Find care

Not all health care providers accept Medicare-approved amounts as full payment for services (also known as “accepting Medicare assignment”). These providers, known as "non-participating providers, that don’t accept Medicare assignment can charge more for services, up to 115% of the Medicare-approved amount. The additional 15% is called a limiting charge. The limiting charge, however, applies only to certain services. It does not apply to supplies or equipment. If a non-participating provider bills you for services (called balance billing), the plan will determine what it pays based on the higher of either the Medicare-approved amount or the limiting charge.

For the lowest costs, use Medicare participating providers whenever possible. To find a provider participating in Medicare, go to medicare.gov. If you choose a provider who has opted out of Medicare, you will pay the full cost of the services you receive.

Medicare participating provider — accepts Medicare

Medicare non-participating provider — not contracted with Medicare but will accept Medicare payment

Opt-out providers 

For information about coverage from providers who opt-out of Medicare and services that are not covered by Medicare, see Benefits Beyond Medicare.

Services not covered by Medicare

For information about services that are not covered by Medicare, see Benefits Beyond Medicare.

Most UC Health providers and facilities accept Medicare. To be certain, first verify with medicare.gov before making your appointment.

When you choose UC Health, you choose top-ranked, innovative and state-of-the-art care across the UC Health system. Physicians and researchers collaborate across the six academic health centers to bring systemwide expertise, from primary care services to treating the most challenging and complex cases.

UC Davis Health — The region’s only academic health center, UC Davis Health is a hub of innovation that encompasses UC Davis Medical Center, schools of medicine and nursing, and UC Davis Children’s Hospital.

UC Irvine Health — Orange County’s only academic health center, composed of UCI Medical Center and UCI health professional schools, including schools of medicine, nursing, public health and pharmacy.

UC Los Angeles Health — Numerous outpatient clinics throughout the Los Angeles area, plus two medical centers in L.A. and Santa Monica, the UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital, the neuropsychiatric hospital, and schools of medicine, dentistry, nursing and public health.

UC San Diego Health — San Diego’s only academic health center, offering primary care and same-day services throughout the region and hospitals in Hillcrest and La Jolla, plus Sulpizio Cardiovascular Center, Moores Cancer Center, Shiley Eye Institute, and Koman Family Outpatient Pavilion.

UC Riverside Health — In partnership with the UC Riverside School of Medicine, offers culturally sensitive specialty and primary care to meet the health care needs of inland Southern California residents.

UC San Francisco Health — Primary care and specialty clinics throughout Northern California, plus three medical centers in Parnassus, Mount Zion and Mission Bay, and UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals in San Francisco and Oakland.

Log in to the Anthem member portal at anthem.com/ca and select Find Care on the homepage or download the free Sydney Health app from Google Play or the App Store to search on your mobile device.

1. Within the search box at the top of the page, enter the type of provider you’re looking for, such as family practice, and your location (city, county, or ZIP code).
2. Choose a doctor to see more information, such as training, specialties, languages spoken, address, and phone number.

 For non-emergency care, LiveHealth Online virtual care doctors can diagnose, hundreds of conditions, follow up on previous care and coordinate labs for you. Plus, you can access mental health care through video visits to support your whole health and well-being. Doctors are available 24/7 all year long. In most cases, you can speak with a therapist within four days.

To speak with a doctor or therapist, register with LiveHealth Online and schedule an appointment. Learn more about LiveHealth Online services and costs.

Your coverage includes on-site health clinics at retail pharmacies for evaluation and treatment (including prescribing medicine) of many minor conditions, such as flu and cold, rashes, minor allergic reactions, pinkeye, urinary tract infections, and minor cuts and burns.

Instead of going to the emergency room, consider visiting an urgent care center — it can save you time and money. Many urgent care centers are open after business hours and on weekends. Urgent care doctors can treat coughs, sore throats, respiratory infections, earaches, back pain, colds, sinus infections, allergies, rashes, and minor cuts and scrapes. To find a Medicare provider offering urgent care, visit medicare.gov.

Available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, Anthem 24/7 NurseLine takes the guesswork out of health problems. When you call, you get instant access to registered nurses who can help you deal with medical issues 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Call (800) 977-0027 for immediate answers and reliable information about your symptoms and treatment options.

If you are traveling outside of California and need care, Medicare offers coverage nationwide. Visit Medicare.gov to find providers throughout the US.

If you are traveling outside of California and need services covered under Benefits Beyond Medicare (services that are not covered by Medicare but are covered by your UC plan), you can search for providers through the BlueCard program. To find a BlueCard provider, call (800) 810-BLUE or go to the Anthem member portal at anthem.com/ca and select the green Find Care button.

Some specialists — as well as certain treatments and procedures — may require a referral or prior authorization before your first visit.

Global Core

Medicare does not cover most services received outside the U.S. However, you’re covered through your Anthem plan for up to six months when traveling or living outside the U.S.* 

Contact the Blue Cross Blue Shield Global Core Service Center, available 24/7 at +1 (804) 673-1177. Collect calls are accepted.

Emergency: In an emergency, go straight to the nearest hospital and have the provider or a traveling companion contact the Blue Cross Blue Shield Global Core Service Center on your behalf as soon as possible.

Non-urgent or routine care: Call the Global Core Service Center, available 24/7, at +1 (804) 673-1177 (collect calls accepted) to confirm coverage and that the care is appropriate.

Paying for care: If you need medical care while abroad, contact the Global Core Service Center as soon as possible. Anthem can attempt to arrange a “Guarantee of Payment” with the provider, which means you would only need to pay your deductible or coinsurance at the time of service. Otherwise, you may have to pay the entire bill upfront and then submit a claim to Anthem for reimbursement (minus any deductible or copay). Providers outside the U.S. may require you to pay upfront for services you receive. If this happens, request and keep a copy of the bill that includes an itemized list of the services you received along with the charges for each service. See the Global Core program brochure [PDF] for more details, including how to file a claim.

You pay the full cost of the prescription drugs upfront. Keep itemized receipts and other documentation and request reimbursement from Navitus for the cost, minus your applicable copayment. Prescription drug reimbursement does not apply to Medicare PPO without Prescription Drug members.

Travel vaccines

Your UC Medicare Supplement PPO plan covers most travel vaccines recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), including hepatitis A and B, meningitis, polio, Japanese encephalitis, rabies, shingles, typhoid, and yellow fever. Coverage is provided through either the medical or (Navitus) pharmacy plan.

Vaccine options

Doctor’s office: Check with your provider to see if they stock and administer the CDC-recommended vaccines for where you are traveling.

UC Travel Clinics: On-site travel vaccine services are available at UC San Diego, UC Davis, UCLA, and UC Berkeley. 

Retail pharmacy (Medicare PPO and High Option Supplement to Medicare only): Visit any Navitus network pharmacy. Many Walgreens and CVS MinuteClinics also stock or can order travel vaccines. Find a pharmacy on the Navitus portal.

*If you are outside the U.S. for more than six months, contact the UC Retirement Administration Service Center (RASC) toll-free at (800) 888-8267 (in the U.S.) or (510) 987-0200 (outside the U.S.). The RASC is available Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Or you can visit ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu.