Getting Care After Hours or When Away From Home

To get care after clinic hours

  1. Call your primary care clinic. Most PCPs offer after-hours medical advice by phone.
  2. If the clinic or your PCP is not available, call the Nurse Advice Line toll free 1-866-418-1002 (voice) or 1-866-418-1006 (TTY for speech or hearing impaired). The nurses can help you when you have questions about health concerns or need health information.
  3. If your symptoms are severe or if your PCP cannot see you right away, ask your PCP if you can go to an urgent care center, where they can treat you that same day. Urgent care is covered only if you get an authorization from your PCP. (See About Prior Authorizations and Referrals.)
  4. If you cannot reach your PCP and you think you are too sick to wait, go to the nearest emergency room. (See Emergency Care.)

24-Hour Nurse Advice Line

You can call the free Nurse Advice Line to get health care information 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The nurses can help you when you have questions about health concerns or need health information. To speak to a nurse, call toll free 1-866-418-1002 (voice) or 1-866-418-1006 (TTY for speech or hearing impaired).

Health coverage when away from home

We cover medically necessary care for up to 90 days while you are away from your home in Washington state only. Community Health Plan pays for medically necessary care that cannot wait until you get home. Call your PCP to get an okay from Community Health Plan before you get the care. Community Health Plan does not pay for care you get outside of Washington state.

If you have an emergency while traveling in Washington state, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. Community Health Plan will cover the emergency and any medically necessary medicines needed for the emergency treatment.

Remember: You must notify your PCP within 24 hours after your emergency room or urgent care center visit or as soon as your health allows. We will pay for your follow-up care only if it is first approved by your PCP and by Community Health Plan.

If you need a 30-day supply of a prescription before you go on vacation, please ask your PCP before you leave. If you need more than a 30-day supply, please call the Community Health Plan customer service team at 1-800-440-1561, Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, or email customercare@chpw.org. If you are hearing or speech impaired, please call TTY Relay: Dial 7-1-1.

We do not cover non-emergency, out-of-state prescriptions.