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CareFirst CHPMD Members: Keep your info current. Keep yourself insured. Medicaid renewals won’t be automatic this year. Check in to make sure your contact information is up to date to receive important notices on any changes to your health insurance. To update your address, phone number or email, log in to your MHC online account.  If you need assistance, call MHC at 1-855-642-8572.

CareFirst CHPMD Providers: Encourage your patients to update their information. Find out how you can help your patients renew their coverage here.

Change Healthcare notifying individuals of data breach. Learn more here.

Getting Into Care

Your health is important.

As soon as possible, pick a primary care doctor (PCP). Your PCP is your family doctor, or the doctor you regularly see. This is your medical home.  Your PCP takes care of your health care and will help you get care from other health care providers when needed. This is called “coordination of care.” Coordination of care makes sure you get the care you need when you need it. This is why having a medical home is so important.

You can choose the same PCP for your whole family or you can have a different PCP for each family member. There are different kinds of practitioners who can be PCPs, including:

  • Family Practice and General Practice doctors, who treat adults and children,
  • Internal Medicine doctors or Internists, who treat members older than the age of 18,
  • Pediatricians, who treat children from birth to age 21, or
  • Certified Registered Nurse Practitioners (Nurse Practitioners). Under the guidance of a doctor, the Nurse Practitioner can be your PCP.

The State of Maryland issues an EPSDT certification to primary care providers (PCPs) who are trained to follow the EPSDT (Early, Periodic, Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment) standards during well visits.  CareFirst Community Health Plan Maryland (CareFirst CHPMD) encourages all members to select EPSDT certified PCPs to care for members who are less than 21 years old.     If you select a non-certified EPSDT provider, CareFirst CHPMD will notify you about your options of keeping that doctor or changing to a certified provider.  Our Member Services Department can tell you which PCPs are EPSDT certified.

Choose a PCP and see the addresses of all our doctors, or call our Member Services Department at 1-410-779-9369 or 1-800-730-8530, and they will help you find a doctor near you. TTY users should dial 711.  When you get the doctor’s telephone number, just call to make an appointment. The sooner you see your PCP, the better.

Continuity of Care Notice

If you think you need specialty care, please call your Primary Care Provider. You can also call CareFirst Community Health Plan Maryland (CareFirst CHPMD) Member Services Department at 1-410-779-9369 or 1-800-730-8530. TTY users should call 711. We can help you get the care you need.
Because you never know when you will need medical care, your Primary Care Provider is available 24 hours a day. If you call the office when it is closed, leave a message with your name and a telephone number where you can be reached.
There are illnesses and injuries that can turn into an emergency if they are not treated within 48 hours. These conditions may require urgent care.

Some examples are:

  • Ear infections
  • Urinary tract infections
  • Coughs and congestion
  • Diarrhea
  • Sore throats
  • Insect bites
  • Rashes

Members may go to their doctor or a CareFirst Community Health Plan Maryland (CareFirst CHPMD) network Urgent Care Center.

If you have a medical emergency, you do not need a referral from your PCP to go to the emergency room (ER). If you think you need emergency care, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room right away. If you are not sure if you should go to the ER, call your PCP for advice. Except for emergencies and urgently needed care when you are traveling outside the service area, CareFirst Community Health Plan Maryland (CareFirst CHPMD) will not pay for services you receive from non-CareFirst CHPMD doctors and facilities.

What is an emergency? An emergency is when not seeing a provider right away to get care could result in death or very serious bodily harm. The problem is so severe that someone with an average knowledge of health can tell the problem may be life threatening or cause serious damage to your body (or, with respect to pregnant women, the health of the woman or her unborn child).

Some examples of problems that are most likely an emergency are:

  • Trouble breathing
  • Chest pains
  • Loss of consciousness
  • Very bad bleeding
  • Very bad burns
  • Severe pain

You should call your Primary Care Provider within 24 hours after you visit the emergency room. If you cannot call, have someone else call for you. Your Primary Care Provider will provide or arrange any follow-up care you may need.

If you need urgent or emergency care when you are out of town, go to the nearest urgent care center, hospital emergency room or call 911. If you need routine care like a checkup or prescription refill when you are out of town, call your Primary Care Provider or our Member Services Department at 1-410-779-9369, or 1-800-730-8530. TTY users should call 711. CareFirst Community Health Plan Maryland (CareFirst CHPMD) Member Services Department is available from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Some health care services require authorization by CareFirst Community Health Plan Maryland (CareFirst CHPMD). View CareFirst CHPMD Authorization Guidelines. If you have questions about which services require authorization please call us at 1-800-730-8530 or talk to your doctor.