Kaiser Permanente for insurance?

[Anonymous]

Anyone use Kaiser? I like the idea of more holistic medical care with drs that talk to each other. Is it as coordinated in practice as it seems in theory?
Also, I don't know the details of out-of-network care. We have a kid who'll be a college freshman in the fall, somewhere on the East Coast but no idea where (though most likely in the DMV or NC). If you're out of Kaiser's area, it looks like you're covered for emergency care and Minute Clinics but I am not sure about that. What do people do if they have an unexpected problem outside of Kaiser's range?
Even if we only did it for this year when I change jobs soon, it seems worth trying because my spouse has several health problems and has never really benefitted from someone taking a comprehensive look at the medical situation. But I don't know if it's as good as it seems in coordinating care and I don't know the details of getting non-Kaiser care in other locations like when my kid goes to college.

[Anonymous]

I had Kaiser when I was younger and the only thing they coordinated was everything was in the same building. Other than that it’s like any other doctor office. They’re okay for routine things but if god forbid someone in your family got really sick, like cancer, it’ll be difficult and expensive to see out of network top notch specialists.

[Anonymous]

We have very happy with Kaiser for 3 three. Luckily we have been fair healthy. They are very efficient.

[Anonymous]

Go with Kaiser only if you are young and VERY healthy.

[Anonymous]

I've heard Kaiser is fantastic where I live (Falls Church) but not very good in other areas. It seems very regionally dependent.

[Anonymous]

Do NOT, I repeat DO NOT use Kaiser unless you never get a bite or infection or condition. Their labs, IT, website, app, and administration is awesome. However, they use the WORST, MOST INCOMPETENT, UNETHICAL DOCTORS around.

1)Got a single bite during my sleep indoors with two pin-size fangs marks on my arm, no itching. Moving triceps caused severe chest pain and headaches. Flesh eroding at site. Kaiser doc barely looked and said it was "oak-mite" and blew me off despite my asking about spider bites and rabies??????? Another doctor, my PCP, pushed hard on it after I told her not to and I had such severe chest pain I had to skip my labs and was down for two days.

2)Had some severe cold/flu with chills, sneezing, labored breathing/chest congestion, clogged sinuses, and EXTREME fatigue (couldn't stand-used wheelchair). Told me I tested negative for covid and and did nothing. Went to the lab and there were some routine tests on file and my blood sugar was up as it always is when I'm infected. Kaiser doc sight unseen browbeated it was OBESITY (I'm a size 0 and have childhood diabetes/insulin issues) and that I needed to stop eating pies and cakes (don't eat these-had a childhood aversion to sweets). NEVER been denied at BCBS.

3). Accidentally wore some dirty underwear and was unable to change out of them. Got a painful UTI. Kaiser did nothing and I took time off of work and did a copay and drove to Maryland to get the first urology appointment (a PCP should have given me antibiotics, but she ignored me). Urologist decides its a vacay shows up 12 minutes late, goes to the cafe, and uses the entire remainder defending this obesity blamer who wasn't even the referring doc????? After I said "moving on" three times, she took it as a free for all and wouldn't treat me because I'm diabetic. I have been diabetic my whole life and never had a UTI in those DECADES. I had bacteria in the urine sample, pelvic pain, and urethra residue, pink foamy urine, pee myself walking one foot, acne near pelvic region, burning private skin, and blood when I peed. IMMORAL urologist then gets PCP to delete obesity email so there is just a random reply of me saying I'm not obese and don't eat sweets and previous doctors prescribed insulin not fad dieting. THE GASLIGHTING, LYING, IMMORAL urologist writes said pain and then said there wasn't. (When she pushed the front of my vagina near my bladder I moaned in agony but when she pushed the back I didn't as my rectum/vagina was fine). Writes I "claimed" PCP wrote I was obese but she doesn't see it. PHENOMENALLY IMMORAL WOMAN WHO SHOULD LOSE HER LICENSE FOR MALPRACTICE!

4)Meanwhile I request antibiotics and pcp gives 15 minutes before she rejects me -- it would take her WEEKS to reply to my requests. I say I don't want to wait until the end-of-year rush to do my paps, mammos, etc. , but the pelvic pain and urgency to pee is debilitating me. Still nothing and more nagging about depression and other "check-offs". Have a bullseye ring around my arm so I got antibiotics for lyme which greatly improved my pelvic pain/UTI. So to get antibiotics for a clear infection I had to SUBJECT MYSELF TO LYME DISEASE!!????

The only saving grace is the member services, IT staff, phone traige, video monitoring, and records are amazing. Best administration I've ever seen and website scheduling is the bomb!

[Anonymous]

I’ve had Kaiser for several years, and I’ve been very happy with it for routine care, including optometry and gyn.
The part that gives me pause is the prospect of a hospitalization or unusual medical issue which, fortunately, I’ve been lucky to avoid. I’m not sure how they would handle it if the world’s leading specialist in X was at a hospital that’s not part of their network. I hope they would consult.

I also would like to learn more about the new Kaiser Well clinic, to see what they offer and if their services are available to any Kaiser patient.

[Anonymous]

We've been pretty happy with it for routine care, births, and childhood illnesses in the DC area. The coordination has made it easier, but it's less "holistic team all working together" and more "any dr you see has access to and has read your files and you don't have to worry about transferring results and records." Haven't experienced severe issues needing out of network specialists.

I would not go with Kaiser if you have a family member outside the coverage area, though. It just doesn't make sense. It's not set up for that.

[Anonymous]

I’m surprised by the earlier poster’s experience with Kaiser. My whole family loves the Kaiser system and all of our doctors! I find that many of them are moms who prefer the work-life balance they get at Kaiser (or at least used to get before the world was overtaken by a gigantic medical crisis). Three of us have even ended up at Kaiser urgent care in the past few months for various reasons and I have been super impressed by the care we’ve all gotten from those nurses and doctors too.

As for your question about traveling, here’s the official info:
https://healthy.kaiserpermanente.org/get-care/traveling/away-from-home
(We’ve luckily never had a problem away from home.) My memory of college is that my school had a health clinic anyway...

As for generally how the system works holistically, it’s more that every doctor you see can easily access your medical records. So when you go to a dermatologist, she knows that you’re pregnant or need a flu shot or whatever. I think that leads to better care generally. But I don’t believe all of your doctors would ever convene to discuss things. (Except maybe in extreme cases?)

For us, it’s also been extremely convenient! We live in walking distance of the Capitol Hill location, so having all of our doctors and an urgent care and a lab and a pharmacy together in one spot is amazing. Good luck with your decision!

[Anonymous]

When our DCs were out of town in college it got tricky with Kaiser. We were able to turn in bills for urgent care, one ER visit out of network. But decent medical care was hard to find in small college towns so we would not want to use a doctor or hospital there anyway. DC came home to Kaiser for more serious concerns.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do NOT, I repeat DO NOT use Kaiser unless you never get a bite or infection or condition. Their labs, IT, website, app, and administration is awesome. However, they use the WORST, MOST INCOMPETENT, UNETHICAL DOCTORS around.

1)Got a single bite during my sleep indoors with two pin-size fangs marks on my arm, no itching. Moving triceps caused severe chest pain and headaches. Flesh eroding at site. Kaiser doc barely looked and said it was "oak-mite" and blew me off despite my asking about spider bites and rabies??????? Another doctor, my PCP, pushed hard on it after I told her not to and I had such severe chest pain I had to skip my labs and was down for two days.

2)Had some severe cold/flu with chills, sneezing, labored breathing/chest congestion, clogged sinuses, and EXTREME fatigue (couldn't stand-used wheelchair). Told me I tested negative for covid and and did nothing. Went to the lab and there were some routine tests on file and my blood sugar was up as it always is when I'm infected. Kaiser doc sight unseen browbeated it was OBESITY (I'm a size 0 and have childhood diabetes/insulin issues) and that I needed to stop eating pies and cakes (don't eat these-had a childhood aversion to sweets). NEVER been denied at BCBS.

3). Accidentally wore some dirty underwear and was unable to change out of them. Got a painful UTI. Kaiser did nothing and I took time off of work and did a copay and drove to Maryland to get the first urology appointment (a PCP should have given me antibiotics, but she ignored me). Urologist decides its a vacay shows up 12 minutes late, goes to the cafe, and uses the entire remainder defending this obesity blamer who wasn't even the referring doc????? After I said "moving on" three times, she took it as a free for all and wouldn't treat me because I'm diabetic. I have been diabetic my whole life and never had a UTI in those DECADES. I had bacteria in the urine sample, pelvic pain, and urethra residue, pink foamy urine, pee myself walking one foot, acne near pelvic region, burning private skin, and blood when I peed. IMMORAL urologist then gets PCP to delete obesity email so there is just a random reply of me saying I'm not obese and don't eat sweets and previous doctors prescribed insulin not fad dieting. THE GASLIGHTING, LYING, IMMORAL urologist writes said pain and then said there wasn't. (When she pushed the front of my vagina near my bladder I moaned in agony but when she pushed the back I didn't as my rectum/vagina was fine). Writes I "claimed" PCP wrote I was obese but she doesn't see it. PHENOMENALLY IMMORAL WOMAN WHO SHOULD LOSE HER LICENSE FOR MALPRACTICE!

4)Meanwhile I request antibiotics and pcp gives 15 minutes before she rejects me -- it would take her WEEKS to reply to my requests. I say I don't want to wait until the end-of-year rush to do my paps, mammos, etc. , but the pelvic pain and urgency to pee is debilitating me. Still nothing and more nagging about depression and other "check-offs". Have a bullseye ring around my arm so I got antibiotics for lyme which greatly improved my pelvic pain/UTI. So to get antibiotics for a clear infection I had to SUBJECT MYSELF TO LYME DISEASE!!????

The only saving grace is the member services, IT staff, phone traige, video monitoring, and records are amazing. Best administration I've ever seen and website scheduling is the bomb!

I'm sure there was a whole others drama about the dirty underwear, I wish my brain didn't go there.

[Anonymous]

It’s fine as long as you remember to change your undies.

[Anonymous]

My family has Kaiser and it's fine. They have contracts with great specialists when they don't have them in house- I know people who have been sent to Hopkins and Childrens to see specialists. For specialists when you just need to see a specialists, it's nice that they can get you in within a couple of days rather than having to call around hoping to get in somewhere months later. We have outside vision and dental and don't use Kaiser for those services.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do NOT, I repeat DO NOT use Kaiser unless you never get a bite or infection or condition. Their labs, IT, website, app, and administration is awesome. However, they use the WORST, MOST INCOMPETENT, UNETHICAL DOCTORS around.

1)Got a single bite during my sleep indoors with two pin-size fangs marks on my arm, no itching. Moving triceps caused severe chest pain and headaches. Flesh eroding at site. Kaiser doc barely looked and said it was "oak-mite" and blew me off despite my asking about spider bites and rabies??????? Another doctor, my PCP, pushed hard on it after I told her not to and I had such severe chest pain I had to skip my labs and was down for two days.

2)Had some severe cold/flu with chills, sneezing, labored breathing/chest congestion, clogged sinuses, and EXTREME fatigue (couldn't stand-used wheelchair). Told me I tested negative for covid and and did nothing. Went to the lab and there were some routine tests on file and my blood sugar was up as it always is when I'm infected. Kaiser doc sight unseen browbeated it was OBESITY (I'm a size 0 and have childhood diabetes/insulin issues) and that I needed to stop eating pies and cakes (don't eat these-had a childhood aversion to sweets). NEVER been denied at BCBS.

3). Accidentally wore some dirty underwear and was unable to change out of them. Got a painful UTI. Kaiser did nothing and I took time off of work and did a copay and drove to Maryland to get the first urology appointment (a PCP should have given me antibiotics, but she ignored me). Urologist decides its a vacay shows up 12 minutes late, goes to the cafe, and uses the entire remainder defending this obesity blamer who wasn't even the referring doc????? After I said "moving on" three times, she took it as a free for all and wouldn't treat me because I'm diabetic. I have been diabetic my whole life and never had a UTI in those DECADES. I had bacteria in the urine sample, pelvic pain, and urethra residue, pink foamy urine, pee myself walking one foot, acne near pelvic region, burning private skin, and blood when I peed. IMMORAL urologist then gets PCP to delete obesity email so there is just a random reply of me saying I'm not obese and don't eat sweets and previous doctors prescribed insulin not fad dieting. THE GASLIGHTING, LYING, IMMORAL urologist writes said pain and then said there wasn't. (When she pushed the front of my vagina near my bladder I moaned in agony but when she pushed the back I didn't as my rectum/vagina was fine). Writes I "claimed" PCP wrote I was obese but she doesn't see it. PHENOMENALLY IMMORAL WOMAN WHO SHOULD LOSE HER LICENSE FOR MALPRACTICE!

4)Meanwhile I request antibiotics and pcp gives 15 minutes before she rejects me -- it would take her WEEKS to reply to my requests. I say I don't want to wait until the end-of-year rush to do my paps, mammos, etc. , but the pelvic pain and urgency to pee is debilitating me. Still nothing and more nagging about depression and other "check-offs". Have a bullseye ring around my arm so I got antibiotics for lyme which greatly improved my pelvic pain/UTI. So to get antibiotics for a clear infection I had to SUBJECT MYSELF TO LYME DISEASE!!????

The only saving grace is the member services, IT staff, phone traige, video monitoring, and records are amazing. Best administration I've ever seen and website scheduling is the bomb!

Our dirty underwear PSA for the day!

[Anonymous]

The lady above with the horrible experience lost me at "12 minutes late" from a doc.

In any case, we've had Kaiser for over a decade and I can't say better things. For those who espouse that you shouldn't ever get really sick, our family has the following issues:

Me: Endocrine tumor. My endo/PCP coordinate flawlessly, my orders for bloodwork and MRIs are always in before I even remember to schedule and I never have had any issues with care. I was seen by a neurosurgeon at VHC and Hopkins when we thought it would need to be removed and my docs were always in contact with them - no problem.

Husband: Standard middle age high blood pressure issues, his PCP has really taken the time to address other issues and is always on top of newest health stuff (ie- need a colonoscopy at 45 instead of 50)

Kid 1: Generally healthy. Broken foot, lots of daycare sickness as a kid.

Kid 2: Extremely rare genetic disorder that is thankfully generally benign. 10 day hospital stay for RSV as a baby. Ear tubes. Currently dealing with stomach issues and have seen a great pediatric GI.

Honestly, for us - the ability to see the doc, go get labs drawn, get a scan, and pick up meds at the pharmacy in one stop is a huge win. The messaging system is amazing - and while docs technically have 3 business days to respond, I usually have emails back by COB. Our copays are laughable (no copays for office visits for kids under 5, the rest are $10 - even specialties) From finding out I was pregnant until having the baby (c-section with brief NICU stay for one child) - I was out $250 TOTAL.

Just like anything else, you have to be proactive. If you don't like a doctor or think they are missing something, it's a simple as a call to member services to change your provider and try someone new. From endo to PCP to peds to obgyns - I've found competent, caring individuals. HMO care isn't for everyone, but I can't imagine going back to the days of finding individual PCPS, waiting for referrals, going to Quest for blood draws and swinging by CVS on the way home from a visit with a sick kid.