Network: UCSF and Hill Physicians Join Forces
The first thing a member should know before reading all of the details surrounding UCSF's physicians becoming part of Hill Physicians Medical Group, is how their medical carrier intends to transition them should their Primary Care Physician (PCP) be a member of the Brown & Toland Medical Group.- Aetna will automatically transition a member to the Hill Physicians Medical Group so they may retain their current PCP.
- Anthem Blue Cross will automatically change the member's PCP so the member may continue to receive services from Brown & Toland. If a member wishes to retain their current PCP, they must contact Anthem Blue Cross to request the transition to Hill Physicians Medical Group.
- Health Net will automatically transition a member to the Hill Physicians Medical Group so they may retain their current PCP.
- UnitedHealthcare will automatically change the member's PCP so the member may continue to receive services from Brown & Toland. If a member wishes to retain their current PCP, they must contact UnitedHealthcare to request the transition to Hill Physicians Medical Group.
Many of San Francisco’s best doctors have a new home – Hill Physicians Medical Group.
The doctors of UCSF Medical Center and UCSF Children’s Hospital are becoming part of Hill Physicians Medical Group. These highly regarded primary care physicians and specialists are joining Hill’s existing community of doctors who have been serving the City since 1995. Also joining Hill Physicians Medical Group are many doctors affiliated with Saint Francis Memorial Hospital and St. Mary’s Medical Center.
Soon, over 2,000 doctors will be part of Hill Physicians Medical Group in the city of San Francisco, with 700 of them in private practice or clinics. This world-class team of physicians provides access to community, university and specialized hospitals.
You may have some questions about how this news affects you, particularly if you designated Brown & Toland as the medical group inside your HMO plan. These resources explain what is happening and tell you what you need to know in order to have easier access to the specialists of UCSF.
Make Hill Physicians Your Medical Group During Open Enrollment
Who is affected?
Anyone in San Francisco who has a HMO or POS plan from Aetna, Anthem Blue Cross (California Care), Blue Shield, CIGNA, Health Net or United/PacifiCare will need to change their medical group designation – and possibly their primary care physician -- in order to have the easiest access to UCSF’s specialists.
When do I need to do this?
You need to select Hill Physicians as your medical group by December 2009 so that the health plan can update its records for the January 1, 2010 transition. Most people can make the switch as part of the normal open enrollment process in the fall of 2009. Consult your employer’s human resources department for specific timing and procedures associated with your company’s open enrollment.
How do I know if I need to change my primary care physician?
If your primary care physician is part of UCSF medical group, then you can stay with that physician. All you have to do is contact your health plan and change the medical group designation to Hill Physicians. The best time to do this is during your open enrollment period.
If your primary care physician is with Brown & Toland, ask your doctor if he or she also is a member of Hill Physicians because some B&T doctors are members of both medical groups. If he or she also is a member of Hill Physicians, then you can remain with that doctor -- and preserve easy access to UCSF -- by simply changing your medical group designation to Hill Physicians during the open enrollment period.
You’ll only need to change your primary care doctor if he or she has no affiliation with Hill Physicians. In those cases you can choose from many other primary care doctors in San Francisco and Daly City. By making sure your primary care medical group designation is Hill Physicians, you maintain faster access to the world-class specialists within UCSF.
For more detail the UCSF/Hill Partnership
How do I change my medical group designation?
Let your health plan know that you want your medical group switched to Hill Physicians on January 1, 2010. Most people can take care of this during the fall open enrollment process. Your employer may give you a paper enrollment form or they may direct you to the health plan’s website. If you’re unsure where to indicate Hill Physicians as your medical group, you can call your health plan for guidance. A list of health plan phone numbers is below:
| Aetna (800)756-7039, toll free |
Anthem Blue Cross (800)333-0912, toll free |
Blue Shield (888)568-3560, toll free |
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| CIGNA (800)244-6224, toll free |
Health Net (800) 638-3889, toll free |
PacifiCare, a United Healthcare Company (800)624-8822, toll free |
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If I do need to change doctors, how do I find one with Hill Physicians?
If you need to find a Hill Physicians’ doctor, our online directory can help. It will be updated in September to include all of the physicians from UCSF and many practitioners from St. Mary’s and Saint Francis. This will reflect a significantly expanded list of physicians from which to choose.
Who is Hill Physicians Medical Group?
Hill Physicians Medical Group was founded in 1984 and is one of the nation’s largest independent physician associations (IPAs). We are a recognized leader in innovative managed health care. The Standards of Excellence Program of the California Association of Physician Groups recognizes Hill Physicians as a state-wide leader in care management practices, health information technology, accountability and transparency. Consumers who select Hill Physicians as their medical group receive value-added conveniences and services which can be viewed here...
Nearly 300,000 people across Northern California have selected Hill Physicians because of our outstanding combination of quality, convenience, flexibility and value-added conveniences.
What if I live outside of San Francisco or Daly City?
The affiliation is for the San Francisco/Daly City portion of Hill Physicians network. Consumers must choose a Hill Physicians primary care doctor in San Francisco or Daly City to have the easier access to UCSF that this agreement provides. Members who live near San Francisco may decide to select a primary care physician in San Francisco. All Hill Physicians members may still be referred to a UCSF specialist if the care they need is not available at a closer facility.
Want to know more about the transition?
They're Happy to Answer Your Questions.
They understand you may have questions. Hill Physicians Medical Group and UCSF are here to help.
- UCSF at (888) 689-UCSF (8273)
- Hill Physicians Medical Group at (800) 445-5747, and choose option 3.