Health insurance, forget the the pre existings :p
Aug 25th 2008, 9:19 am
#16
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2007
Location: NW Chicago suburbs
Posts: 11,253
Re: Health insurance, forget the the pre existings :p
You have the prescriptions listed twice, but I think it's the same..
Hospital services worries me a lot - up to $1500 per admission??? Is that what YOU pay or what THEY pay? Because an admission would generally be more than that.
Finally, this is an HMO. I am personally not a fan, some people are. An HMO is more "in your business" than a PPO.
In a PPO, if you want to see a specialist, you can. In an HMO, you can only see one if your primary doctor refers you.
In a PPO, you can see any doctor you want. Doctors in the network are much cheaper for you. In an HMO, you can ONLY see a doctor in the network, unless you want to pay the entire cost.
Some doctors don't like to work in HMOs - I wonder if there might be fewer choices in doctors. Not sure, but I think there are fewer at times.
So I personally would not choose an HMO but rather a PPO. Of course, that would be more expensive.
Hospital services worries me a lot - up to $1500 per admission??? Is that what YOU pay or what THEY pay? Because an admission would generally be more than that.
Finally, this is an HMO. I am personally not a fan, some people are. An HMO is more "in your business" than a PPO.
In a PPO, if you want to see a specialist, you can. In an HMO, you can only see one if your primary doctor refers you.
In a PPO, you can see any doctor you want. Doctors in the network are much cheaper for you. In an HMO, you can ONLY see a doctor in the network, unless you want to pay the entire cost.
Some doctors don't like to work in HMOs - I wonder if there might be fewer choices in doctors. Not sure, but I think there are fewer at times.
So I personally would not choose an HMO but rather a PPO. Of course, that would be more expensive.
Aug 25th 2008, 9:57 am
#17
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jun 2008
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Posts: 10,678
Re: Health insurance, forget the the pre existings :p
Most HMOs provide health care throughout the US but in the case of Kaiser if you are traveling and have an emergency, you will have to use a non-Kaiser facility and may get partial reembursment from Kaiser.
Also Kaiser facilities may not be as convenient to use (depending on location) as other HMOs in California.
Aug 25th 2008, 10:41 am
#18
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2007
Location: NW Chicago suburbs
Posts: 11,253
Re: Health insurance, forget the the pre existings :p
Kaiser Permanente is an unusual HMO. All doctors work and are paid directly by Kaiser in Kaisers owned and operated clinics and hospitals throughout California which is completely different from other HMOs which contract with independent doctors and hospitals to provide services at needed by the patients.
Most HMOs provide health care throughout the US but in the case of Kaiser if you are traveling and have an emergency, you will have to use a non-Kaiser facility and may get partial reembursment from Kaiser.
Also Kaiser facilities may not be as convenient to use (depending on location) as other HMOs in California.
Most HMOs provide health care throughout the US but in the case of Kaiser if you are traveling and have an emergency, you will have to use a non-Kaiser facility and may get partial reembursment from Kaiser.
Also Kaiser facilities may not be as convenient to use (depending on location) as other HMOs in California.
Well I personally wouldn't touch that then. Although I suppose perhaps as a stop-gap measure... dunno.
Aug 26th 2008, 5:04 am
#19
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 41
Re: Health insurance, forget the the pre existings :p
No worries, they declined me informally anyway - see the thread about pre-existing conditions...
