There are several reasons why you might switch medical providers: relocation, a change in insurance plan, or a change in healthcare needs, to name a few. When considering your new medical care team, it’s important to equip yourself with the knowledge you need to best serve your overall health and well-being. Below are a few things to keep in mind when making the switch:
Deciding to Switch:
Identify your healthcare needs and current plan. Is there a certain hospital or provider you’d like to go to? Do you have a PPO or HMO? By understanding your current healthcare needs and insurance options, you’ll have a good foundation for identifying what networks of providers you may select from.
In many areas, healthcare is provided by systems that are anchored by specific hospitals. Identify your preferred hospital(s) by using tools like LeapFrog and Medicare Compare as well as talking with neighbors and friends. You can verify that your preferred hospital(s) participate with your health insurance plan by calling the member services number on the back of your insurance card or by visiting your carrier’s website.
Identify candidates for a primary care provider. Using your health insurance plan portal, you can often search for primary care providers that are geographically close to you. Many providers’ websites will have doctor profiles listed: where they went to medical school and did their post-medical school training, professional and personal interests, and some now have videos. Create a short list of providers you would consider. Talk with family and friends to see if there is a favorite among them.
- If you are looking for a specialist and have an HMO plan, consider checking if that specialist is connected to a primary care provider that you’d like to see. This is because, for many HMO plans, a referral from your primary care provider is required to see a specialist.
- If you have a PPO plan, typically, you can go to a specialist without a referral. However, when you are switching to a new plan’s network, it may be helpful to ask your primary care provider for specialist recommendations. Ideally, when physicians participate with the same health system, the patient portal is the same and it can improve the coordination of care. But if your PCP’s recommendations aren’t a good fit for you, you can go back to the insurer’s provider directory and search by specialty and geographic location, and follow the same steps outlined above.
Request your medical records from your previous healthcare provider to be sent to your new provider’s office. Records may include but are not limited to a list of medications, vaccination records, lab test results, surgical history, family medical history, and visit history.
- This will help your new doctor get up to speed.
Schedule an initial appointment. Building a new medical team is a lot like dating; you may know right away you don’t want to see a doctor again, you may need another encounter or two to decide, or it might be love at first sight. Prepare for the appointment by noting the two or three most important concerns to you and plan a second appointment to discuss additional issues.
- During this first appointment, you may want to review medications so you can get updated refills or schedule any recurring preventative examinations.
If you need help during the process, you can ask your financial advisor to initiate a Caribou HealthPlanning Analysis so you can make an informed decision in your plan selection and identify provider networks that are in-network.
Learn More:
7 Tips for Finding a New Doctor When You Move | Healthgrades
Last Revised June 6th, 2023
