Frequently Asked Questions
Members are welcome to call Physicians Medical Group of San Jose with your questions. Staff members are available who speak Chinese, French, Spanish, Tagalog, and Vietnamese. Please let the Member Services Representative know if you need assistance in these languages.
Members may call Member Services at (408) 937-3642 or fax to (408) 937-3637. Office hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. , Monday through Friday. If you call and get a recording, please leave a message and someone will call you back as soon as possible.
How do I find a Primary Care Physician (PCP)?
When you receive your new healthcare card, your insurance carrier will have assigned you to a physician. If you prefer to select a physician yourself, you may call Member Services at PMG to request a directory or go into our web site at www.pmgmd.com for a directory of all our doctors. Adults may choose from GP (General Practice), FP (Family Practice), or IM (Internal Medicine). Children may be assigned to a Pediatrician, FP or GP. To make the change, call your health plan Member Services at the 800 number on your card.
Why do I need a Primary Care Physician?
If you are member of an HMO, your Primary Care Physician is the first person you call for all your healthcare needs, except for obstetrics and gynecology. Your Primary Care Physician will refer you to a Specialist when the need arises.
Can I change my PCP?
You are welcome to change your Primary Care Physician at any time. Call your healthcare and ask if they have a waiting time before you can see the new physician.
Can I choose a different PCP for each member of my family?
Yes. Please note that other family members may belong to a different medical group, so be sure to present the correct card when seeking care.
What do I do if my PCP cannot see me?
If you call your Primary Care Physician and the recording answers, listen all the way through the recording. Your doctor may name another who is seeing patients in his/her absence.. If the office staff answers, ask them to refer you to another doctor that is seeing his/her patients in his/her absence. If you are still unsuccessful in finding a physician, call PMG’s Member Services to ask for the name of a doctor that may be available to see you.
What do I do in an emergency?
Call 911 or go to your nearest hospital or urgent care facility. Emergency Care is appropriate when the absence of immediate medical attention can reasonably be expected to result in placing your health in immediate jeopardy, serious impairment to bodily functions, or other serious medical consequences. IMPORTANT: Follow up care must be provided in network, through your PCP. Routine or elective services provided in an Emergency Room or Urgent Care Center are not covered.
Can I go to emergency care or urgent care when I am away from home?
Yes, and call your health plan as soon as possible to tell them you are going to a hospital emergency or urgent care facility.
What is “Urgent care?”
Medically necessary care for an unforeseen injury or illness is covered. The Lincoln Urgent Care Center at 625 Lincoln (408-278-3550) or South Bay Children’s Urgent Care at 15495 Los Gatos Bvd (408-356-8412) are contracted facilities for urgent care. Urgent Care Centers are not intended to be used instead of your Primary Care Physician or for after hours convenience alone. During business hours, Member Services may be contacted for an urgent referral for care at (408-937-3642).
Follow up care must be provided in network through your PCP.
What does a medical group do?
A Medical Group or IPA is a network of physicians. At PMG we have over 300 primary care and specialist physicians, as well as ancillary care providers. The network contracts with your health plan to provide your care, and is assigned to you based on which Primary Care Physician you have.
You must seek all of your non emergency care within your medical group , (for instance, the OB/Gyn or Radiologist you see must be within your group), so it is important to know which medical group each family member has been assigned. Check your family’s ID cards.
Your medical group manages your provider network, verifies the credentials of your physicians and continues to review their quality performance, sets up the processes for referral and authorization, and does the verification of benefits and appropriateness of care when you are referred to a specialist or for a procedure.
It is our goal to keep your medical care as uncomplicated as possible, so if you have questions or need some assistance, call us first.
If my authorization is expiring, can I get an extension?
Yes. The physician that requested the authorization or the Specialist you are seeing can ask for an extension, or you can call PMG’s Member Services.
If I get a bill for medical services, what should I do?
First, make sure that the biller has your insurance information, including the address for Physicians Medical Group. If they do, and you are still being charged, call PMG Member Services or write your phone number on a copy of the bill and mail to PMG, Attn: Member Services. Don’t ignore the bill!
If I change PCPs, are my specialist authorizations still valid?
If your change involves a new Medical Group, you will need new referrals and may have to change to a new specialist within your group. If you have changed PCPs within Physicians Medical Group, your referrals are still valid, but please let your specialists know of the change, and advise your new PCP of any specialist care you are receiving.
What hospitals can I go to?
In an emergency, go to the nearest hospital. PMG doctors recommend using Regional Medical Center when at all possible. Other hospitals that are used by PMG patients are O’Connor Hospital and San Jose Medical Center. Patients are referred, when necessary, to Stanford Medical Clinic and Santa Clara Valley Medical Clinic.
When should I call my health plan and when should I call PMG?
Call your Health Plan for: |
Call PMG Member Services for: |
- Hospital/facility issues or bills
- Changing your PCP
- Questions about benefits, copays
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- Doctor issues, bills
- Help getting the care you need
- Help choosing a physician
- Check on a referral authorization
- General questions
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