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Home > Programs and Services by Bureau > Community Initiatives > Civic Engagement and Advocacy > Mayors Health Line > Accessing Health Insurance and Health Care > Getting Health Care

 
 

 GETTING HEALTH CARE

         

Health Advocates at The Mayor’s Health Line are available Monday through Friday 9am to 5pm to help with your search for a primary care provider.

Want to see a doctor but don’t have health insurance? No problem. Call us 617-534-5050 and toll-free 1-800-0710, and our Health Advocates will screen you for any public and private health insurance programs that you qualify for. You can enroll over the phone. Visit our health insurance page to learn more about the health insurance programs that may be available to you.
 

 Frequently Asked Questions 

WHAT IS A PRIMARY CARE PROVIDER?

A Primary Care Provider (PCP) is a practitioner that treats common medical problems. This person is usually a doctor; however, many different clinicians are qualified to provide primary care. Your PCP is often involved in your care for a long time, so it is important to select someone with whom you will work well.  

                                       Examples of Primary Care Providers 

 

Family Practitioners

Physicians that provide care to people of all ages. They manage you and your family's total healthcare requirements, including both emotional and physical needs. Family practitioners provide a unique continuity in care for your entire family.

 


Internists

Physicians who specialize in adult medical care. An internist generally has completed additional training in treating organs such as the heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, gastrointestinal, and endocrine systems. As personal physicians, internists focus on preventive care and manage simple to complex medical conditions. Internists also serve as medical consultants, helping other primary care physicians manage difficult medical problems. An internist is at the center of your care, and will coordinate your healthcare with other medical specialists as needed.


Pediatricians

Physicians with extensive training in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of childhood and adolescent diseases. They offer a broad spectrum of both primary and specialized care from infancy through the high school and college years.


Obstetricians/
Gynecologists

Physicians that specialize in women's medical care. They diagnose and treat disorders of the female reproductive system. In addition, they manage women's health before, during and after pregnancy. Ob/Gyns also provide primary care for women of all ages.

 



Nurse
Practitioners

Registered nurses with advanced academic and clinical experience, which enables them to diagnose and manage most common and chronic illnesses. They are able to prescribe medications. Working in collaboration with a physician, a nurse practitioner provides high-quality, individualized patient care. NPs focus largely on health maintenance, disease prevention, counseling and patient education in a wide variety of settings. Nurse practitioners can work within several specialties, including neonatology, nurse-midwifery, pediatrics, family and adult health, women's health, mental health, home care, geriatrics and acute care.

 

 

Physician
Assistants

Licensed health professionals who practice medicine under the supervision of a licensed physician. A PA is able to evaluate and recommend treatment for many of your healthcare concerns. Physician Assistants perform physical examinations, prescribe medications, diagnose and treat illnesses, order and interpret lab tests, suture wounds and set fractures. There is constant open communication between the PA and the physician. They work together as a team to provide efficient and comprehensive healthcare. PAs specialize in many areas of medicine: internal medicine, pediatrics, family medicine, surgery, emergency medicine, geriatrics and obstetrics/gynecology.


HOW CAN A PRIMARY CARE PROVIDER HELP ME STAY HEALTHY?

Regular checkups with your primary care provider are essential to maintaining your health. Checkups find problems before they start and find problems early, when your chances for treatment and cure are better.

Seeing your Primary Care Provider for regular health exams along with eating right and exercise are ways you can stay healthy. Your Primary Care Provider will also give you information about special prevention and health promotion programs or classes available to you.

Helping you stay healthy requires you and your Primary Care Provider to work together and communicate openly about your health needs and status. To promote good health, your Primary Care Provider will also make sure that you are current with immunizations, and that you are counseled and/or screened as appropriate for colorectal, breast, cervical, or prostate cancer, and for tobacco and alcohol use, as well as the benefits of good nutrition and exercise.

Since your PCP is your main health care provider in non-emergency situations. Your PCP's role is to:

  • Provide preventive care and teach healthy lifestyle choices
  • Recommend which preventative cancer screenings are right for you
  • Identify and treat common medical conditions including STD/HIV testing
  • Assess the urgency of your medical problems and direct you to the best place for that care
  • Make referrals to medical specialists when necessary
  • Manage any acute and chronic health problems you may have including

HOW TO FIND A PRIMARY CARE PROVIDER

You can get started by calling the Mayor’s Health Line at 617-534-5050 or 1-800-847-0710. 

Our staff will assist you in your search. If you get referrals from friends, neighbors or relatives we can help you find out if the provider is on your insurance and is accepting new patients.

 

You can also get referrals from:

    • State-level medical associations, nursing associations, and associations for physician assistants
    • Your dentist, pharmacist, optometrist, previous provider, or other health professional
    • Advocacy groups -- especially to help you find the best provider for a specific chronic condition or disability
    • Many health plans, such as HMOs or PPOs, have websites, directories, or customer service staff who can help you select a PCP who is right for you

Another option is to request an appointment to "interview" a potential provider. There may be no cost to do this, or you may be charged a co-payment or other small fee.

NEIGHBORCARE CAMPAIGN: The NeighborCare campaign is a mayoral initiative designed to highlight the exceptional and high quality services available at community health centers. The goal of the campaign is to ensure that all Boston residents are able to access quality care at the right time and in the right place. 

If you have a non-life threatening illness and need medical attention, please go to your neighborhood medical facilities. Make your neighboring community health center your first stop for primary and urgent care.

WHAT QUALITIES SHOULD I LOOK FOR IN A PRIMARY CARE PROVIDER?

You should feel comfortable with your PCP, since it is important to share personal information and any health problems with him/her. You need to find a health care provider who will listen to your concerns and answer your questions, and takes the time to explain things clearly to you. It's a good idea to try to find a health care provider who has an office near where you live or go to school.

When choosing a PCP, also consider the following:

  • Is the office staff friendly and helpful? Is the office good about returning calls?
  • Are the office hours convenient to your schedule?
  • How easy is it to reach the provider? Does the provider use email?
  • Do you prefer a provider whose communication style is friendly and warm, or more formal?
  • Do you prefer a provider focused on disease treatment, or wellness and prevention?
  • Does the provider have a conservative or aggressive approach to treatment?
  • Does the provider order a lot of tests?
  • Does the provider refer to other specialists frequently or infrequently?
  • What do colleagues and patients say about the provider?
  • Does the provider invite you to be involved in your care? Does the provider view your patient-doctor relationship as a true partnership? 

WHAT IF I’M UNINSURED AND WANT TO SEE A PRIMARY CARE PROVIDER?

The Mayor’s Health Line is fully prepared to help you obtain health insurance and find a health care provider.  We can help you find the right health insurance program for you. To get started, call us at 617-534-5050 1-800-847-0710. Some of the health insurance programs that you may be screened for include MassHealth, and Student Health Insurance Programs.You can learn more about the health programs you can be screened for on our health insurance page.

HOW TO PREPARE FOR AN APPOINTMENT WITH YOUR PRIMARY CARE PROVIDER

 Know your health risks and take action. Talk to your health care provider about:

  • How you are feeling
  • Your risks of cancer, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, sexual health, family planning, and your risk for STDs/HIV
  • Your medicines and other supplements you may be are taking
  •  Follow your health care provider’s directions for taking medicines

You have the right to make decisions regarding your medical care. This includes the right to accept or refuse medical treatment. Talk with your doctor about your rights as a patient. Together with your doctor, you can set up an Advance Directive, a written statement about medical decisions you want in the event you can no longer speak for yourself.

The two most common forms of Advance Directives are:

  • Living Will: a document in which you state in writing your wishes about medical care.
  • Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care: a document giving a person you appoint, such as a relative or friend, the authority to speak for you about your treatment, should you be unable to do this for yourself.

These documents are maintained as part of your medical record and are periodically reviewed with you. Talk to your Primary Care Provider if you have questions about Advance Directives or wish to complete one.

WHAT IF I NEED TO CHANGE PRIMARY CARE PROVIDERS

You have the right to change health care provider(s). Discuss any problems or concerns you have with your current provider and try to reach an agreement. If you cannot reach an agreement, you can contact a health advocate at the Mayor’s Health Line, 1-800-847-0710 or 617-534-5050, and they will help you resolve the situation and find a new provider.

MEDICAL INFORMATION- ELECTRONIC RESOURCES

 Information on Doctors

Information on health and medicine