Health care

Yes. Californians must wear face coverings when in public spaces, especially indoors and other areas where physical distancing is not possible. Face coverings help reduce the spread of COVID-19. 

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has released a Guidance for the use of face covering.

The guidance reminds Californians that the best defense against COVID-19 continues to be: 

• Maintain six feet of physical distance from others 
• Wash hands frequently
• Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands
• Avoid being around people with COVID-19 symptoms

There is scientific evidence to suggest that use of face coverings by the public during a pandemic could help reduce disease transmission. Their primary role is to reduce the release of infectious particles into the air when someone speaks, coughs, or sneezes, including someone who has COVID-19 but feels well. Face coverings are not a substitute for physical distancing, washing hands, and staying home when ill, but they may be helpful when combined with these primary interventions.

A face covering is material that covers the nose and mouth. It can be secured to the head with ties or straps or simply wrapped around the lower face. It can be made of a variety of materials, such as cotton, silk, or linen. A face covering may be factory-made or sewn by hand, or can be improvised from household items such as scarfs, T-shirts, sweatshirts, or towels.

It’s a good idea to wash your face covering frequently, ideally after each use. Have a bag or bin to keep face coverings in until they can be laundered with detergent and hot water and dried on a hot cycle. If you must re-wear your face covering before washing, wash your hands immediately after putting it back on and avoid touching your face. Discard coverings that:

• No longer cover the nose and mouth
• Have stretched out or damaged ties or straps
• Cannot stay on the face
• Have holes or tears in the fabric

The cost of medically necessary screening, testing, and treatment for the uninsured is paid for by the government. You can check your symptoms using the Symptom Screener or by contacting your doctor through telehealth. You can also get free medically necessary testing through Verily’s Project Baseline or OptumServe.

Yes, if you’re experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, you think you were exposed to someone who has COVID-19, or the test is otherwise medically necessary for your situation. 

If you have symptoms of COVID-19 or you think you’ve been exposed to someone with COVID-19, under federal law, you can obtain a COVID-19 test anywhere and your health plan must pay for the test. 

If you don’t have symptoms and don’t think you’ve been exposed to someone with COVID-19, but you are an essential worker as defined for COVID-19 testing coverage, your health plan must cover your COVID-19 test. However, you must contact your health plan before getting testing. 

If you don’t have symptoms, don’t think you’ve been exposed to someone with COVID-19, and aren’t an essential worker as defined for COVID-19 testing coverage, and you think you need a test, please contact your health plan or health care provider for further guidance.

As a first step, you can check your symptoms using the Symptom Screener or by contacting your doctor through telehealth.

Your wait time depends on why you are seeking a test. 

If you have symptoms of COVID-19 or think you were exposed, under federal law, you can go immediately to any available testing site. Find a testing site on our Testing page, or call your health plan so they can direct you to an available testing location. 

If you don’t have symptoms or suspected exposure, and you are an essential worker, your health plan must offer you a test appointment within 48 hours. The testing site must be within 15 miles or 30 minutes of your residence or workplace. If the health plan can’t find you an available appointment within that time and distance, then you can go to any available testing site and your health plan will pay for the test. 

If you don’t have symptoms or suspected exposure, and you are not an essential worker, if your provider determines a COVID-19 test is medically necessary for you, your health plan must offer you a test appointment within 96 hours. The testing site must be within 15 miles or 30 minutes of your residence or workplace. If the health plan can’t find you an available appointment within that time and distance, you can go to any available testing site.

Self-insured plans are regulated by the federal government, rather than the state. If you have symptoms of COVID-19 or you were exposed to someone who you know or suspect has COVID-19, under federal law, your employer’s self-insured plan must cover your test. In all other instances, you should talk to your employer’s self-insured plan to find out whether they will cover COVID-19 testing.

Your health plan can ask you questions about why you want a COVID-19 test and about the nature of your work. They can ask these questions to help determine whether a COVID-19 test is medically necessary for you. 

However, your health plan can’t ask you to provide further documentation or evidence of your work status. For example, your health plan can’t ask you to provide written proof of where you work or the conditions of your workplace.

If you are having trouble accessing care, or were inappropriately charged for medically necessary screening, testing, or treatment for COVID-19, follow up directly with your health plan by calling the member phone number listed on your health plan card. If your health plan doesn’t resolve the issue, contact the California Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) Help Center for assistance at 1-888-466-2219.

Yes. Both Medicare and Medicare Advantage Plans cover coronavirus tests and antibody tests, with no out-of-pocket costs. 

Yes. Medicare has temporarily expanded its coverage of telehealth services (medical care via phone, video chat, or online portal) to respond to the current Public Health Emergency. You can now use a wide range of communication tools (including smartphone) from home to interact with a range of providers, like doctors, nurse practitioners, clinical psychologists, licensed clinical social workers, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech language pathologists. If you have original Medicare, you can get many services without a copayment through telehealth, including evaluation and management visits (common office visits), mental health counseling, and preventive health screenings.

If you have a Medicare Advantage Plan, you have access to these same benefits. Many plans offer additional telehealth benefits and expanded benefits, like meal delivery or medical transport services. Check with your plan about your coverage and costs.

The following services are covered by the federal government if you are  uninsured and diagnosed with a primary COVID-19 diagnosis:

• Specimen collection, diagnostic and antibody testing
• Testing-related visits, including in the following settings: office, urgent care, emergency room, or telehealth
• Treatment, including office visit, telehealth, emergency room, inpatient, outpatient/observation, skilled nursing facility, long-term acute care (LTAC), acute inpatient rehab, home health, Durable Medical Equipment (DME) like oxygen and ventilator, emergency ambulance transportation, non-emergent patient transfers via ambulance, and FDA-approved drugs as they become available for COVID-19 treatment and administered as part of an inpatient stay
• FDA-approved vaccine, when available

For additional details, see the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) website and their Frequently Asked Questions.

You are not alone. The California Surgeon General released two playbooks for managing stress and tips for care-givers and kids. If you feel like you need to talk to someone and want emotional support see this list of resources.

No, you will not need to renew until August 17, 2020. Governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order to ensure that health care, food assistance, and in-home supportive services continue during the COVID-19 outbreak.

The order waives eligibility re-determinations for 150 days for participants in:

• Medi-Cal health coverage
• CalFresh food assistance
• CalWORKs
• Cash Assistance for Immigrants
• In-Home Supportive Services

If you have coronavirus symptoms, please contact your doctor through telehealth or use the Symptom Screener self-checker.

If you have other illnesses or chronic conditions, use telehealth to get care from home.

If you need to go to the hospital, call ahead so they can prepare for your arrival. If you call 911, tell the 911 operator your exact symptoms so the ambulance provider can be ready to treat you safely.

Preventive care services and non-emergency surgeries, like organ replacements and tumor removals, can take place if hospitals have enough capacity and protective equipment to do so safely. Eye exams, and elective procedures should be cancelled or rescheduled. If possible, health care visits should be done remotely. Dental services and preventive dental care may be resumed. Contact your doctor through telehealth to see what services they are providing.

Yes. You may leave your home to get prescriptions or cannabis from dispensaries with medical permits.

You can contact your doctor through telehealth to get a new prescription or adjust your existing prescriptions. 

You can call the statewide hotline for older Californians at 1-833-544-2374 for your non-urgent medical needs, to get meals delivered, to track down prescriptions, and more. The most important thing you can do is stay home for your health and wellbeing. If you are experiencing an emergency please call 911.

You should check in on your older neighbors and loved ones with a call, text, or physically-distanced door knock to make sure they are okay. You can also teach them how to use FaceTime, Zoom, Google Duo or Facebook video to communicate. The most important thing you can do is to keep in touch with older loved ones for their mental health and safety.

Yes. Be sure that you protect them and yourself by following physical distancing guidelines such as wearing a mask, washing hands before and after, using hand sanitizer, maintaining at least six feet of distance when possible, and covering your cough or sneeze. If you have early signs of a cold, please stay away from your older loved ones.

Generally, no. There are limited exceptions, such as if you are going to the hospital with a minor who is under 18 or someone who is developmentally disabled and needs assistance. For most other situations, the order prohibits visitation to these kinds of facilities. This is difficult, but necessary to protect hospital staff and other patients. Check the frequently asked questions for friends and family with a loved one in a skilled nursing or residential care facility for more detailed information.