Access to Care Survey Underway

April 2018

a doctor holding a large clock in front of his face

This spring, your office will be contacted by L.A. Care for our annual Access and Availability survey. This survey is a Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) requirement.

Please make sure you and or your staff answer and reply to the questions. Your office will also be called after business hours to check compliance for after-hours availability. 

Appointments must be offered within the timeframes listed here:
 

Primary Care Doctors

  • Routine appointment (non-urgent): 10 business days
  • Urgent appointment (no authorization required): 48 hours
 

Specialists

  • Routine appointment (non-urgent): 15 business days
  • Urgent appointment (requiring prior authorization): 96 hours
 

After-hours:

  • Access - After Hours recording or answering service must state emergency instructions to address medical emergencies (e.g. "If this is an emergency, please dial 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.")
  • Access - After-hours recording or answering service must state a way of contacting the provider (e.g. leave a message and the provider will call back, page provider, etc.)
  • Timeliness - Recording or live person must state that provider will call back within 30 minutes
Note: Providers must be compliant in all three of the above measures to be considered compliant with L.A. Care's After Hours standards.