How does Kaiser Permanente work?

[BarkingGhostar]

I am familiar with how Blue-Cross Blue Shield and United healthcare work, whereby you find an in-network physician, make an appointment and voila--Bob's your uncle. But I am confused about how KP works.

Somehow I've gotten this impression that if you need to see a doctor you make an appointment at one of their facilities and then go and get seen by doctor of the day/time. Yet this quasi-idea that is in my head got slanted yesterday when I found a Find a Doctor tool on their website.

I was surprised that a doctor or two near me, which is a lot closer than an KP facility, came up. But then again I was also weirded out when a doctor's name came up that I was told had died, and like several years ago. So, I have to pause at the accuracy of their Find a Doctor database.

Anyone use KP? This is for comparison for single-individual. Currently have UHC, but they way they have things in place as of a year ago it is like I do not have medical insurance until after 100% of the deductible has been paid--and they happily admit they've not paid a penny this year. Which is why I am considering KP for a year.

 

[BoomerD]

http://healthinsurance.about.com/od/healthinsurancebasics/fl/How-an-HMO-Works.htm

 

[OverVolt]

I welcome our health Kaiser overlords.

 

[John Connor]

How does Kaiser Permanente work?

He built liberty ships? :awe:

 

[KK]

I think I'm going with KP this year. Its 1000 cheaper than our "silver" plan and on top of that has a lower deductible. My wife's current doctor and kids current doctor are listed as taking kaiser, so I guess we are good there.

 

[11thHour]

/deleted

 

[BarkingGhostar]

I'm still just as confused as I ever was. BTW, posting a link of what am HMO is without knowing if KP is classified as an HMO doesn't really help much--but thank a bunch.

I'm still taken back by their physicians database listing a doctor that has been dead for years. Exactly how much help can a dead doctor offer?

 

[Artdeco]

Kaiser is an HMO, they're very aggressive in keeping you healthy using preventative health care.

The IT division is a bit wanting, thus the dead physician still being listed.

The physicians in general are pretty good, there are 3 components to Kaiser, the physician's group, the insurance arm and the hospital clinic group, of the 3 only the physician's group is operated as for profit, IMHO, that's a problem with the structure of the system, but it'll never change.

Getting a position with the Medical group (doctors) is very competitive and not a given, it's like a law firm, you work your ass off, then there's a partner vote after a certain amount of time, it gets a bit political.

I can say no more

In general, I think Kaiser is a good option for an educated health care consumer. And again, I can say no more