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A comment on Amazon, Berkshire, JPMorgan to Create Healthcare Company. Parent comment

Re:Amazon, Berkshire, JPMorgan to Create Healthcare Company by bigtones on Tuesday January 30, 2018 @11:37AM (#16266645)
I'm with Kaiser Permanente (switched from a PPO) and have been for two years and I absolutely agree with your comment - in SF they have brand new world class facilities in the dog patch neighborhood near me and I can book and see a doctor and orthopedic specialist and get an xray and scan in the same day and in the same building, and be about $30 out of pocket all in. That is awesome health care.
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Re:Amazon, Berkshire, JPMorgan to Create Healthcare Company by all_blue_chucks on Tuesday January 30, 2018 @11:55AM (#16266821)
Is it an HMO? Because those can bankrupt you if you go out of network...
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Re:Amazon, Berkshire, JPMorgan to Create Healthcare Company by dekhn on Tuesday January 30, 2018 @11:59AM (#16266855)
It's a Health Plan. People go out of network in Kaiser all the time- basically, once Kaiser's default system can't handle you (complex organ transplants, advanced rare cancers, etc), they send you to a place like UCSF, and have negotiated the cost structure.

There's no guarantee KP won't bankrupt you, but it seems better than most.

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Re:Amazon, Berkshire, JPMorgan to Create Healthcare Company by jartelt on Tuesday January 30, 2018 @12:40PM (#16267177)
If you voluntarily go out of network for non-emergency care, then yes, you pay a ton. If you have an emergency and go to an out of network ER, that is still covered (at least for plans purchased on CoveredCA) because of provisions in the Affordable Care Act. The billing may be a logistical challenge, but it should not bankrupt you!
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Re:Amazon, Berkshire, JPMorgan to Create Healthcare Company by cbhl on Tuesday January 30, 2018 @12:06PM (#16266906)
Kaiser has both HMO and PPO plans, although depending on your employer you might only have access to the HMO (e.g. if they went with another insurer for the PPO).
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Re:Amazon, Berkshire, JPMorgan to Create Healthcare Company by otterley on Tuesday January 30, 2018 @12:13PM (#16266961)
Thus proving the inherent value of the network!
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Re:Amazon, Berkshire, JPMorgan to Create Healthcare Company by seanwessmith on Tuesday January 30, 2018 @11:48AM (#16266766)
I'm new to the area and have Kaiser. Are you talking about UCSF Medical Center at Mission Bay?
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Re:Amazon, Berkshire, JPMorgan to Create Healthcare Company by bigtones on Tuesday January 30, 2018 @11:53AM (#16266812)
The Kaiser facility is very close to that UCSF facility next to the 101 on Owens street.
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