Kaiser Permanente

[Hessian]

So,...where to begin.

My employer picked KP about 4 years ago. Since then, our co pays have gone up,...and our visits have been anything but efficient/intelligent.
*I was ripped off by the optical dept which charged way higher than Pearl Vision...the glasses didn't last 1 year.
*The attempt to get sports physicals for my daughter have been irritating & delayed (I went to patient first and paid 95.00-ugh!-because Kaiser wanted about 40 days notice.)
*Billing has been a nightmare. Services were attached to our care that we DID NOT request. and when we appealed, they "put a hold on the billing"...13 months later they decided to rebill us, and after more time on the phone...decide to hand it off to a collection agency.--for 52.00!!!!
They have a very inefficient billing management system and find every possible thing to add to a visit.
I have a primary care physician...for 4 years now and I am allowed an annual free wellness visit (preventive care)...I refuse to go because I am 100% convinced they will create tests that are thoroughly unnecessary just for extra billing. I don't even know the Docs name (nor do I care).
*Their locations are stuck to urban/ghetto/beltway blight and they call them convenient. They have no idea where So Md is.

I picture obamacare actually making this worse.

So,...the moral of the story is...if your employer is considering what kind of "deal" KP has to offer: Tell them is is NOT an option because the entire system reeks of greedy overbilling & poor management. It is outright fraud.

 

[ginwoman]

My sister had KP a few years and had the same complaints. She was SO GLAD to get away from them.

 

[RoseRed]

My storey...

I had KP many, many years ago when I still lived in CA. It is what my employer offered.

I was sitting at the top of a cloverleaf looking completely over my left shoulder, waiting to merge into traffic. BAM! Rear-ended so hard she knocked my about 10-12 feet up the ramp.

Neck immediately froze up on me. After the initial accident whattodo, I went to the hospital for treatment. They took x-rays and sent me on my way, without even a neck brace. Said I had a minor case of whiplash.

Fastforward about a week or so and I still couldn't hardly turn my head, lift my arms above my shoulders, hold my head up in the shower when washing my hair, or sit up get out of bed without turning onto my stomach to push myself up and out. Not to mention the excruciating headaches.

A visit to a chiropractor and new x-rays revealed that one of the disks in my neck was pushing against my spinal cord. I was about *thisclose* from having my neck broken and left me paralyzed. Or dead. She told me my neck and spine had twisted like a piece of licorice.

I would never, ever recommend them.

 

[ginwoman]

I had KP many, many years ago when I still lived in CA. It is what my employer offered.

I was sitting at the top of a cloverleaf looking completely over my left shoulder, waiting to merge into traffic. BAM! Rear-ended so hard she knocked my about 10-12 feet up the ramp.

Neck immediately froze up on me. After the initial accident whattodo, I went to the hospital for treatment. They took x-rays and sent me on my way, without even a neck brace. Said I had a minor case of whiplash.

Fastforward about a week or so and I still couldn't hardly turn my head, lift my arms above my shoulders, hold my head up in the shower when washing my hair, or sit up get out of bed without turning onto my stomach to push myself up and out. Not to mention the excruciating headaches.

A visit to a chiropractor and new x-rays revealed that one of the disks in my neck was pushing against my spinal cord. I was about *thisclose* from having my neck broken and left me paralyzed. Or dead. She told me my neck and spine had twisted like a piece of licorice.

I would never, ever recommend them.

OMG it must not have been your time

 

[Bann]

I had KP many, many years ago when I still lived in CA. It is what my employer offered.

I was sitting at the top of a cloverleaf looking completely over my left shoulder, waiting to merge into traffic. BAM! Rear-ended so hard she knocked my about 10-12 feet up the ramp.

Neck immediately froze up on me. After the initial accident whattodo, I went to the hospital for treatment. They took x-rays and sent me on my way, without even a neck brace. Said I had a minor case of whiplash.

Fastforward about a week or so and I still couldn't hardly turn my head, lift my arms above my shoulders, hold my head up in the shower when washing my hair, or sit up get out of bed without turning onto my stomach to push myself up and out. Not to mention the excruciating headaches.

A visit to a chiropractor and new x-rays revealed that one of the disks in my neck was pushing against my spinal cord. I was about *thisclose* from having my neck broken and left me paralyzed. Or dead. She told me my neck and spine had twisted like a piece of licorice.

I would never, ever recommend them.

Wow.

 

[RoseRed]

OMG it must not have been your time

Neither wanted me.

I did have to undergo chiropractic and massage therapy 4 times a week for an entire year before I would settle with her insurance company. They willingly gave me $1000 for the damage to my car (there wasn't much because a '67 Camaro is a tank) and I never fixed it. But they were pissed when I turned down their "generous" offer of $100 for my medical expenses. Needless to say, I hired a good attorney that got more than that.

 

[somdfunguy]

I had KP many, many years ago when I still lived in CA. It is what my employer offered.

I was sitting at the top of a cloverleaf looking completely over my left shoulder, waiting to merge into traffic. BAM! Rear-ended so hard she knocked my about 10-12 feet up the ramp.

Neck immediately froze up on me. After the initial accident whattodo, I went to the hospital for treatment. They took x-rays and sent me on my way, without even a neck brace. Said I had a minor case of whiplash.

Fastforward about a week or so and I still couldn't hardly turn my head, lift my arms above my shoulders, hold my head up in the shower when washing my hair, or sit up get out of bed without turning onto my stomach to push myself up and out. Not to mention the excruciating headaches.

A visit to a chiropractor and new x-rays revealed that one of the disks in my neck was pushing against my spinal cord. I was about *thisclose* from having my neck broken and left me paralyzed. Or dead. She told me my neck and spine had twisted like a piece of licorice.

I would never, ever recommend them.

What's the connection to KP? Did they run the hospital?

 

[RoseRed]

What's the connection to KP? Did they run the hospital?

Yes. Kaiser Permanente in Menlo Park, CA.

 

[Roman]

We Paramedics call them, "Kills them permantely".

 

[abcxyz]

I picture obamacare actually making this worse.

Winner and expect more practices to turn to their profitable business model. I think even good plans will have a lower tier offering just to "fit the bill". BCBS-OC (Blue Cross-Blue Shield- ObamaCare) plan

 

[acommondisaster]

KP did a wonderful job when I had what I thought was a panic attack. The next day, I found myself recovering from a double bypass. It cost me $10 a day for a private room in the cardiac unit. I had $10 copays for the original doctor, the cardiologist, the admission to the hospital for the angiogram and $10 for the surgeon. That's all I paid for a $100k procedure.

KP was my first experience after leaving military and I felt like I was being treated like royalty, after the joke called military healthcare. I've left KP (too far to drive) and now have a private doctor on another plan, but I have NO complaints about KP.

 

[hotcoffee]

So,...where to begin.

My employer picked KP about 4 years ago. Since then, our co pays have gone up,...and our visits have been anything but efficient/intelligent.
*I was ripped off by the optical dept which charged way higher than Pearl Vision...the glasses didn't last 1 year.
*The attempt to get sports physicals for my daughter have been irritating & delayed (I went to patient first and paid 95.00-ugh!-because Kaiser wanted about 40 days notice.)
*Billing has been a nightmare. Services were attached to our care that we DID NOT request. and when we appealed, they "put a hold on the billing"...13 months later they decided to rebill us, and after more time on the phone...decide to hand it off to a collection agency.--for 52.00!!!!
They have a very inefficient billing management system and find every possible thing to add to a visit.
I have a primary care physician...for 4 years now and I am allowed an annual free wellness visit (preventive care)...I refuse to go because I am 100% convinced they will create tests that are thoroughly unnecessary just for extra billing. I don't even know the Docs name (nor do I care).
*Their locations are stuck to urban/ghetto/beltway blight and they call them convenient. They have no idea where So Md is.

I picture obamacare actually making this worse.

So,...the moral of the story is...if your employer is considering what kind of "deal" KP has to offer: Tell them is is NOT an option because the entire system reeks of greedy overbilling & poor management. It is outright fraud.

I really wish Kaiser was down in Southern Maryland. They were inexpensive, the doctors were top notch, they didn't run up my bill with a lot of co=pays and deductibles. When my gall bladder had to come out they treated me like I mattered.

They'd really have to have gone down hill a lot to have changed that much. Maybe you just got them on a bad day.... or maybe you were sick and being a cry baby.... I loved the way KP treated me...

 

[mamatutu]

It doesn't really matter what insurance company you currently have because apparently when Obamacare truly has taken over at the end of years; the average family will be paying $20,000/year for health insurance. Does that make sense? No, but what does, anymore.

 

[Hessian]

Should I take a guess,...this happened 5+ years ago?
Co-Pays are now $30+ and then they nickel & dime you like you booked on a lousy cruise ship. Don't plan on visit costing less than 200.00.

I have no idea what it is like if you have met your minimum deductable (ie Catastrophic care)....nor do I wish to find out.

 

[MarieB]

I have no experience with KP, but I can tell you that things are changing. You don't dare ask the doc about a concern you have during a well visit, because now they are starting to bill separately for that too. It has happened to a few of my friends, and I read a few articles about it too.

 

[Lilypad]

I've been w/KP for 16 yrs.; my co-pay is 10$. I'm happy w/my primary provider-I have had 3 in 16 yrs. No complaints here. .