Many people say that health is wealth, and that is the service Kaiser Permanente sets out to provide to the people of California in the United States. As a leading healthcare provider, the only insurance they accept is Medi-cal and Medicare insurance programs.
Before going further, let us have a good overview of Kaiser Permanente.
What Is Kaiser Permanente?
Kaiser Permanente is one of the largest nonprofit healthcare plans in the United States, and it was founded on July 21st, 1945. Its mission is to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve its members’ health and the communities they serve.
This organization operates 39 hospitals and more than 700 medical offices, with over 300,000 personnel, including more than 80,000 physicians and nurses. Therefore, it is safe to say that you can only access Kaiser’s services at its hospitals and medical offices.
Understandably, people always want to get the best when it concerns health. So, many people would desire to indulge in Kaiser’s services. But sadly, we see that not everyone can afford them. Therefore, we see that some people depend on insurance services to access healthcare.
It should not be surprising that people depend on insurance services to access quality health care. After all, that is the aim of health insurance. But, it would also come in handy to know the insurance that Kaiser Permanente accepts.
Understandably, there are numerous insurance services in the United States. So, one begins to wonder if they can use any of these insurance services at Kaiser’s facilities.
Can I Use Any Insurance At Kaiser Permanente?
Sadly, we see that there are restrictions, and there are specific insurance services you can use at Kaiser Permanente hospitals. So, you cannot expect to walk into any of their facilities with a random insurance plan and expect them to attend to you.
Yes, we know that you are curious about the insurance that Kaiser Permanente accepts, and we will talk about it in this article.
Kaiser Permanente only accepts two insurance services; Medicare and Medi-Cal insurance services. If you are a member of any of these insurance services, you can sure to receive treatments from any Kaiser’s hospital. But if you do not own a plan under any of these insurance services, you will have to pay your full bill if you want to use Kaiser Permanente.
It depends on individuals to choose what works best for them.
Medicare
Medicare is a national health insurance service in the United States and mostly carters to older adults from age 65. However, we see that this service also covers younger people who have disabilities.
Medicare comes with different insurance plans, and what you choose is what you get when you visit any medical facility like Kaiser Permanente.
Some of Medicare’s insurance plans are:
1. Part A: The part A plan covers hospital insurance as it caters to people who are formal inpatients in hospitals. With this plan, you are covered for 90 days when admitted at the hospital. Medicare covers the full bills for the first 60 days; then, you co-pay the bill for the remaining 30 days until it gets to 90 days. To enjoy this plan, the care must be medically necessary, and it has to be ascertained by a doctor. In addition, your stay in the hospital must be at least three days. It means that once you have stayed up to three days and three midnights, your plan can start counting. Also, you can enjoy a semi-private room with this plan.
2. Part B: It is safe to say that this plan covers outpatient services while Plan A covers inpatient services. Such services could be blood transfusions, x-rays, lab tests, etc. it also covers medical equipment like wheelchairs and other essentials. Depending on what you choose and your records, the insurance can cover everything or 80% of the bills.
3. Part C: This plan is a combination of part A and part B. The plan allows people to choose health plans with at least the same service coverage as Parts A and B. Therefore, you can say that this plan is customized and based on the patient’s preference.
4. Part D: It is a plan that covers self-administered drugs, and you are eligible for it if you have either part A or part B plan.
Medicare has been helpful to many United States citizens, and you can use it at any Kaiser Permanente hospital.
Medi-Cal
First, it is important to note that another name for this insurance plan is Medicaid. It is a California insurance program for low-income individuals, including families, seniors, persons with disabilities, children in foster care, pregnant women, and childless adults with incomes below 138% of the federal poverty level. One can enjoy both inpatient and outpatients services with this insurance plan. In addition, you can also get dental and eye services and more.
As already stated, you can become a part of this insurance program through your income or based on programs. In this case, programs mean household type or pregnancies.
According to Medicaid, you must report any household changes to your local county social services office within ten days.
Below Is A Table Highlighting The Difference Between Medicare And Medi-Cal Insurance Programs.
| Difference | Medicare | Medi-Cal |
| Location | This insurance program is for everyone in the United States. | It is limited to those within California alone. |
| Age | It mainly focuses on older people from age 65 years. | There is no age restriction on persons who can benefit from this insurance program, |
So, you can now see how they differ, but they are the insurance programs that Kaiser Permanente accepts.
FAQs
Some frequently asked questions about Kaiser Permanente and its insurance programs are:
We usually get this question from people who benefit from either of the acceptable Kaiser’s insurance programs, but they are currently not within the United States. In such cases, you will have to pay your bill. But, you can request reimbursement when you get back to the United States.
Do Kaiser Doctors Only Accept Kaiser Insurance?
Yes, Kaiser Doctors only accept Kaiser insurance from Medicare and Medi-Cal insurance programs.
Does Kaiser Accept United Healthcare PPO?
No, Kaiser does not accept United insurance, and vice-versa. To access Kaiser’s facilities, you must use its acceptable insurance programs, Medicare and Medi-Cal.
Conclusion
Kaiser has a reputation for providing top quality healthcare services, and its acceptable insurance programs are Medi-Cal and Medicare. So, you can register under any of them to accept Kaiser’s facilities if you are eligible.
Sources
Medi-Cal through Kaiser Permanente in California
Understanding Health Insurance | Kaiser Permanente