Pricing

Yes. Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) are a type of managed care health plan. They use a “gatekeeper” strategy to lower utilization and costs. Patients in an HMO must choose a primary care physician (PCP) who must authorize access to specialists and other care. Services received outside the HMO network are not covered.

Qualcomm Premier Plans are not HMOs. Premier Plan members can self-refer to specialists and other providers without any authorization requirements, and can choose to pay higher deductibles or co-insurance and go out-of-network.

You'll select a personal physician who can help you coordinate care with different providers. However, your personal physician will have no ability to limit or deny you care with other providers.

Contracting directly with a health system allows Qualcomm to create, monitor and refine a different model of health care delivery. Qualcomm wants to provide employees a superior patient experience. And Qualcomm wants to develop better ways to improve health outcomes and reduce the costs of health care.

Scripps has deep roots in San Diego, having provided care here since 1924. Today they continue to demonstrate a high quality of care and a commitment to a superior patient experience. Scripps also has a strong physician network and broad geographic reach in San Diego.

Scripps is consistently recognized by third-party organizations for its safety, quality and clinical performance. For example:

• Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla was named one of the nation’s top Large Community Hospitals by IBM Watson Health
• Scripps is ranked among the best hospitals in San Diego and the nation by U.S. News & World Report 2024-25 
• Scripps hospitals are recognized for their performance by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, The Joint Commission and California’s Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development 

No, Qualcomm Premier Plan members do not have to wait 365 days between their annual preventive exams. The plan covers one preventive exam each plan year, even if the time between the exams is less than 365 days. 

Learn more about what services are covered for annual preventive exams. Contact the Premier Plans concierge team for assistance and scheduling at 844-884-7266 (844-884-QCOM) or qualcomm.service@scrippshealth.org.

While Qualcomm Premier Plan members do not need a referral to see a specialist to ensure plan coverage, some specialists may require that you see your personal physician first for any new health concerns for the following reasons:

• Your personal physician will help identify the most suitable specialist for your situation and health needs.
• Seeing your personal physician first can also ensure that any necessary imaging and lab tests are completed prior to seeing the specialist. This will help to avoid delays in care and ensure that the specialist has all the information they need to evaluate your condition at the time of your visit.
• Additionally, seeing your personal physician can often eliminate the need for a specialist at all, as many conditions can be adequately treated by your personal physician. This may help reduce your out-of-pocket costs.

If you do not currently have a personal physician, please contact the concierge at 844-884-7266.

Yes. The QHC is considered in-network under both Qualcomm Premier Plans for employees only.

There are locations throughout San Diego County. When you view a map of all locations, we're confident you'll find one close to you. If you need additional assistance in selecting the right provider, you can contact the concierge team for support by phone or email.

If you or a family member needs care after normal business hours or on a weekend, you have several options. These include:

Walk-in clinic care

For minor illness and injuries, you may visit any of the Scripps HealthExpress same-day, walk-in clinics located throughout San Diego County. HealthExpress provides medical care when you need it the most, from early morning to late in the evening and weekends. For a complete list of locations, visit the locations page.

Concierge support

The Scripps concierge team is available from Monday through Friday, 7 am - 7 pm. Concierge team members can recommend when and where to seek care based on your symptoms. Please call 844-884-7266.

Nurse navigator phone support

Our nurse navigator line is staffed 24/7 by registered nurses who can evaluate your symptoms and recommend when and where to seek care. Call 844-884-7266.

Urgent and emergency care

In-network emergency rooms and urgent care centers are available across San Diego County.

For urgent care, we can shorten your wait time through our “fast-pass” program. Simply call our concierge team at 844-884-7266 for help selecting a Scripps urgent care center. We’ll call ahead to reserve your spot on the urgent care wait list.

Telemedicine

Virtual care (also called telemedicine or telehealth) is offered through the MyScripps patient portal, including on-demand video visits. Learn about the types of virtual care available. 

Expedited primary care

If you decide to wait until the next business day to seek care, plan members are guaranteed same-day or next-day appointments with a Premier Plan primary care provider for urgent medical needs.

You may choose to use providers outside the network for Premier Plans, however, a higher deductible, coinsurance and out-of-pocket maximum amounts apply to most services. You can use the provider search tool or call the concierge team to find an in-network specialist for you or your family members.

The Premier Plan network offers a comprehensive list of specialists. However, if you need specialized services and are unable to locate an in-network Premier Plan provider, a network exception process is available. In order to initiate a network exception request, please contact the Scripps concierge team at 844-884-7266. If your network exception request is approved, you will be able to access identified out-of-network providers, for example certain UCSD specialists for perinatology, burn injuries and orthopedic oncology, while receiving in-network coverage. 

If you select a Qualcomm Premier Plan during Open Enrollment, you will be asked to identify dependents that reside outside of San Diego. They will be considered in-network as long as they use providers within UnitedHealthcare’s national Options network.

If you’re outside San Diego County, we’ll help you get the care you need, including connecting you to a local provider or urgent care center if necessary. We will then work with United Healthcare to ensure your claim is processed as in-network.

If you have an emergency claim while on business or personal travel, the claim will be paid at the in-network level. Should you need hospitalization while traveling, Scripps can facilitate a transfer to an in-network San Diego hospital once your condition is stable.

If you choose to seek non-emergency care outside of the network, you will be subject to out-of-network cost sharing.

Yes. Plan members who have a Scripps Clinic or Scripps Coastal Medical Center provider, will have online and mobile access to their personal health information through a secure portal called MyScripps. The portal allows you to perform a variety of functions. Through MyScripps, uses can now:

• View lab or imaging test results
• Schedule or cancel primary care appointments
• Pay your bill
• Request prescription refills
• Send messages to your doctor’s office
• Access your child's health record — if they are between 0-12 years of age — to manage appointments, message care providers and view select lab results
• Access or proxy access a teen patient’s chart — to message providers, review and refill medications** and track growth charts.
• Use eCheck-in for appointments, which allows you to pay visit co-pays, update medication allergies, current conditions and answer appointment questionnaires

This allows doctors or hospitals who treat you to see a more complete picture of your health, including medical conditions, current prescriptions and previous surgeries or other procedures. 

For more information on accessing MyScripps for yourself or your teen patient, contact the concierge team.

Not all Scripps-affiliated providers may be using MyScripps. Please ask your provider's office if they use the MyScripps patient portal.

Under federal and California law, when minors reach age 12, they have a legal right to health information privacy. In compliance with these laws, we limit the information that a proxy can view in a teenager’s chart.

**Sensitive medications will be filtered from teen proxy view. At this time, proxy access for teens does not allow the viewing of test results, upcoming or past appointments or letters. 

You and your dependents are guaranteed appointments within a specific time frame.* For example:

Primary care

Wait times for primary care and OB-GYN include same-day or next-day appointments for urgent needs, five days for non-urgent needs and 10 days for preventive care.

Specialty care

Wait times for specialists are three days for urgent needs, 10 days for non-urgent issues and 15 days for Rady’s specialists. 

*While expedited appointment scheduling grants you timely access to appropriate care, we cannot guarantee you will always have access to your own doctor or a specific doctor within these time frames.