Anyone have Kaiser Insurance

[pinetree]

Does any one have Kasier? How do you like the care you recieve, would you get something else if you could ?

We just got news that if we want to keep the Drs. we've had for 20+ years Our monthly payment goes up to $821.00 A MONTH. ( Kaiser Third option )

Or pay $520.00 a month for Kaiser only. The Kaiser hospital is over 35 miles away.

We keep hearing here, to stay away from them, that you don't recieve good care. We have been spoiled for years, the City has always been self insured, and we could use anyone we wanted. but I guess this saves them alot of money.

dh is on long term disability, has 7 years before he can retire, so we are only getting about 66% of his pay, plus have to pay taxes on that. He's been going to Dr. for depression/anxiety, for 2 years now. He will lose all of that now, plus the Dr. told him he won't get much care from Kaiser.

This is really scarey, we are getting to old to not have good medical coverage, but we don't have the money to put on insurance either. I still don't have the medical paid off from the heart problems they thought he had in 2004.
There's no way we can pickup a part time job to pay the difference, We are trying to make extra on my home business, but that, well you cant count on a paycheck every week, and it varies so much.

Man, nervous breakdown straight ahead.. We have to have the papers signed by Friday!!!

Thank God for frugal village, It really helped to get this out!!

[wanderinggrandma]

Pinetree we've had Kaiser for many years. (20+) It has made great strides in the past 3 or so years. I wasn't happy with it for a few reasons and so when our youngest was no longer on our insurance we went to ODS for 2 years. And the saying the grass is always greeener . . . . was true!! Then my DH employer really up'd the out of pocket premium we would have to pay for ODS and huge deductible, $25 co pays, etc. Also in 4 yrs when DH retires we will only have Kaiser thru union retirement. So long story short we went back on to Kaiser.

I will tell you what I see as the good points based on our plan, which is one of the best. $5 per office visit, Dr or Dentist. $10 for mental health visits. $5 per perscriptions, if its a maintenance type drug--blood pressure where you take it all the time, a 90 day refill cost $10. No charge for x-ray, labs. ER visit is $25 if you are not admitted. You can avoid this by using an Urgent Care Clinic.

Also they have Doc, Pharmacy,Labs, X-ray, Optical-exam and glasses, all under one roof.

You do not have to schedule apts months out as in the past for certain specialists. They will refer you out if they can not provide care you need. They have joined with other Hospitals and Clinics to provide some services, heart surgeons at one hospital, chemo at onee site, radiations at on site.

Customer Service takes your complaints seriously now. Not before. Not sure what else to tell you. If you have any questions I'll try to answer them.

I went back on Kaiser with an attitude, I'll admit it. But I was pleasantly surprised.

[pinetree]

Thanks for the info, wanderinggrandma, but have a few questions;

Office visits are $25.00

[pinetree]

Oops. will try this again.

office visits are $25.00
mental health $25.00 only 20 visits
No dental
Eye exam only
prescriptions are $10.00 generic $20.00 brand name
for up to 60 days
ER Visit $100.00
Wonder why the big diffenence?
The info you gave helps tho, at least we know they aren't as bad as we have heard! Thanks!

[wanderinggrandma]

It would depend on what the company/agency that you work for negotiates. My DH works for an agency that is huge thereby allowing the ability to negotiate great rates and how much coverage--eye exams and $150 everyother year for lense and frames versus eye exams only.

I think most insurances have a limitation on mental health visits.

I think you have to be pro-active with your heathcare. If you don't like the doctor you choose for your primary care--change it. Ask friends or co-workers who they are seeing and would they reccommend them to someone else. It may take a while to feel comfortable with the Kaiser system, but you can and do get good care. Don't get me wrong, they have the occassional klinker doctor, someone you just do not like, so don't see that person again.


One thing that Kaiser in our area has recently upgraded is the on-line services. You can order your refills, review your medical records and lab test results and e-mail your docs or pharmacy with questions. You can also request doc apts for non-urgent care apointments.

Now saying all of this, I also should tell you that my DH and I have no on going health issues other than DH's cholesterol. No kids at home, so we aren't going to the doctor all the time like when they are in school and germy.

This is long, but one last thing, there is a specific department that helps new members transfer their perscriptions and such. Very helpful and very knowledgeable folks.

[fernykins]

I live across the street from Kaiser Fontana. I use to have Kaiser. They have a great peds department. They were no good for me. I was in a terrible actident I was hospitalized for 5 day. After getting out of the hospital. They did little for me except say we are waiting for the symtoms to go away. Because of that I have every little use of my left arm and shoulder. They are good for some people. but not for all
Fern

[chatterweb]

We live 1 mile from Kaiser. However we sometimes have to go elsewhee, as ours is not as populated yet.
We pay 30.00 each out our our paychecks 2 times a month. 120.00 a month total.
We also pay 10.00 copay for routine care.
I did pay 50.00 for emergency visit for stitches early this year.
Our prescriptions are 5-10 copay depending on the generic or not.
I rarley go to the DR, and neither does DH. My last visit was in March 06, and
his was in Nov 05. We do not take any meds either.