Appointment Availability

Date: 11/03/16

California Health & Wellness works with contracted providers like you to establish clear standards for availability and wait times.

When scheduling services, members should be able to make appointments as follows:

• Routine care—within 10 calendar days.
• Urgent care—within 48 hours of request.
• For PCP emergent care—within 24 hours.
• Emergency care—should be performed immediately upon arrival.

Appointment wait-time standards

• Scheduled appointments: Waiting times shall not exceed 60 minutes. After 30 minutes, patient must be given an update on waiting time with an option of waiting or rescheduling the appointment.
• Work-in or walk-in appointments: Waiting time shall not exceed 90 minutes. After 45 minutes, patient must be given an update on waiting time with an option of waiting or rescheduling appointment.

After business hours, providers are required to offer arrangements for access to a covering physician, or have an answering service, triage service or voice message that directs members how to access urgent and emergency care.