Does anyone use Kaiser in Southern California?

[LAJennifer]

Good experiences? Anyone use their fertility or maternity services?

 

[lili]

Yes, I used the ones in South Bay/Harbor City.
I had pretty good experiences with both the fertility and maternity ward.
The maternity hospital is really new as they just opened up about 2 years ago.

 

[sctsbride09]

Dh and I have Kaiser, we have had them for 3 years, a-ok so far! Although we do not have children, 1 of my good girlfriends does, (and had her through Kaiser), and she had a great experience. ETA- we are in the riverside county area for kaiser

 

[meresal]

Didn't Octomom (Nadya Suleman) deliver at/use Kaiser?

Seems to have worked "quite" well for her. But seriously, joking aside, she had 8 preemies that all survived to be very healthy.

Other than that I'm not sure that I have heard any other stories or feedback.

 

[LAJennifer]

Thanks, Lili and SCTSBride. I think I''m going to switch to Kaiser. I currently have Anthem Blue Cross and the costs are increasing this year. Also, I''ve been TTC since May and I''m 36 years old. Kaiser covers 50% of infertility treatments and IUI. Anthem covers nothing.

I''m glad to hear about the positive experiences at Kaiser.

 

[LAJennifer]

Date: 11/18/2009 3:52:22 PM
Author: meresal
Didn''t Octomom (Nadya Suleman) deliver at/use Kaiser?


Seems to have worked ''quite'' well for her. But seriously, joking aside, she had 8 preemies that all survived to be very healthy.


Other than that I''m not sure that I have heard any other stories or feedback.

Ha! That''s right - good ol'' Octomom. 8 healthy preemies is a pretty good statistic.

 

[lili]

Date: 11/18/2009 3:54:12 PM
Author: LAJennifer
Thanks, Lili and SCTSBride. I think I''m going to switch to Kaiser. I currently have Anthem Blue Cross and the costs are increasing this year. Also, I''ve been TTC since May and I''m 36 years old. Kaiser covers 50% of infertility treatments and IUI. Anthem covers nothing.

I''m glad to hear about the positive experiences at Kaiser.

I''m going in for fertility treatment again, so I have their cost estimates for the different tests and procedurs.
If you want those info, let me know.

 

[Mara]

i have kaiser in N.CA so it''s not quite the same location, but it should still be the same in terms of their overall practices, services etc.

i have had kaiser my whole life since birth. i went PPO at some point and didn''t like it. if you have been raised in the kaiser system, i think it''s hard to go to PPO or another HMO. so i came back.

i know that some people ding them for certain things, but i have to say i have been really impressed by their pre natal care so far...they are VERY proactive and i have had on-clockwork appts, they offer a bunch of classes free to members, and followed up in the first trimester to make sure my home evironment was positive...we did genetic counseling classes and had an advisor. just a few little things here and there that seem above and beyond what i have heard elsewhere. they have pre-natal yoga as well.

i also know a few friends who have had their kids already at kaiser and were really happy with the service and the staff and care. i think if you can find a good doctor you are steps ahead... but some of them are not very good at all. i switched OB''s in the middle of my pregnancy and love my new one.

 

[qtiekiki]

That''s pretty good that Kaiser covers 50% of fertility treatments. Good to know.

I don''t have Kaiser, but my parents and sister do and their main complain is that it''s hard to get an appointment. I don''t think it would be a big deal though for prenatal and infertility treatments since they are regularly occuring.

 

[qtiekiki]

Oops double posts.

 

[lili]

Date: 11/18/2009 5:44:48 PM
Author: qtiekiki
That's pretty good that Kaiser covers 50% of fertility treatments. Good to know.

I don't have Kaiser, but my parents and sister do and their main complain is that it's hard to get an appointment. I don't think it would be a big deal though for prenatal and infertility treatments since they are regularly occuring.

It is a pain when scheduling an appt.
You have to call a number and wait for them to call you back to schedule you in.
I have a desk job, so it's not a big deal...but my sister is a teacher and is not always able to answer her cell phone.

If your next appt is within 2 months of your current appt, they can schedule you right then w/o having you go through the phone tag.
So for prenatal and fertility, it is pretty much a non-issue.

One cool thing I found useful about Kaiser is their online service.
You can email your doctor w/ questions and get a response instead of scheduling an office visit
and see your lab results when they are complete.

 

[LtlFirecracker]

My BF used them for primary care and was very happy. The doc was very good and was very up to date on current medicine.

I have a friend in Nor Cal who used Kaiser for years and LOVED it.

The only thing that concerns me is that their formulary can be restrictive, and you have to use their services. If you need to go to an ER and are out of area, it is a pain to get that visit approved.

 

[Mara]

Ltl their formulary can be restrictive but I have also gotten my dr's to make exceptions to the formulary so I can still pay regular copay as well.

QT when I call for appts I typically just schedule with the nurse I am speaking to. That said it is kind of a 'routine process' you have to go through even if you just need to do something simple and sometimes the phone waits can be like 10 min. And if you want to see your Dr specifically yes you do have to wait for a call back. But normally if I am having a general issue I just want to be seen by anyone, I don't care if its my Dr.

And when I had an issue with what turned out to be a type of gastro intestinal distress I had to see 2-3 doctors before I could finally find one who understood what I was talking about and could accurately diagnose and treat me. That was a huge PITA, esp when one of the other ones tried to tell me it was IBS (which i had YEARS ago and know what it is like!) even though I kept telling them it wasn't that.

But anyway from a prenatal vein, again surprisingly impressed. I schedule all my appts when I go in for an appt, you can just schedule them there. And usually they let you do 2-3 at once kinda thing. And even though the appts are technically supposed to be 10-15 min my Dr never rushes me even if the appt is 30 min. Also when I have called since being preggo they tend to want to err on the side of extra caution as opposed to 'oh just wait and see' kind of thing which can be their attitude generally.

 

[LAJennifer]

Thanks for all the info, guys. Now I''m wondering - if I switch, it will be effective January 1st. I would want to see a doctor right away to start infertility work up. Would I be able to get an appointment right away or would I have to wait a few months since I will be a new patient? Should I select an OBGYN as my primary care doc? Any suggestions on how to choose one? I live in West Hollywood.

 

[Mara]

Jennifer with Kaiser you have an OB and a regular physician too...I see my OB for any woman related issues and the general medical for anything else. Do you have open enrollment right now? We do at work and I know that if I were to switch plans, it is basically effective immediately. So not sure what kind of program you''d be in. I would think you could get an appt as soon as you were enrolled..you wouldn''t have to wait. One thing I didn''t like with PPO was how structured it seemed and all these processes and talking to your doctor etc, when with Kaiser I could just call advice nurse and get an appt same day for most anything I wanted to come in for.

 

[miraclesrule]

Kaiser excels in all things "baby". They have one of the most outstanding neonatal care records.

I can''t speak to their cancer detection and treatment rates. Those used to be horrendous, but that was in the early 80''s. I don''t know how they rank at this time. I have always been afraid to enroll due to some horror stories, but I can''t say enough about their care of pregnant women, their L&D, and their pediatrics record. They rock in that department.

 

[LAJennifer]

Thanks Mara and Miracles. I love my doctor at UCLA, but you guys are helping me to feel better about making the switch. It just makes more sense given my present circumstances. I''ll let you all know how it goes.

 

[lili]

LAJennifer--
The way it works w/ Kaiser is that you need to attend a 2 hr class for infertility.
Call asap once your insurance is effective because there are one or two infertility classes a month and they fill up pretty fast.
The "class" will be conducted by a nurse and will go through some of the causes of infertility and what labwork/treatments will be done and covered by your insurance.
When you sign-in for the class, they'll automatically order the initial bloodwork for you testing your FSH, LH, TSH, and all the good stuff.
And you'll have to fill out some questionaires and cycle chart to bring w/ you when you meet w/ the specialist.
You can call and schedule an appt w/ the specialist once you get all your results for your bloodwork,
I don't think you can pick a OB for this since there is a designated infertility specialist for that hospital.
When you meet w/ your specialist, you'll go through yours and DH's medical history and your DH will be required to do a SA (he can do it under his insurance or pay out of pocket w/ Kaiser)

Good Luck.

ETA: It's only hard to get an appt if your OB's schedule is busy.
I didn't have a problem when I had my prenatal.
The fertility specialist, on the other hand, was a bit more packed since there is just one of him who's helping probably 20 couples (at least that was how many were in the class I went to).

 

[lili]

Forgot to answer your question.
Once you are a member (your policy takes into effect), you can utilize the Kaiser facilities.
Like Mara said, you have your primary care doctor and your OB/GYN for your female and prenatal care.
You do not need to have a primary care doctor selected to start your infertility treatment since like I said earlier, there is a specialist already assigned to each hospital.

 

[brightlight]

Date: 11/18/2009 3:23:01 PM
Author:LAJennifer
Good experiences? Anyone use their fertility or maternity services?

Hi LAJennifer,

I was wondering if you switched yet. I'm in the same position as you and in the same area. Kaiser offers affordable plans with 0% co-insurance and offers maternity benefits pre-deductible with a low copay (if applicable). Anthem requires you to pay 30% of the costs after you've met your deductible. I looked up the '09 quality of care report for CA, and Kaiser Southern CA ranks among the top in most areas EXCEPT maternity care. Kaiser in Northern CA actually ranks really high, but Kaiser in Southern CA isn't as good.

Can anyone tell me the average cost of a pre-natal office visit? I'm trying to figure out if the 30% co-insurance or the copay would be cheaper. Also, can anyone with Kaiser tell me if there a waiting period for maternity benefits to kick in? Thx.

 

[Mara]

BL it depends on your corporate coverage (if you have any through Kaiser) ... all of my pre natal office visits in N. CA are $0. My amnio was $0. but I think if I was on my husband''s Kaiser plan it would have been $10 or $20. My corporate coverage is extremely good. If you are talking about a general Kaiser plan you pay them for directly, sorry I am no help. You could also probably call their Membership Services to ask Q''s...one of my friends in N.CA is trying to figure out the same thing for herself and has just been working with them directly.

 

[brightlight]

Date: 12/17/2009 11:59:39 AM
Author: Mara
BL it depends on your corporate coverage (if you have any through Kaiser) ... all of my pre natal office visits in N. CA are $0. My amnio was $0. but I think if I was on my husband''s Kaiser plan it would have been $10 or $20. My corporate coverage is extremely good. If you are talking about a general Kaiser plan you pay them for directly, sorry I am no help. You could also probably call their Membership Services to ask Q''s...one of my friends in N.CA is trying to figure out the same thing for herself and has just been working with them directly.

Yes, I''m working with them directly. All your benefits kick in as soon as you''re approved and your plan is effective. I submitted my application and am waiting for approval. In the mean time, I''m researching OBGYNs.

 

[LAJennifer]

Date: 12/18/2009 7:46:16 PM
Author: brightlight

Date: 12/17/2009 11:59:39 AM

Author: Mara

BL it depends on your corporate coverage (if you have any through Kaiser) ... all of my pre natal office visits in N. CA are $0. My amnio was $0. but I think if I was on my husband''s Kaiser plan it would have been $10 or $20. My corporate coverage is extremely good. If you are talking about a general Kaiser plan you pay them for directly, sorry I am no help. You could also probably call their Membership Services to ask Q''s...one of my friends in N.CA is trying to figure out the same thing for herself and has just been working with them directly.

Yes, I''m working with them directly. All your benefits kick in as soon as you''re approved and your plan is effective. I submitted my application and am waiting for approval. In the mean time, I''m researching OBGYNs.

Hi Brightlight. My coverage will be effective January 1. I plan on calling that day to get the ball rolling for the infertility work up. Let me know how your research is coming regarding finding a doctor. Dr. Luciette Saad was recommended to me by another doctor. She is an OBGYN in the West LA location. However, I would prefer the location on Sunset Blvd.

 

[brightlight]

Date: 12/19/2009 4:13:49 AM
Author: LAJennifer

Date: 12/18/2009 7:46:16 PM
Author: brightlight

Date: 12/17/2009 11:59:39 AM

Author: Mara

BL it depends on your corporate coverage (if you have any through Kaiser) ... all of my pre natal office visits in N. CA are $0. My amnio was $0. but I think if I was on my husband''s Kaiser plan it would have been $10 or $20. My corporate coverage is extremely good. If you are talking about a general Kaiser plan you pay them for directly, sorry I am no help. You could also probably call their Membership Services to ask Q''s...one of my friends in N.CA is trying to figure out the same thing for herself and has just been working with them directly.

Yes, I''m working with them directly. All your benefits kick in as soon as you''re approved and your plan is effective. I submitted my application and am waiting for approval. In the mean time, I''m researching OBGYNs.

Hi Brightlight. My coverage will be effective January 1. I plan on calling that day to get the ball rolling for the infertility work up. Let me know how your research is coming regarding finding a doctor. Dr. Luciette Saad was recommended to me by another doctor. She is an OBGYN in the West LA location. However, I would prefer the location on Sunset Blvd.

Thx LAJennifer. How long did it take for you to get approved? I''ll let you know about my search!

 

[LAJennifer]

Date: 12/19/2009 7:59:19 PM
Author: brightlight

Date: 12/19/2009 4:13:49 AM

Author: LAJennifer

Date: 12/18/2009 7:46:16 PM

Author: brightlight

Date: 12/17/2009 11:59:39 AM


Author: Mara


BL it depends on your corporate coverage (if you have any through Kaiser) ... all of my pre natal office visits in N. CA are $0. My amnio was $0. but I think if I was on my husband''s Kaiser plan it would have been $10 or $20. My corporate coverage is extremely good. If you are talking about a general Kaiser plan you pay them for directly, sorry I am no help. You could also probably call their Membership Services to ask Q''s...one of my friends in N.CA is trying to figure out the same thing for herself and has just been working with them directly.

Yes, I''m working with them directly. All your benefits kick in as soon as you''re approved and your plan is effective. I submitted my application and am waiting for approval. In the mean time, I''m researching OBGYNs.

Hi Brightlight. My coverage will be effective January 1. I plan on calling that day to get the ball rolling for the infertility work up. Let me know how your research is coming regarding finding a doctor. Dr. Luciette Saad was recommended to me by another doctor. She is an OBGYN in the West LA location. However, I would prefer the location on Sunset Blvd.

Thx LAJennifer. How long did it take for you to get approved? I''ll let you know about my search!

Hi Brightlight - there was no approval process for me as my coverage is through my employer.

 

[LAJennifer]

I now have Kaiser - attempted to make an appointment online with an OBGYN - was referred to call the infertility clinic. I have called yesterday and today - left messages. Still no return call. Today is cycle day 20 and I would really hate to lose another cycle. What would you guys do - keep calling? Should I just show up at the hospital? However, I don''t know if the infertility clinic is located at the hospital - I can''t find it in any of the directories.