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Kaiser Permanente of Southern California Deceptive information when requesting quotes on services/testing. Anaheim, California
My family has Kaiser Permanente HSA Plan with individual deductibles of $2,700 and family of $5,450. We had to get this plan with a monthly premium of $679 per month, no perscription coverage and co-payments of approximately $75 and up because it was the least expensive.
When I call the Product Services Department to get an estimate on a service/procedure I will be having they give you an estimated co-pay. If these figures were ever even close to the actual bill that would be fine but they aren't.
I just got a summary for the last month where I was in great need of physical therapy for my back. It has really helped and I am very thankful. I got the estimated bill. When I called before I started going they told me it would be $40. Now I get a bill showing separate pricing for each thing that was done.
Manual therapy $45 Ice pack $11 Thereaputic exercises $40 Electric Stimulation from $20-$40. No one told me about all these separate charges. I would have iced myself in the waiting room after.
I had and Echo Ultra Sound of the heart where they estimated a charge to me of $375. They are now showing me the charge will be $1493. I have now put my family in terrible debt unknowingly. Yes, I needed the therapy but I would have only had it once a week instead of twice. I waited 16 days before I saw the doctor to begin with because I knew that Kaiser was going to bill me so much.
We can barely cover the monthly premium and pay full price for our perscriptions. I feel so bad that these bills are now going to be coming in. I did check out the cost before I proceeded with the testing my doctor so thought I needed. I have know idea how I could have better found out the price.
Could someone please tell me what I am missing? How do you work this system so you don't end up like this? And try to understand the Summary of Accumulation and then the bill. I have to call Product Services to have them try and explain it to me. Today they told me I would need to call the doctor back to see what exactly what she ordered! Really, I am supposed to figure this out when they can't.
Sincerely disappointed in my Kaiser health insurance.
1 Updates & Rebuttals
Sonny
riverside,California,
U.S.A.
KAISER IS A DEN OF THIEVES
#2Consumer Comment
Fri, August 20, 2010
TO THE PERSON IN YORBA LINDA......looks like you and me have had a similar experience with these shysters at Kaiser. Read my latest report filed in August 1010. From what i gather, high deductible insurance plan clients are being screwed by this company. They have outrageous charges for simple treatments..while others pay 10.00 for a lab test, i have been charged over 150.00, after collecting my co pay of 70.00 for a 10 minute consultation with a doctor, i get billed for another 70.00, generic prescriptions are charged at the rate of over 100 dollars, i got the same at costco for less than 27.00. I guess they can charge what they want, but they are not upfront with it. My wife had an endoscopsy, they wanted a copay of 300, then they turn around and bill me for an additional 180.00, a MRI cost me 700.00...WHY HAVE INSURANCE WITH THESE CROOKS WHEN YOU CAN GO TO A REGULAR FACILITY AND PAY THE SAME CHARGES???? If you have blue cross or blue shield, you pay NEGOTIATED RATES...which are substantially lower than the regular rates..but since Kaiser is a monopoly, they can charge what they want.....IN OTHER WORDS, WE GET NOTHING FOR OUR PREMIUMS......first thing i did was to transfer all my prescriptions to Costco....saved over 250.00 for a three month supply...i think we all need to get together and sue these bastards for deceptive advertising....their brochure never mentioned these high charges...as for me, I am looking around to get another company to insure me.