CoveredCA, decisions decisions...

[PasadenaTrudy]

I'm trying to make up my mind between a Kaiser plan and a Blue Shield plan. At least with Kaiser I'll be under an umbrella of care, meaning if I need hospitalization or specialist care, I'll go to their facilities and know I'm covered. Seems like with Blue Shield, I would have to make more inquiries to be certain the doc takes my specific plan. Does this make sense? I checked the lists of docs and hospitals on the other options, Health Net, Molina, L.A. Care, and no docs or hospitals close to me were covered... Kaiser is also the most expensive option as far as premiums go, too. Hmmmm..

[SHRED]

1. My opinion

Kaiser offers LESS choices. You are 100% their system.

A system quite frankly that I have not heard too many good things about at all.

For examples:
My friend who has Kaiser cannot get a prescription for Armor Thyroid. Synthroid only so that tells me no go on any "alternative" care.
I cannot see where they even have any hepatologists on staff at all.

[PasadenaTrudy]

3. Good points

you've made, thanks! I think they are called Hematologists, no? You would think they would have them My sister had Kaiser and she received excellent care with her pancreatic cancer. Sadly, she only lived a month after diagnoses. I think a lot of it depends on the doctor and the facility, which sucks.

[SHRED]

4. you're welcome...

...I think hematologists specialize in blood?

No I meant this:

Hepatology is the branch of medicine that incorporates the study of liver, gallbladder, biliary tree, and pancreas as well as management of their disorders. Etymologically the word Hepatology is formed of ancient Greek hepar or hepato- meaning 'liver' and suffix -logia meaning 'word' or 'speech'. Although traditionally considered a sub-specialty of gastroenterology, rapid expansion has led in some countries to doctors specializing solely on this area, who are called hepatologists.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hepatology

[PasadenaTrudy]

5. You are right!

Sorry for confusion, still on morning coffee here I've just done some research, and found some docs close by that have good reviews and will be under the Blue Shield plan. Also, the hospital closest to me is on it. So, I think I will end up going with the Blue. Plus, all the Kaiser specialists are out in Hollywood so it's a traffic nightmare getting to them.

[Cleita]

7. Make sure that they are accepting new patients under the plan.

When my husband signed up for a Medicare Advantage plan, the list of doctors they gave us were in fact not taking patients for that plan, none of them!

[PasadenaTrudy]

8. Okay, good thinking

I will call. On the Blue Shield site it said they were, but you never know!

[PoliticAverse]

2. Yes, comparing doctor and hospital networks is one of the things you really have to do...

when comparing ACA plans, especially since it has been revealed that to keep prices
low many plans have reduced their doctor and hospital reimbursement payments and
size of their networks. Also even if a doctor is listed in a plan's network that doesn't mean
they are necessarily accepting new patients at the current time.

[Cleita]

6. I had Kaiser for years and if you weren't close to one of their facilities

you had to pay anywhere else out of pocket. Also since this was LA for me there were long waits for routine appointments and it seems I never saw the same doctor twice. When we moved to Santa Clarita, that improved but then the clinic offered limited services and sometimes you ended up at the hospital in town again with the same problems.

[PasadenaTrudy]

9. Yeah, it's a hassle

My sister lived in Apple Valley and had to drive down to the San Bernadino hospital for her chemo. She had a ride, but still too far.