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Open Enrollment

With several locations throughout Bakersfield, it's easy to find health care that helps you be at your best. This Open Enrollment, choose a plan that includes Dignity Health doctors and hospitals.

Let's get started

Health plans can be complex, but we're here to help. Browse this page to learn more about Dignity Health, or select an option below to get started.
If you still feel lost and are not sure where to start, check out our frequently asked questions or helpful tips for navigating Open Enrollment.

 

How do you get health insurance?

We understand choosing a health plan can be complicated. Our goal is to help take the guesswork out of the process so you can feel confident the health plan you select will offer the greatest coverage at a rate that fits within your budget.

How you enroll in a health plan—and which options are available to you—depend on how you get your insurance. Some of the most common methods are included below. Select an option to learn more.

I am a CalPERS Member

Dignity Health is offered through many of the health plans available to CalPERS members.

I have health insurance through my employer

This Open Enrollment, be sure the health plan you choose includes Dignity Health. Ask your HR Benefits Manager or click below to learn more.

I buy my own insurance

Get health coverage for your whole family through the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Click below to learn about available options.

I am eligible for Medicare

Considering a Medicare Advantage plan? Click below or contact your current broker or licensed insurance agent for more information.

 

Our Bakersfield hospitals

Dignity Health has three hospitals in Bakersfield, each offering 24/7 emergency services. In addition, Dignity Health provides a growing number of health care services at other facilies throughout Bakersfield to meet the needs of our community, including the Millennium Surgery Center and Dignity Health Infusion Center at Comprehensive Blood & Cancer Center (CBCC).

Memorial Hospital

Exterior photo of Memorial Hospital in Bakersfield, CA

420 34th Street, Bakersfield, CA

At a glance:

  • 24/7 emergency care with Online Waiting Room
  • Primary Stroke Center certified by The Joint Commission
  • Pediatric acute and intensive care, and Kern County's only children's emergency department
  • Advanced cardiovascular and neurological care
  • Robotic and minimally invasive surgery
  • Joint replacement and spine surgery with robotically-assisted navigation
  • Family birth center with private birthing suites, and Baby-Friendly® and Gold Safe Sleep Champion designations
  • Grossman Burn Center offering inpatient and outpatient burn care

Mercy Hospital Downtown

Exterior photo of Mercy Hospital Downtown in Bakersfield, CA

2215 Truxtun Avenue, Bakersfield, CA

At a glance:

  • 24/7 emergency care with Online Waiting Room
  • Primary Stroke Center certified by The Joint Commission
  • S.A. Camp Companies Robotic Surgical Center
  • Kern County's only inpatient cancer care unit
  • Center of Excellence designations in minimally invasive, robotic, hernia, and colorectal surgeries and minimally invasive gynecology

Mercy Hospital Southwest

Exterior photo of Mercy Hospital Southwest in Bakersfield, CA

400 Old River Road, Bakersfield, CA

At a glance:

  • 24/7 emergency care with Online Waiting Room
  • Primary Stroke Center certified by The Joint Commission
  • Robotic and minimally invasive surgery
  • Family birth center with private birthing suites and Baby Friendly® designation
  • Nationally accredited comprehensive weight loss center
  • Joint replacement and outpatient orthopedic care
  • Center of Excellence designations in minimally invasive, robotic, hernia, and colorectal surgeries and minimally invasive gynecology

 

Our Bakersfield and Tehachapi clinics

In addition to our hospitals, Dignity Health operates several clinics in Bakersfield and Tehachapi offering primary and specialty care services. So, whether it's a sports injury or a condition that requires the expertise of our fellowship-trained women's health specialists, Dignity Health has you and your family covered.

Dignity Health Medical Group

Dignity Health Medical Group - San Dimas in Bakersfield, CA

Four locations in Bakersfield and Tehachapi, CA

At a glance:

  • Ten clinics across four campuses in Bakersfield and Tehachapi
  • Primary care, family medicine, and specialty care, including cardiology, electrophysiology, cardiothoracic surgery, internal medicine, and OB-GYN
  • Dozens of physicians with online appointment scheduling
  • Virtual visits offering convenient access to physicians without having to leave home

Dignity Health Surgical Specialists—Southwest

Exterior photo of Mercy Hospital Downtown in Bakersfield, CA

300 Old River Road, Suite 200, Bakersfield, CA

At a glance:

  • Located on-campus at Mercy Hospital Southwest
  • General orthopedics, sports medicine, and joint reconstruction
  • Board-certified and fellowship-trained orthopedic specialists
  • Inpatient and outpatient care, from non-invasive treatment options to complex and minimally invasive surgical techniques

Dignity Health Women's Center—Southwest

Exterior photo of Mercy Hospital Southwest in Bakersfield, CA

500 Old River Road, Suite 200, Bakersfield, CA

At a glance:

  • Located on-campus at Mercy Hospital Southwest
  • Comprehensive care for all women's health needs, including gynecology, urogynecology, gynecological cancer care, and radiology
  • Board-certified and fellowship-trained women's health specialists
  • Fully accredited by the Joint Commission, the American College of Radiology, and the American College of Surgeons’ Commission on Cancer

Dignity Health Urology Center—Southwest

Dignity Health Urology and Stone Center in Bakersfield, CA

9500 Stockdale Highway, Suite 109, Bakersfield, CA

At a glance:

  • Led by a board-certified urologist
  • Offers innovative, leading edge techniques and equipment to diagnose and treat conditions affecting the urinary system
  • Aligned with Comprehensive Blood & Cancer Center (CBCC) to ensure patients diagnosed with cancer receive comprehensive oncological care
  • Treats conditions such as overactive bladder, kidney stones, and enlarged prostate, among others

Tips for navigating Open Enrollment

To make the most of your choices during open enrollment, it’s important to understand what your choices are and what effect these choices have on the health care you and your family will receive in the coming year. We can help.

 

Frequently asked questions

Open Enrollment is a time of year when you can sign up for health insurance. Additionally, you may qualify to enroll if you have a qualifying life event, like losing coverage through your employer.

Open Enrollment dates depend on the type of insurance. These are the dates to enroll for coverage in 2022. 

  • CalPERS employees and retirees: September 20, 2021 - October 15, 2021
  • Medicare Advantage: October 15, 2021 - December 7, 2021
  • Individual Market: November 1, 2021 - January 31, 2022

You may check with the health plan(s) to determine if the hospital(s) or doctor(s) are in-network with the health plan. If you need a primary care physician (PCP) or are looking for a specialist, we can help:

One type of health insurance is not better than the other, but there are differences. With an HMO plan, you will choose a Primary Care Provider (PCP) who will coordinate any specialty care you may need. Services are all provided through physicians and facilities in the health plan's HMO network. With a PPO, you may also choose a PCP, but you will not need a referral to see another physician. It will usually cost less to see in-network physicians than out-of-network physicians. Whether you are considering an HMO or a PPO, you can determine which doctors, medical groups, hospitals, etc. are in the network before you enroll.

A primary care physician (PCP) helps you to manage your health. Common services include regular physical exams, prescribing medications, treating minor illness and injuries, managing chronic conditions, and screenings for common health problems.

Should you need specialized care, your primary care physician can expertly guide your next steps, and connect you to the right specialist. There are five main types of primary care physicians: Family medicine doctors for the whole family; internal medicine-pediatric doctors for preventing and treating diseases, pediatricians who specialize in children, internal medicine doctors who care for adults, and OB-GYNs for adult women.

Choosing and building a relationship with one of these doctors can help you live a healthy lifestyle based on your individual needs.

Dignity Health is not a health insurance company. Dignity Health is a provider network of more than 60,000 caregivers and staff who deliver excellent care to diverse communities in hospitals, physician offices and other types of care centers in California, Arizona, and Nevada. Headquartered in San Francisco, Dignity Health is the fifth largest health system in the nation and the largest hospital provider in California.

It's a good idea to confirm your doctor and your hospital of choice are covered by your new insurance for the upcoming year by checking the insurance website or calling your insurance carrier directly. Do not assume your physician is covered without checking first. Doctors and hospitals may periodically change the insurance they accept.

Whether you purchased coverage during Open Enrollment in the last year or two, or you began coverage due to a qualifying event in between Open Enrollment periods, it's a good idea to assess your coverage each year. The Open Enrollment period, which generally begins in November and runs through January, is the only time you can make a change unless you have a qualifying event like getting married, moving, or having a child. The health plan options available in your area can change each Open Enrollment. By taking the time to shop around you may find a carrier or plan which will cost less each month or less when you access services.