Kaiser Permanente healthcare in N Seattle - Pros/cons (Tacoma: health insurance, how much)

[Arcos]

It's that time of year again! I have to pick health insurance and I was wondering if people could advise me on standard healthcare (no major health concerns) at Kaiser Permanente.


1) General quality of care
2) Typical wait time to get an appointment with
a) Primary care
b) Specialists
3) Pharmacy - wait times, costs, quality of service
4) Urgent Care - wait times, costs, quality of service
5) Availability of coverage elsewhere in the country?

If anyone has direct knowledge of Kaiser Permanente in Northgate, that would be great!

Thank you.

[Ruth4Truth]

Kaiser Permanente is an HMO. Is that what you want, rather than conventional insurance? Just checking.

[Futuremauian]

I live in Maui, so my experience will not match yours. I just wanted to share that I had a Humana Advantage policy, and it was horrible. They managed to weasel out of many payments, and I spent dozens of hours on hold trying to reach them. It cost $44 per month extra.

Last year I switched to Kaiser. I love them and finally feel like I have good medical. It costs $168 per month extra. I am always able to see a doctor promptly, and when I needed an MRI that they couldn't do here, they flew me to Honolulu at their expense.

I used to believe that I would have to move back to the mainland for medical care when old age catches up to me. Now I feel confident that I will be able to spend the rest of my life here.

I highly recommend Kaiser!

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by Futuremauian

I live in Maui, so my experience will not match yours. I just wanted to share that I had a Humana Advantage policy, and it was horrible. They managed to weasel out of many payments, and I spent dozens of hours on hold trying to reach them. It cost $44 per month extra.

Last year I switched to Kaiser. I love them and finally feel like I have good medical. It costs $168 per month extra. I am always able to see a doctor promptly, and when I needed an MRI that they couldn't do here, they flew me to Honolulu at their expense.

I used to believe that I would have to move back to the mainland for medical care when old age catches up to me. Now I feel confident that I will be able to spend the rest of my life here.

I highly recommend Kaiser!

<----- me, speechless!


Kaiser flew you from FL to Hawaii, for an MRI? Was this some kind of highly-specialzed MRI, with extra bells and whistles, that your condition required??

I've heard, that the Advantage plans really nickle-and-dime patients, taking their job as bean counters very seriously. But I've also heard that Kaiser is somewhat similar; patients aren't allowed to self-refer to specialists, so the PCP's act as gatekeepers to the specialists, who cost more, so patients can't always get the specialized expertise they need.

This is an amazing story! I've also heard good things about Kaiser, though, from University of CA faculty. But later I was told, that that generation of faculty had very well-funded health benefits, Kaiser's top-of-the-line service or close to it, and that the subsequent generation of faculty hasn't gotten anything like that. So the level of care you get depends on how much you pay for your Kaiser insurance.

[Futuremauian]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

<----- me, speechless!


Kaiser flew you from FL to Hawaii, for an MRI? Was this some kind of highly-specialzed MRI, with extra bells and whistles, that your condition required??

I've heard, that the Advantage plans really nickle-and-dime patients, taking their job as bean counters very seriously. But I've also heard that Kaiser is somewhat similar; patients aren't allowed to self-refer to specialists, so the PCP's act as gatekeepers to the specialists, who cost more, so patients can't always get the specialized expertise they need.

This is an amazing story! I've also heard good things about Kaiser, though, from University of CA faculty. But later I was told, that that generation of faculty had very well-funded health benefits, Kaiser's top-of-the-line service or close to it, and that the subsequent generation of faculty hasn't gotten anything like that. So the level of care you get depends on how much you pay for your Kaiser insurance.

Not sure why you thought Florida? I flew from my home on Maui to Honolulu. (About 50 miles.)

Humana did indeed, nickel and dime me, although it was more like $50 bills to $100 bills. Four years ago, I had a Cologuard test ($600). Humana refused to pay for it because my doctor didn't get preapproval. Until that year, preapproval had not been required, and many people were caught in that trap. They also dropped coverage of my only prescription.

They constantly change their rules to avoid payouts. I was afraid that if something serious happened to me, they would "pencil-whip" me once again.

I recently had a biopsy with Kaiser here on Maui. It cost $944 and my copay was $30. I am satisfied with that.

[jabogitlu]

My ex-partner (and still best friend) has used Kaiser for around 3 years now and they really love their doctor (the Columbia City facility) and their entire experience with the organization. Sorry I can't speak to the Northgate facility, and myself I have never used an HMO, but wanted to share their experience.

[Hemlock140]

My wife had the Kaiser PPO through her employer, and has used Swedish/Providence for all of her medial needs. The doctors available, hospital facilities, wait times, and everything else have been great. Our in-laws in Gig Harbor use the Kaiser HMO, and they have a local office there, but for major issues have to go to Tacoma, with a bridge toll. They still find it to be much less overcrowded and slow compared to the Kaiser facilities they had in California.

[Arcos]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

Kaiser Permanente is an HMO. Is that what you want, rather than conventional insurance? Just checking.

Thanks to everyone for the feedback to date. The plan offered in this case is the Kaiser PPO, not the HMO.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by Arcos

Thanks to everyone for the feedback to date. The plan offered in this case is the Kaiser PPO, not the HMO.

Thanks. I didn't know they had that as an option. Good to know.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by Hemlock140

My wife had the Kaiser PPO through her employer, and has used Swedish/Providence for all of her medial needs. The doctors available, hospital facilities, wait times, and everything else have been great. Our in-laws in Gig Harbor use the Kaiser HMO, and they have a local office there, but for major issues have to go to Tacoma, with a bridge toll. They still find it to be much less overcrowded and slow compared to the Kaiser facilities they had in California.

Kaiser has been in CA since forever, since grandpa Kaiser, and CA is much more heavily populated than W WA. Kaiser is relatively new in WA, starting, as I recall, with their acquisition of Group Health in Seattle. But it's good to know people are happy with it.