 711). También ofrecemos asistencia y servicios para personas con discapacidades, como documentos en braille y con letras grandes. Llame al 1-800-391-2000 (TTY: 711). Estos servicios son gratuitos. Tagalog Tagline (Tagalog) ATENSIYON: Kung kailangan mo ng tulong sa iyong wika, tumawag sa 1-800-391-2000 (TTY: 711). Mayroon ding mga tulong at serbisyo para sa mga taong may kapansanan,tulad ng mga dokumento sa braille at malaking print. Tumawag sa 1-800-391-2000 (TTY: 711). Libre ang mga serbisyong ito. แท็กไลน์ภาษาไทย (Thai) โปรดทราบ: หากคุณต้องการความช่วยเหลือเป็นภาษาของคุณ กรุณาโทรศัพท์ไปที่หมายเลข 1-800-391-2000 (TTY: 711) นอกจากนี้ ยังพร้อมให้ความช่วยเหลือและบริการต่าง ๆ สําหรับบุคคลที่มีความพิการ เช่น เอกสารต่าง ๆ ที่เป็นอักษรเบรลล์และเอกสารที่พิมพ์ด้วยตัวอักษรขนาดใหญ่ กรุณาโทรศัพท์ไปที่หมายเลข 1-800-391-2000 (TTY: 711) ไม่มีค่าใช้จ่ายสําหรับบริการเหล่านี้ Примітка українською (Ukrainian) УВАГА! Якщо вам потрібна допомога вашою рідною мовою, телефонуйте на номер 1-800-391-2000 (TTY: 711). Люди з обмеженими можливостями також можуть скористатися допоміжними засобами та послугами, наприклад, отримати документи, надруковані шрифтом Брайля та великим шрифтом. Телефонуйте на номер 1-800-391-2000 (TTY: 711). Ці послуги безкоштовні. Khẩu hiệu tiếng Việt (Vietnamese) CHÚ Ý: Nếu quý vị cần trợ giúp bằng ngôn ngữ của mình, vui lòng gọi số 1-800-391-2000 (TTY: 711). Chúng tôi cũng hỗ trợ và cung cấp các dịch vụ dành cho người khuyết tật, như tài liệu bằng chữ nổi Braille và chữ khổ lớn (chữ hoa). Vui lòng gọi số 1-800-391-2000 (TTY: 711). Các dịch vụ này đều miễn phí. 7/21 LONGC HNYOUV JANGX LONGX OC: Beiv taux meih qiemx longc mienh tengx faan benx meih nyei waac nor douc waac daaih lorx taux 1-800-391-2000 (TTY: 711). Liouh lorx jauv-louc tengx aengx caux nzie gong bun taux ninh mbuo wuaaic fangx mienh, beiv taux longc benx nzangc-pokc bun hluo mbiutc aengx caux aamz mborqv benx domh sou se mbenc nzoih bun longc. Douc waac daaih lorx 1-800-391-2000 (TTY: 711). Naaiv deix nzie weih gong-bou jauv-louc se benx wang-henh tengx mv zuqc cuotv nyaanh oc. ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਟੈਗਲਾਈਨ (Punjabi) ਿਧਆਨ ਿਦਓ: ਜੇ ਤੁਹਾਨੂੰ ਆਪਣੀ ਭਾਸ਼ਾ ਿਵੱਚ ਮਦਦ ਦੀ ਲੋੜ ਹੈ ਤ� ਕਾਲ ਕਰੋ 1-800-391-2000 (TTY: 711). ਅਪਾਹਜ ਲੋਕ� ਲਈ ਸਹਾਇਤਾ ਅਤੇ ਸੇਵਾਵ�, ਿਜਵ� ਿਕ ਬ�ੇ ਲ ਅਤੇ ਮੋਟੀ ਛਪਾਈ ਿਵੱਚ ਦਸਤਾਵੇਜ਼, ਵੀ ਉਪਲਬਧ ਹਨ| ਕਾਲ ਕਰੋ 1-800-391-2000 (TTY: 711). ਇਹ ਸੇਵਾਵ� ਮੁਫਤ ਹਨ|
FAMILY HEALTH 5 Q How to prepare for your mammogram Q When is it time for a breast cancer screening? Most women should begin having regular mammograms at age 50. Women should have these tests every two years until age 74. Here are a few things to know before you have the test. A mammogram is an x-ray picture of your breasts. It is used to look for signs of breast cancer. The test can spot breast cancer early, before you have any symptoms. That’s when cancer usually is easiest to treat. Your doctor might suggest you start testing earlier if you have an increased risk for breast cancer. One reason you may be at higher risk is if members of your family have had breast cancer. Carlos Bello, MPH, CHES Health and Wellness Supervisor Q Are mammograms safe? These tests are very safe. Mammograms use a low dose of radiation to see inside breast tissue. It’s also important to know that most mammograms don’t lead to a diagnosis of breast cancer. Only about 3 tests out of 1,000 find cancer. Bernardo Ochoa, MPH Member Health Educator Health Education Corner MEMBER REWARD ALERT! If you’re a woman between 50 and 74 years of age, get screened! When you do, we’ll mail you a $15 reward. You can help get the best and most accurate test by following these steps: Schedule it right. Still having periods? Don’t schedule your mammogram the week before your period. That’s when your breasts are more likely to be swollen and tender. Don’t wear deodorant. It can show up on the x-rays as white spots. That can make the images harder to read. Wear a skirt or pants. That way you’ll only need to remove your bra and top to have the test. Talk to the x-ray tech. Let them know if you’ve had any problems, like pain, in your breasts. Also let them know if you could possibly be pregnant. Ask for the results. Call your doctor if you haven’t heard about the results of your test in 10 days. Flor Del Hoyo Galvan, MPH Health Education Supervisor Sources: American Cancer Society; U.S. Preventive Services Task Force
FAMILY HEALTH 6 Tips for talking to your doctor 1. Prepare for your appointment with your doctor. Write down a list of questions and concerns before your visit. You may want to bring a close friend or family member with you to help talk to your doctor. Make sure to mention your list of questions at the start of the visit. 2. Request an interpreter. If your primary language is not English, call KFHC to request an interpreter. An interpreter will help you understand your doctor and what you need to do to stay healthy. 3. Be honest about health worries or concerns. This helps your doctor get the full picture of your well-being and assess lifestyle factors that might impact your health. 4. Ask questions. Make sure you understand your diagnosis and treatment plan. Don’t be afraid to ask your doctor to repeat something or explain it in plain language. Also ask about phone or telehealth options for any questions that may not require an in‑person visit. 5. Work as a team. If your doctor recommends a treatment, share your worries about possible side effects or questions about other options. Sources: Johns Hopkins Medicine; National Institutes of Health Member rights If you are unhappy with a decision KFHC made about an authorization or medication request, or if you have a service or quality of care complaint against KFHC or a provider, please contact us first. You can call 661632-1590 (Bakersfield) or 800391-2000 (outside of Bakersfield). You can also visit our website, kernfamilyhealthcare.com, or log in to your KFHC Member Portal account. You may call the Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) for help if: y Your grievance is an emergency. y You are not happy with KFHC’s decision. y It has not been resolved in 30 days. The DMHC’s toll-free number is 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 Office of the Ombudsman toll-free at 888-452-8609.
FAMILY HEALTH 7 Learn more about Kern Family Health Care KFHC Member Handbook The Member Handbook keeps you up-to-date about your health plan benefits. In the Handbook, you may find what is covered and your rights as a member. KFHC Provider Directory This list will help you know who is in our plan to better serve you. Who is in our plan network: y Primary care providers (PCP). y Health care specialists. y Hospitals. y Urgent cares. y Lab centers. y Imaging (such as x-rays and CT scans). y And more. How to get this information Member Portal account: Create a secure Member Portal account and log in. Your account has booklets for you to read and self-service choices. Go to kernfamilyhealthcare.com and click on the “Member Portal” button to get started. The KFHC website: Visit us at kernfamilyhealthcare.com. Click on New Members to review or print your KFHC Member Handbook or Provider Directory. A hard copy: You can ask that KFHC mail you the items in hard copy (paper) format or in large print, braille and audio (when possible). Give us a call at 800-391-2000 to ask for your copy. You can also go online for up-to-date information at kernfamilyhealthcare.com. DO YOU NEED HELP? Please call us at 800-391-2000. Our office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Don’t lose your health care coverage! Once a year, many KFHC members get a form in the mail from the county asking to update your family size and income. This is called Medi-Cal redetermination. The form is used to see if you can keep your Medi-Cal. During the last 2 years, many KFHC members have not had to fill out this form because of the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE). The COVID-19 PHE is coming to an end, and KFHC members will soon get the Medi-Cal redetermination forms again. KFHC members who get these forms must fill them out and return them by the date shown on the form. You may lose your Medi-Cal and KFHC if you do not complete and return the forms. Please be sure your county has your correct address. You may update your address: y By phone at 877-410-8812 y Online at benefitscal.com, where you can create an account and also upload your forms y By mail at P.O. Box 511, Bakersfield, CA 93302-9985 y In person at your county office. To find an office near you, visit kcdhs.org.
Help stop fraud! Help us stop health care fraud. Here are some kinds of fraud: y Someone who uses a KFHC Member ID card that does not belong to him or her. y Someone who gives the wrong information on forms on purpose. y Someone who visits many doctors and/ or pharmacies for the same drug. y Someone who tries to get medicines that a doctor didn’t order. We post current health care news and tips to help you and your family stay healthy. You can also get important member updates and see what Kern Family Health Care is doing in your community. Follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/_KFHC Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/KernFamilyHealthCare Watch the Kern Family Health Care channel on YouTube HEALTH FAMILY HEALTH is published as a community service for the members, friends and patrons of Kern Family Health Care, 2900 Buck Owens Blvd., Bakersfield, CA 93308, telephone 800-391-2000. Information in FAMILY HEALTH comes from a wide range of medical experts. If you have any concerns or questions about specific content that may affect your health, please contact your health care provider. Models may be used in photos and illustrations. Editorial Board Chief Executive Officer Emily Duran Chief Medical Officer Martha Tasinga, MD Chief Operating Officer Alan Avery Chief Health Services Officer Deborah Murr, RN Director of Marketing and Public Relations Louis Iturriria Director of Health Education, Cultural & Linguistic Services Isabel Silva 2022 © Coffey Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. Type of medical appointment Appointment wait times Routine doctor and follow-ups 10 business days* Specialists 15 business days* Mental health 10 business days* Urgent appointments for services that do not require prior authorization Within 48 hours* Urgent appointments for services that require prior authorization Within 96 hours* Ancillary services such as x-rays, lab tests and physical therapy 15 business days* Telephone wait times during normal business hours 10 minutes Triage: 24/7 services No more than 30 minutes Initial prenatal care 10 business days *Doctors can be flexible in making appointments if a longer waiting time is not harmful to the member’s health. It must be noted in the member’s record that a longer waiting time will not be harmful to the member. KFHC has standards so that you receive timely access to care. The amounts of time you should have to wait when scheduling your appointments with your doctor, specialists and other health professionals are listed below. If you have to wait longer than these appropriate wait times when scheduling an appointment, please give us a call at 661-632-1590 (Bakersfield) or 800-391-2000 (outside of Bakersfield) and we will help you schedule a more timely appointment. Timely access to care DO YOU KNOW someone doing these things? If so, give us a call at 800-391-2000. Ask for the Compliance Department.
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