3 ms·

Kaiser is great. It really is a comprehensive system that rewards providers based on outcomes. When you have a medical emergency, you’re covered. It’s pretty

Kaiser is great. It really is a comprehensive system that rewards providers based on outcomes. When you have a medical emergency, you’re covered. It’s pretty simple. In PPO systems, you’re always fighting to understand when you are covered, at which hospital, by which doctor, using what machine. Sure there is choice, but how often do you actually have an informed opinion on what expert can best help you with whatever is happening to you in the moment? With an HMO you either go into any hospital in an emergency and it’s covered for emergency care, or you go to one of their hospitals if it’s not an emergency. Very simple. In my experience the level of care is great and everyone is actually trying to make sure you have the best outcome.

ak217 3y ago
I've had some pretty awful experiences at Kaiser (including major professionalism issues among staff at a major op) and their facilities in my area are old and overcrowded. Many of their specialists are overbooked and PCPs routinely refuse to provide referrals based on that fact. Their insurance billing is supposed to be a breath of fresh air, and it usually is, but they've managed to screw that up too (in my case, by duplicating a patient record and billing to the inactive one). They are not the worst, but Kaiser has a lot of work to do.
- alex_young 3y ago
  I’m sure there are issues and areas for improvement, but allow me to explain my experience. I’ve experienced positive results with their child birth system and have had a successful shoulder surgery. The care I and my family have had has been much better than my experience has been in the PPO system. Obviously experiences differ.
- hedora 3y ago
  Note that Kaiser has many (independent?) divisions. Kaiser Northern California was the highest rated HMO in the US the last time I checked, but that experience doesn’t necessarily extend to other regions.
mjhay 3y ago
> Kaiser is great. I'm gonna have to disagree with you there.
dave333 3y ago
I too like Kaiser HMO. I have had PPO plans for 20 years before Kaiser but I prefer Kaiser because their routine stuff is very quick and well organized in my opinion and paperwork was nil. Now I have medicare, they send me an online bill for $0 every month. I had a major lung surgery with a week in hospital under PPO and I had $20k out of pocket expenses and a 2 inch thick stack of paperwork to figure out. I had another one day general anaesthetic gall bladder surgery under Kaiser that was very good IMHO.

ak217 3y ago

I've had some pretty awful experiences at Kaiser (including major professionalism issues among staff at a major op) and their facilities in my area are old and overcrowded. Many of their specialists are overbooked and PCPs routinely refuse to provide referrals based on that fact. Their insurance billing is supposed to be a breath of fresh air, and it usually is, but they've managed to screw that up too (in my case, by duplicating a patient record and billing to the inactive one). They are not the worst, but Kaiser has a lot of work to do.

alex_young 3y ago
I’m sure there are issues and areas for improvement, but allow me to explain my experience. I’ve experienced positive results with their child birth system and have had a successful shoulder surgery. The care I and my family have had has been much better than my experience has been in the PPO system. Obviously experiences differ.
hedora 3y ago
Note that Kaiser has many (independent?) divisions. Kaiser Northern California was the highest rated HMO in the US the last time I checked, but that experience doesn’t necessarily extend to other regions.

mjhay 3y ago

> Kaiser is great. I'm gonna have to disagree with you there.

dave333 3y ago

I too like Kaiser HMO. I have had PPO plans for 20 years before Kaiser but I prefer Kaiser because their routine stuff is very quick and well organized in my opinion and paperwork was nil. Now I have medicare, they send me an online bill for $0 every month. I had a major lung surgery with a week in hospital under PPO and I had $20k out of pocket expenses and a 2 inch thick stack of paperwork to figure out. I had another one day general anaesthetic gall bladder surgery under Kaiser that was very good IMHO.