Skip to main content
Main Content

UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of California Medi-Cal Glossary

A

  • Advance Directive

    A decision about your health care that you make ahead of time in case you are ever unable to speak for yourself. This will let your family and your doctors know what decisions you would make if you were able to.

  • Authorization

    An O.K. or approval for a service.

B

  • Benefits

    Services, procedures and medications that UnitedHealthcare Health Link will cover for you.

C

  • Clinical Care Management

    One-on-one help by a nurse providing education and coordination of UnitedHealthcare Health Link benefits, tailored to your needs.

D

  • Disenrollment

    To stop your membership in UnitedHealthcare Health Link.

E

  • Emergency

    When you reasonably believe that your health is in serious danger.

F

  • Federal Poverty Level (FPL)

    Poverty income thresholds by family size that are annually updated by the Census Bureau for inflation.

  • Fraud

    An untruthful act – an example is someone other than you using your UnitedHealthcare Health Link member ID card and pretending to be you.

H

  • Home Health Agency

    A company contracted by UnitedHealthcare to provide care for you in your home.

I

  • ID Card

    Identification card – a card that says you are a UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of California member. You should have this card and the BIC with you at all times.

  • Informed Consent

    You agree to all medical treatments.

  • Inpatient

    When you are admitted into a hospital for a length of time.

M

  • Medical Necessity

    Your health care provider decides if a treatment, admission, procedure, medical supply, equipment, service or supply is medically necessary.

  • Member

    A person who is eligible for UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of California.

O

  • Outpatient

    When you have a procedure done that does not require a hospital stay overnight.

P

  • Primary Care Physician (PCP)

    A doctor you choose to be your family physician. They have their own private practices or work at Federally Qualified Health Centers and local clinics.

  • Prior Authorization

    The process for any service that needs an O.K. from UnitedHealthcare before it can take place.

  • Provider

    Any medical professional that UnitedHealthcare has contracted with to take care of you.

  • Provider Directory

    A list of providers who participate with UnitedHealthcare Community Plan to help take care of your healthcare needs.

S

  • Special Needs Unit (SNU)

    A voluntary service offered by UnitedHealthcare that can give you extra help in understanding and using your benefits if you have a disability or other special need.

  • Specialist

    A doctor that has specific, detailed training in one certain medical field.

T

  • Treatment

     The care that you may receive from doctors and facilities.

U

  • Urgent Care

    When you need care, treatment or medical advice within a 24-hour time period.

W

  • WIC

    Women, Infants and Children program, a supplemental nutrition program that provides nutritious food, education support and health care referrals for women, infants and children.

Return to top of page


Disclaimer information
(scroll within this box to view)

Looking for the federal government’s Medicaid website? Look here at Medicaid.gov.

UnitedHealthcare Dual Complete plans

Plans are insured through UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company or one of its affiliated companies, a Medicare Advantage organization with a Medicare contract and a contract with the State Medicaid Program. Enrollment in the plan depends on the plan’s contract renewal with Medicare. This plan is available to anyone who has both Medical Assistance from the State and Medicare. Benefits, features and/or devices vary by plan/area. Limitations, exclusions and/or network restrictions may apply. Benefits, premiums and/or co-payments/co-insurance may change on January 1 of each year.

Premium disclaimer

Dual Special Needs plans have a $0 premium for members with Extra Help (Low Income Subsidy).

Benefit disclaimer

Benefits, features, and/or devices vary by plan/area. Limitations, exclusions and/or network restrictions may apply.

Nurse Hotline disclaimer

This service should not be used for emergency or urgent care needs. In an emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. The information provided through this service is for informational purposes only. The nurses cannot diagnose problems or recommend treatment and are not a substitute for your provider's care. Your health information is kept confidential in accordance with the law. The service is not an insurance program and may be discontinued at any time. Nurse Hotline not for use in emergencies, for informational purposes only.

UnitedHealthcare Connected® for MyCare Ohio (Medicare-Medicaid plan)

UnitedHealthcare Connected® for MyCare Ohio (Medicare-Medicaid plan) is a health plan that contracts with both Medicare and Ohio Medicaid to provide benefits of both programs to enrollees. 

UnitedHealthcare Connected® (Medicare-Medicaid plan)

UnitedHealthcare Connected® (Medicare-Medicaid plan) is a health plan that contracts with both Medicare and Texas Medicaid to provide benefits of both programs to enrollees.

UnitedHealthcare Connected® for One Care (Medicare-Medicaid plan)

UnitedHealthcare Connected® for One Care (Medicare-Medicaid plan) is a health plan that contracts with both Medicare and MassHealth (Medicaid) to provide benefits of both programs to enrollees. 

UnitedHealthcare Connected® general benefit disclaimer

This is not a complete list. The benefit information is a brief summary, not a complete description of benefits. For more information contact the plan or read the member handbook. Limitations, copays and restrictions may apply. For more information, call UnitedHealthcare Connected® Member Services or read the UnitedHealthcare Connected® member handbook. 

UnitedHealthcare Senior Care Options (HMO SNP) plan

UnitedHealthcare Senior Care Options (SCO) is a Coordinated Care plan with a Medicare contract and a contract with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Medicaid program. Enrollment in the plan depends on the plan’s contract renewal with Medicare. This plan is a voluntary program that is available to anyone 65 and older who qualifies for MassHealth Standard and Original Medicare and does not have any other comprehensive health Insurance, except Medicare. If you have MassHealth Standard, but you do not qualify for Original Medicare, you may still be eligible to enroll in our MassHealth Senior Care Option plan and receive all of your MassHealth benefits through our Senior Care Options (SCO) program.

Star ratings disclaimer

Every year, Medicare evaluates plans based on a 5-Star rating system. The 5-Star rating applies to plan year 2024.

Important provider information

The choice is yours

We will provide you with information to help you make informed choices, such as physicians' and health care professionals' credentials. This information, however, is not an endorsement of a particular physician or health care professional's suitability for your needs.

The providers available through this application may not necessarily reflect the full extent of UnitedHealthcare's network of contracted providers. There may be providers or certain specialties that are not included in this application that are part of our network. If you don't find the provider you are searching for, you may contact the provider directly to verify participation status with UnitedHealthcare's network, or contact Customer Care at the toll-free number shown on your UnitedHealthcare ID card. We also recommend that, prior to seeing any physician, including any specialists, you call the physician's office to verify their participation status and availability.

Some network providers may have been added or removed from our network after this directory was updated. We do not guarantee that each provider is still accepting new members.

Out-of-network/non-contracted providers are under no obligation to treat UnitedHealthcare plan members, except in emergency situations. Please call our customer service number or see your Evidence of Coverage for more information, including the cost- sharing that applies to out-of-network services.

American Disabilities Act notice

In accordance with the requirements of the federal Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 ("ADA"), UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company provides full and equal access to covered services and does not discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities on the basis of disability in its services, programs, or activities.

Referrals

Network providers help you and your covered family members get the care needed. Access to specialists may be coordinated by your primary care physician.

Paper directory requests

Paper copies of the network provider directory are available at no cost to members by calling the customer service number on the back of your ID card. Non-members may download and print search results from the online directory.

Inaccurate information

To report incorrect information, email provider_directory_invalid_issues@uhc.com. This email box is for members to report potential inaccuracies for demographic (address, phone, etc.) information in the online or paper directories. Reporting issues via this mail box will result in an outreach to the provider’s office to verify all directory demographic data, which can take approximately 30 days. Individuals can also report potential inaccuracies via phone. UnitedHealthcare Members should call the number on the back of their ID card, and non-UnitedHealthcare members can call 1-888-638-6613 / TTY 711, or use your preferred relay service.

Declaration of disaster or emergency

If you’re affected by a disaster or emergency declaration by the President or a governor, or an announcement of a public health emergency by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, there is certain additional support available to you.

  • Part A, Part B, and supplemental Part C plan benefits are to be provided at specified non-contracted facilities (note that Part A and Part B benefits must be obtained at Medicare certified facilities);
  • Where applicable, requirements for gatekeeper referrals are waived in full;
  • Plan-approved out-of-network cost-sharing to network cost-sharing amounts are temporarily reduced; and
  • The 30-day notification requirement to members is waived, as long as all the changes (such as reduction of cost-sharing and waiving authorization) benefit the member.

If CMS hasn’t provided an end date for the disaster or emergency, plans will resume normal operation 30 days after the initial declaration.