Kaiser Consumer Reviews - Page 5

WAIPIO, HAWAII -- Tons of situations are flying through my head that I desperately need to say so. OK soo I am pregnant with my 2nd child. This time around I am on Kaiser for my medical plan. The first thing they tell you to do is choose your doctor to provide you your prenatal care. OK done. I'm 7 months pregnant and have only seen him twice. The rest of my visits was with a nurse practitioner or another doctor that, who I believe, was just working that day and had some time to spare. I'm still not sure how things work.

I drive 30 minutes from home to for the following to occur: Wait in a waiting room full of people with whom knows what (10mins), pee in a cup (1min), wait in an exam room for a nurse practitioner to measure my stomach (5 sec), listen to heartbeat of my baby (5 seconds - the only exciting part), get none of my questions answered (2 seconds), told I might have gestational diabetes and yet when tests are done I'm no way near it (4 minutes), and waddle out - that's right about 15 minutes of awkwardness.

I can go on and on. It's too late for me to change plans now from work so I have no choice but to stick it out. But believe me I'm switching as soon as I have the opportunity too!!

COLORADO -- In November 2007 I had a major accident and had to go to the ER. I won't bore you with the details but it has been a battle royal fighting Kaiser in Denver for basic care. By comparison, I moved to Maui in Febuary 2010. I retained a private primary doctor. I did not have a lot of experience with any other doctor besides Kaiser at that time. Boy was there a huge difference in the quality of care. Very single Kaiser doctor I ever encountered was condescending and fairly incompetent. The only option Kaiser ever gave me was surgery. After hearing terrible stories and getting the absolute worst service from any industry let alone health, I declined.

This led to an onslaught of negativity from Kaiser. However my private doctor could not have been any better. Amazing difference. Some examples of the difference are insomnia. After not sleeping for an extended amount of time because of pain and other factors I asked (begged) my doctor to rx something to help me sleep. He fought me tooth and nail and then gave me something that reminded me of the old west elixirs. It works on sleep. It works on depression (the only depression I suffered was at the hands of Kaiser). It works on pain. It takes out stains. It slices. It dices (just kidding). This medication does not even start to take effect for up to several weeks!!

I had already told my Kaiser doc I had not slept since July and I thought it was becoming a danger to me and to others. Kaiser couldn't care less. Looks like a flight back to Maui. Kaiser sucks!

On August 16, 2011 I went to Kaiser due to an illness. I asked the person who was working in the office to fax my doctor's note to my place of employment, she told me I would have to sign a medical release, in which I did. I called my Program Director to make sure he was in the office to get my doctor's at the same time it was being faxed. I came back to work on the 26th in which my PD told me Kaiser faxed over some information I probably didn't approve. Kaiser had faxed over my whole medical records from to 2007 to 2011. Don't let this happen to you, do not sign a medical release.

SAN RAFAEL, CALIFORNIA -- In July 08 I received a mammogram at Kaiser San Rafael 3rd street location. I was covered under a different insurer in 2009 and requested that my films and results be transferred to Queen of the Valley Hospital. I was transferred to medical records and they told me (two different people during two different conversations, one being Carlos) that my folder was "empty" and that I had already requested that my films be transferred out to Queen of the Valley. When I requested proof of this, they sent me the release form to Queen of the Valley asking that their 2007 mammo results be transferred TO Kaiser. They were grossly confused.

I called back and was told my films had been lost and my folder was "empty". I then called patient relations and was told they would investigate and call me back. Never heard from them. Over a month later I call again. It took me 10 minutes and 8 layers of a phone menu to get a customer representative on the phone only to be transferred to someone who said they couldn't hear me and was not able to understand my phone number so someone could call me back. I still don't have films for comparison purposes and my entire experience with Kaiser has been appalling.

PASADENA, CALIFORNIA -- I am suffering from severe cough and cold since the past one week and I have been calling Kaiser for the appointment with the physician and they say the appointment is not available on the same day at my medical center and ask me to go for after hours care where the system is poor and I cannot have the chance to see my primary physician. If I want the service at my medical center I have to call the next day. I have been calling daily for the appointment at 7:00 (appointment center opens) but I have no appointment.

What is the use of having a medical insurance at such place where your health is not taken care and they don't treat you when you are sick and need a doctor?

RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA -- My brother was tested in the hematology clinic at Kaiser, Riverside, California for his monthly INR levels (coumadin dosage regulator). He had a very high level, 10 which should have been 3, was given vitamin K injection (anti coagulant antidote) and told to discontinue his coumadin.. Four days later he suffered a brain hemorrhage and 6 days later he died. He was not monitored in the next few days after this treatment and apparently received no instructions about restricting activity or food intake. (Various foods affect blood clotting mechanisms.)

Apparently he had taken in large amounts of cranberry extract and had done some treadmill exercise the day he had the hemorrhage. Cranberry should not be taken while on coumadin. Friends took him to emergency and 2 ct scans revealed the hemorrhage. I was finally contacted that evening and told of the hospitalization. A neurosurgeon contacted me at 1pm the following day saying he could do surgery but my brother would be "just a vegetable" or we could let nature take its course and he would most like develop pneumonia and die.

What has upset me is the lack of follow through after the initial hematology clinic visit. Why weren't there additional test done over the next few days? This is like having a time bomb in your body. He should have been monitored. I happen to be in a medical profession myself and I am appalled that there was no monitoring after the level was so high. He had taken coumadin for 8 years without problems.

ROSEVILLE -- Folks, Obama care is not the answer. We have to go back to Public-Option, just like Britain and Canada. Don't listen to the crap we are being fed by the Health industry. They will never give consumers a break. They have tasted our blood for years and they like it. Let's make the Public-option number 1 priority in coming elections.

SALEM, OREGON -- I went into Kaiser to get treatment for a severe allergy attack and was given no advice but a lot of medicine that made me even sicker. And it cost me! The moment I quit taking the meds and started doing things like steam baths, cutting out certain foods, etc. and so forth, the allergies started going away. They don't give a damn about you in my opinion.