Just curious if you can change you heathcare and get out of Kaiser insurance.  Why can you not change it?

I had Kaiser a long time ago, and I got rid of it pretty quick.  Too much constraints and no options.  It did save a lot of money though, but freedom of choices trumped money savings for me.

Just curious if you can change you heathcare and get out of Kaiser insurance.  Why can you not change it?

I had Kaiser a long time ago, and I got rid of it pretty quick.  Too much constraints and no options.  It did save a lot of money though, but freedom of choices trumped money savings for me.

B,

I get Kaiser through my work and it is the only option offered. I have been personally very happy with the care I have gotten. Even though the cost has actually been a little higher out of my pocket. So, for me I cannot afford to pay for private insurance and must get it through work. I think I know where you are going with this. If we all move away from Kaiser it might make them rethink their position/actions.

I am outraged by what is going on here. And I called the lawyer and we discussed my joining the lawsuit. In order to join the lawsuit, I have to buy another gun in order to get turned down. Until that occurs it makes no sense for me to join the lawsuit. Being that it is the holidays and money is tight right now I cannot afford to buy the next gun I want at this time. It will be a few months before my finances recover. I refuse to go through the workaround of going to and paying for another doctor for clearance. It doesn't make sense and it doesn't solve the problem. I think that everyone who is going through and paying for the workaround is doing everyone and themselves a disservice. I believe that we (Kaiser and Straub members) need to make the sacrifice of not being able to buy any more guns (temporarily) in order to show our rights have been violated and join the lawsuit. I believe it is the least I can do and I believe it is the least anyone who is affected should do. But that is just my opinion. I cannot tell anyone else what they should or shouldn't do. All I can do is what I think is right. And going through the workaround is not right. And not joining the lawsuit is not right. JMHO 

Many employers only offer insurance from one source.

Kaiser is an attractive option for them due to its being generally cheaper, especially for small companies with only a few employees that are unable to bargain for lower group rates.

If they want to change providers, assuming their employer offers a choice,  they will probably have to wait for the "open enrollment" period. This is usually once a year and they will probably be locked in to their current provider until that time.

There is no legal requirement that employers offer a choice in medical insurance, only that they provide it to employees that work 19.5 hours a week or more, for 4 consecutive weeks. The last qualification is how many businesses beat the requirement, especially food service establishments. You can work people for more hours per week, then cut their schedule, and as long as they don't average more than 19 hours a week, you don't have to offer insurance. Shitty, but true.

IMO this issue is between HPD and Kaiser/Straub. Those that have their insurance through them are being illegally burdened with providing "proof" they don't suffer from mental illness, when that burden is supposed to be carried by the state.

For those of you that feel that "this doesn't apply to me, I have different provider", think again. HPD could just as easily require this from ALL of us, with a change in "policy" if we let this slide. In fact, I think this may be the ultimate goal.

We all have a dog in this hunt.

Just curious if you can change you heathcare and get out of Kaiser insurance.  Why can you not change it?

I had Kaiser a long time ago, and I got rid of it pretty quick.  Too much constraints and no options.  It did save a lot of money though, but freedom of choices trumped money savings for me.

If you get your health care through your employer, you can only make changes - ie. Get out of Kaiser - during open enrollment or when you have what they call a qualifying event.  A qualifying event happens when, you get married, get divorced and as a result lose your coverage, you adopt/have kid and add them onto your plan, or your spouse who was covering you on their medical dies. 

Had HMSA while working.  Once I retired, wife started shopping around.  HMSA was $$$ to pay on our own.  Kaiser far cheaper.

It is not perfect, but for retirees, the only real affordable coverage, AFAIK.

Edut:  On the BI and no try for any permits lately, so hope this county is not as farqued up as Honolulu. 

The cynic in me says Honolulu PD knew it would cause a bottleneck to acquiring and said, "Why not try it?  That'll show them who is in charge.

Kaiser may be doing a foolish thing just now, but they've taken excellent care of both my boo and myself.  It's no exaggeration to say I owe them my life twice over.  I'm willing to wait until this particular storm blows over.

Let's making something clear here that might not be so right now.

The issue is not with the insurance carrier it's the affiliation of the Doctor to Kaiser/Straub.


For instance I have HMSA, but my PCP is affiliated with Straub therefore I have an issue..............with the Doctor not the insurance company.

im switching. not just because of all this extra b.s. they are making us go through, but also because they just raised my rate $80 again starting next month. it went up from $180 to 310 since obamacare.

also after the strike their service is worse than usual and they also closed down the urgent care service, which i used more than my pcp and the actual emergency room. it was a quick reasonably priced visit. er takes twice as long and cost double or triple the price.

ive had them for 20 years for one reason or another and would like to try something else to at least compare for myself.

Let's making something clear here that might not be so right now.

The issue is not with the insurance carrier it's the affiliation of the Doctor to Kaiser/Straub.


For instance I have HMSA, but my PCP is affiliated with Straub therefore I have an issue..............with the Doctor not the insurance company.

isnt every single patient from kaiser automatically denied though? its not like kaiser members can go anywhere but kaiser. at least with hmsa you could just change your physician cant you?

Let's making something clear here that might not be so right now.

The issue is not with the insurance carrier it's the affiliation of the Doctor to Kaiser/Straub.


For instance I have HMSA, but my PCP is affiliated with Straub therefore I have an issue..............with the Doctor not the insurance company.

HMSA is a different beast.  You pick an in-network doctor, they pay the bill.  That is NOT how Kaiser and Straub work.  For them, you go to one of their facilities and see one of their doctors.  You can choose a different doctor, but it is a doctor who works for them inside of their building.  The doctors are not the ones making the decision, they're not even the ones seeing the HPD letters.  It's one centralized administration, so changing your doctor would not make any difference.

I'm glad I have HMSA coverage.  Used to dislike medical insurance.  Now I love HMSA considering the alternatives.

Imagine what this would be like if we only had OBAMASCARE!!!!!

HMSA is a different beast.  You pick an in-network doctor, they pay the bill.  That is NOT how Kaiser and Straub work.  For them, you go to one of their facilities and see one of their doctors.  You can choose a different doctor, but it is a doctor who works for them inside of their building.  The doctors are not the ones making the decision, they're not even the ones seeing the HPD letters.  It's one centralized administration, so changing your doctor would not make any difference.

This is why I left Kaiser very quickly.   

isnt every single patient from kaiser automatically denied though? its not like kaiser members can go anywhere but kaiser. at least with hmsa you could just change your physician cant you?

This is why I chose HMSA 

I'm glad I have HMSA coverage.  Used to dislike medical insurance.  Now I love HMSA considering the alternatives.

Imagine what this would be like if we only had OBAMASCARE!!!!!

OBAMACARE....  I guess I'd just pay the fine and move to faith healing.

Is Obamacare an option if you turn down Kaiser as a insurance supplier?

Is Obamacare an option if you turn down Kaiser as a insurance supplier?

It's not an "option".  Either you have your own/employer's insurance plan, you sign up for ACA, or you pay a fine. 

It's a mandate.  I see nothing optional about it.

It's not an "option".  Either you have your own/employer's insurance plan, you sign up for ACA, or you pay a fine. 

It's a mandate.  I see nothing optional about it.

I meant that if someone's employer only offers Kaiser maybe they can turn down Kaiser and get insurance from someone else through Obamacare.

As much as I hate to support Obamacare it might be a way of getting around this gun license dilemma.

I meant that if someone's employer only offers Kaiser maybe they can turn down Kaiser and get insurance from someone else through Obamacare.

As much as I hate to support Obamacare it might be a way of getting around this gun license dilemma.

How long have you been in the workforce?  That's a no-brainer.

You are not required to take your employer's plan for healthcare.  Military spouses and retirees do this all the time.  They negotiate an increase in salary in exchange for lower benefits since they have retirement benefits or are dependents on their spouse's medical, dental, vision and drug coverage.

How long have you been in the workforce?  That's a no-brainer.

You are not required to take your employer's plan for healthcare.  Military spouses and retirees do this all the time.  They negotiate an increase in salary in exchange for lower benefits since they have retirement benefits or are dependents on their spouse's medical, dental, vision and drug coverage.

I thought that obamacare was only open to those who were not offered an insurance plan option through their employers. I have lost track of obamacare as it was implemented in steps and things have changed since it was first implemented.

How long have you been in the workforce?  That's a no-brainer.

You are not required to take your employer's plan for healthcare.  Military spouses and retirees do this all the time.  They negotiate an increase in salary in exchange for lower benefits since they have retirement benefits or are dependents on their spouse's medical, dental, vision and drug coverage.

I am not sure about my present employer, nor my previous employers here in Hawaii, but my previous employers on the mainland covered you with a minimal medical insurance policy if you turned down any of their choices including Kaiser. They did this because medical insurance helps protect the employee and their covering you with a minimal policy even if you declined any other insurance was a condition of employment.

Wrong thread

How long have you been in the workforce?  That's a no-brainer.

You are not required to take your employer's plan for healthcare.  Military spouses and retirees do this all the time.  They negotiate an increase in salary in exchange for lower benefits since they have retirement benefits or are dependents on their spouse's medical, dental, vision and drug coverage.

If you opt out of your employer provided plans you have to fill out an HC-5 form and demonstrate that you do have medical coverage in the state of HI - either via a spouse, domestic partner, civil union, are exempt for religious reasons (Christian Science).  HI State DoL has jurisdiction in these cases, and there is a fine for non-compliance:  http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/Vol07_Ch0346-0398/HRS0393/HRS_0393-0033.htm