Re: HMOs versus Standard Insurance

[Guest guest]

UCSF & STANFORD merged last year....

" P. Pulasky " wrote:

> I've noticed some references in the last day or so to California medical

> care, with some of you mentioning Stanford (regular insurance, I assume)

> and some mentioning Kaiser HMO. We live in Southern California, but will

> be moving to Central California in a couple of months (to , which

> is close to Sacramento). Our biggest concern is medical care up there,

> and we can't decide between an HMO (which would probably be Kaiser) or a

> standard supplemental insurance (with our Medicare.) I had heard some

> not-so-good things about Kaiser, so it kind of scared us away, as

> excellent care is so vital to my husband, the cardiac patient. We had

> thought about cardiac care through UC Medical Center (hospital) in

> Sacramento, but our cardiologist said that the University of San

> Francisco Hospital would be better. Any opinions on any of this out

> there? Reassurances gladly welcomed!!!!! PatP

>

>

> Please visit the Zapper homepage at

> http://www.ZapLife.org

>

>

[Guest guest]

man i remember those Kaiser days... i used to be at Kaiser.. im accident prone..always hurtin myself... oh those were the days..now it just... i cant to this i cant do that.. so i cant really get hurt

[Guest guest]

Hi Pat;

I would recommend sticking with a PPO plan. NOT an HMO. I am very happy with

the coverage I have with my PPO. I do have all of my Doctors at UCSF -

Stanford. There is a Palo Alto location and a San Frncisco location. I would

if I were you try the UC system first and know that you can transfer to

UCSF - Stanford or SF.

I have heard such horror stories about HMO's that I would do almost anything to

keep my PPO insurance.

Good luck, I am sure you find some great Doc's in the Sacramento area.

~guin

HANK wrote:

> UCSF & STANFORD merged last year....

>

> " P. Pulasky " wrote:

>

> > I've noticed some references in the last day or so to California medical

> > care, with some of you mentioning Stanford (regular insurance, I assume)

> > and some mentioning Kaiser HMO. We live in Southern California, but will

> > be moving to Central California in a couple of months (to , which

> > is close to Sacramento). Our biggest concern is medical care up there,

> > and we can't decide between an HMO (which would probably be Kaiser) or a

> > standard supplemental insurance (with our Medicare.) I had heard some

> > not-so-good things about Kaiser, so it kind of scared us away, as

> > excellent care is so vital to my husband, the cardiac patient. We had

> > thought about cardiac care through UC Medical Center (hospital) in

> > Sacramento, but our cardiologist said that the University of San

> > Francisco Hospital would be better. Any opinions on any of this out

> > there? Reassurances gladly welcomed!!!!! PatP

> >

> >

> > Please visit the Zapper homepage at

> > http://www.ZapLife.org

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

Just my two cents worth. Purely a personal opinion.

I think that the HMO's are for the most part greatly inferior to the PPO's,

but I am sure that there are exceptions. My daughter in folsom has Kaiser

and has received excellent care, but with two things to be noted. One is

that there care is best when the patient really is loud and demanding and

willing to take on the " system. " The other is that the bookkeeping is not

always the best, and billing errors do occur.

Having said that, Kaiser IMO is the very best HMO if you live near one of

their hospitals, a situation that deteriorates the further away you live.

Kaiser has really tried to get a handle on the HMO issue and while the

industry seems to be struggling to provide the services at the right cost,

kaiser is the leader.

On the other side of the HMO's are the ones that do not have their own

hospitals. here in California Blue Cross, who had a great deal of

complaints about their services, appears to have made some very serious

changes in their structure, all for the better. One that is extrmely

noteworthy is that they are no longer rewarding doctors who save them money

but now reward those who have the highest patient satisfaction. Quite a

philosophical and economic change.

Finally, I beieve tha PPO's--if you can afford them--are the best solution

to serious medical care. HMO's work well when geography is not a factor and

the patient is a strong-willed and competent negotiator/demander. also be

wary of the IPO's that are subcontracted out by the big insurers. These

people are the pits. They have no commitment to patient care, and their

integrity is not at all visible when it comes too money.

Best.

Bill

Re: HMOs versus Standard Insurance

> Hi Pat;

>

> I would recommend sticking with a PPO plan. NOT an HMO. I am very happy

with

> the coverage I have with my PPO. I do have all of my Doctors at UCSF -

> Stanford. There is a Palo Alto location and a San Frncisco location. I

would

> if I were you try the UC system first and know that you can transfer

to

> UCSF - Stanford or SF.

>

> I have heard such horror stories about HMO's that I would do almost

anything to

> keep my PPO insurance.

>

> Good luck, I am sure you find some great Doc's in the Sacramento area.

> ~guin

>

> HANK wrote:

>

> > UCSF & STANFORD merged last year....

> >

> > " P. Pulasky " wrote:

> >

> > > I've noticed some references in the last day or so to California

medical

> > > care, with some of you mentioning Stanford (regular insurance, I

assume)

> > > and some mentioning Kaiser HMO. We live in Southern California, but

will

> > > be moving to Central California in a couple of months (to , which

> > > is close to Sacramento). Our biggest concern is medical care up there,

> > > and we can't decide between an HMO (which would probably be Kaiser) or

a

> > > standard supplemental insurance (with our Medicare.) I had heard some

> > > not-so-good things about Kaiser, so it kind of scared us away, as

> > > excellent care is so vital to my husband, the cardiac patient. We had

> > > thought about cardiac care through UC Medical Center (hospital)

in

> > > Sacramento, but our cardiologist said that the University of San

> > > Francisco Hospital would be better. Any opinions on any of this out

> > > there? Reassurances gladly welcomed!!!!! PatP

> > >

> > >

> > > Please visit the Zapper homepage at

> > > http://www.ZapLife.org

> > >

> > >