Kaiser Permanente
Reviews and Complaints

I hate Kaiser doctors. Literally the most ignorant, incompetent and stupid medical doctors I have ever seen in my entire life. I came from a developing country and ridiculously medical system over there is wayyyyy better and doctors way more knowledgeable than Kaiser. I can't say how much I regret my decision. I never had issues parking etc. just doctors are stupid af.

I too have terrible experience with Kaiser, just to mentioned one botched surgery... This surgeon from Kaiser Harbor City was supposed to do thyroidectomy ( he did not agree to do partial one, because I would later return for more, as he said ) and he was supposed to look for parathyroid adenoma. Turned out some unknown to me resident butchered my neck, resected normal parathyroid, cut off the blood supply to other two and left behind parathyroid adenoma. Surgeon in charge told me I am cured, they got bad parathyroid! He never, ever disclosed to me the true outcome of that surgery. He refused to meet with me to explain what happened during that surgery. I had 3 more surgery on my neck to finally locate parathyroid adenoma by the surgeon at UCSF. Then endocrinologist was mismanaging my condition by grossly overdosing me on calcium, I ended up developing kidney stones because of that.
Right now I am going through another Kaiser nightmare, this time it is life threatening as a result of this doctor failing to diagnose condition . I cannot disclose the details right now.
Filing complain to Customer Service only aggravates the patient, Kaiser is extremely protective of its incompetent, arrogant doctors. After all Kaiser is owned by doctors. Try to complain to Medical Board of California, useless, maybe when you dead your family can seek justice.

Boy do I have some stories about Kaiser. Let me just say, if I got hit on Morse Ave in Sacramento in front of Kaiser, I have a note in my wallet, "Please do not take me to that hospital." They are a bunch of quacks. In 2005, I had internal bleeding which I though it was due to taking the iron pills. Yes, I drank, a couple of 40s a day in most of my adult life, but gee, who would have thought all of this would happen. They did an endo-oscopy, did some band thing, told me I'm anemic, transfused me over and over again, gave me some medication and sent me home after 7 days. No follow up appoint except with my primary care physician. Went to that appointment and he asked how I was doing. He went over my lab work and told me to take care. 2009, went for a check up, was told that I was anemic again which I have been since age 9 due to Sickle Cell trait. Transfused me again, I was having pain and in the ER they asked me how long have I had liver disease and hep c. I was in shock. I have what and what? No one told me that, not even my primary care physician. My stomach was full of fluid because the week before they told me I had GERD or possibly ISB and gave me some stool softners and a pain prescription, Oxycodone. It was after taking the oxycodone that my abdomin started to swell. They drained it, I went though a colonoscopy and another endo-oscopy in the hospital another 7 days. They gave me a prescription. Then they told me I needed a liver transplant and that I needed to go to their therapy class before they would put me on the liver transplant list. They told me to quit my job and they also told me that I would be dead in18 months. So, if anyone is ever thinking about going to Kaiser because they have such a great health plan, forget it. It is futher than the truth. Now, another story. My husband has hypertension and has had it for over 29 yrs and with the guidance of Kaiser, it has not stabilized. It was always 200/140 something or extremely high enough to go to the emergency room. Then they told him after some blood work that he had CKD Stage 3. Now my question is, without doing any other testing, how would they know what stage its in for chronic kidney disease? They wouldn't. They just wouldn't without any other tests like Ultrasound, MRI, CT Scan, a blood test doesn't tell you what stage your kidney disease is in. They said his Creatinine level was extremely high but I did some research an 13-14 is not high for African American males. That's normal. I decided that because of this he should apply for SSI because he was complaining about his back and they told him that his back wouldn't hurt from kidney now the last time I checked, if there is something wrong with your kidneys, i.e. kidney infection, your back hurts. Anyway, applied for SSI and was denied because Kaiser didn't have their story straight nor could they tell social security which kidney was affected or if it was both. Another story, my son had a sore throat and it was so severe, I looked at it and I said that looks worse than strept throat. Took him to Kaiser, they looked at his throat, gave him a prescritpion for anti-biotics, they didn't do a throat culture to verify whether it was strept or not nor did they do lab work. He took the antibiotics and the next morning he woke up he looked like a bright fresh ripe strawberry all over is body and I mean literally. I rushed him back to ER and they asked why didn't the doctor take a throat culture and lab work and I said you're ###ing asking me why a doctor didn't do what? You're kidding right? Turns out he had Mono. Oh, I have some more stories but the moral of all of my stories, I had been a Kaiser patient since 1963 through my parents and other family memebers and I just thought since I knew about them, I'd stick with them throughout my adult life and had my children there too. I woke up after all of these nightmare types of procedures, diagnosis and treatment. I switched plans in 2012. All I have to say is, if you are currently a Kaiser survivor, get out while you can. This is a joke of a healthcare plan with quackhead doctor's as well.

To better understand and see the big picture read the following and understand that from its creation by Mr. Edgar Kaiser, this HMO inherited a “DNA mutation” that made this organization so successful.

"Perhaps the best introduction to the Kaiser HMO and Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Plan is the summary by Mr. Edgar Kaiser that the less Kaiser does for patients the more money it makes. To get the full context one can go to the University of Virginia and review the presentation Mr. Edgar Kaiser (then Kaiser CEO) made to President Nixon through Mr. Erlichman — the less we do the more we earn". “All the incentives are toward less medical care, because—the less care we give them, the more money we make”.

Protect your self and your family, learn from other victims horror stories. Kaiser Permanente is in business to please the stock holders, NOT its members!
Remember the most important: “All the incentives are toward less medical care, because—the less care we give them, the more money we make”.
KP has no interest to maintain you healthy!
Is a conflict of interest--they will get broke! Therefore, KP makes more and more billions each year, not on your health, BUT maintaining you sick!

If you don't get it Google my name Marin Pitu, see video(s); check www.kaiserpapers.org and lean how to avoid being a victim of Kaiser Permanente.
Please forward the video(s) to all your friends. Expose and confront Kaiser Permanente's illegal activities. Kaiser Permanente HMO: The biggest scheme in the history of mankind.

ALWAYS remember: “All the incentives are toward less medical care, because—the less care we give them, the more money we make”.
Learn how to maintain your health by your self and avoid paying Kaiser Permanente to MAINTAIN YOU SICK !
See a great documentary: "The Beautiful Truth" and learn about another of America's best kept secret: Dr. Max Gerson's treatment. Contact Gerson Institute in San Diego California.
Remember to Google my name Marin Pitu, see video and forward it to all your friends. Expose corruption and fraud on The For-profit health care.
Marin Pitu

I had to switch insurance companies at work six months before I got laid off becuase I knew I would not be able to afford the cost of United Insurance. What a mistake, I have never seen or experiened such incompetent doctors! As a diabetic, I have to constanly be on guard. I experienced pain in my right leg, it was red and swollen, I went to the ER, They seemed un concered and refered me to urgent care. I had to fight the doctor to perscribe antibotics. I did a followup with my primary two days later and she said, Oh I see that the infection has advanced. Instructions, go home and elevate the leg. No stronger antibotic was ordered. Then there was my experience with the cardoligst. He couldn't diagnois with I have heart problems! What is with these doctors, did they just graduate from school. Any one listening run from this company.

I have a problem with Kaiser now! I found they misdiagnosed me, and treated me in the hospital for the wrong condition! How can any health agency be so irresponsible?! I followed the advice of the doctor, and my primary at the time. Just to find out, all the food I was avoiding wasn't helping my situation because it was the WRONG CONDITION! I would blame myself for any flare ups I would have... Well, now I have no idea what is wrong with me, and have to start from scratch to try and figure out what is wrong... This beyond sucks... I mean where do the doctor's get their license at Kaiser, the local cracker jack box!?Why was I in the hospital for a week?! The last couple of years a total waste! At least I can enjoy popcorn again!

I never had any major problems with Kaiser, but your right about the parking and the waiting time! Also, many times for specialized treatment the referrals take a long time, and when the doctor finds out you have a health issues, they don't follow up. I have a cluster of blood vessels under my left eye which I have had surgery on three times. I had so many appointments that it was discouraging, and eventually stopped following up. I felt like I was some science experiment for the doctors which were learning to practice this type of medicine. I found out I had some major stomach issues also. My doctor never followed up on it, and now I am experiencing a lot of pain... So in some ways, I agree with you..

They managed to kill my mother in law and a very good friend. They are socialist to the core, but we've got a whole lot more of this coming with Obama's so called health care which is nothing more than higher taxes and death care. I hope the idiots who voted the man with no skills at all into office are happy with all the hope and fine change he's given us. Oh my so very much like what we get from Kaiser Permanente

My estrogen level is 12 and kaiser refuses hrt. I agrr, if you have a chronic condition, kaiser should be a last resort healthcare provider, esp if you have odd chronic problems. Also, their mental healthcare is way understaffed. Before obamacare they could weed out the chronically ill by charging exorbitant fees, now they are at ill equiped to handle us because their doctors have mostly treated healthy people for decades.

I am having the same issue on another topic. My thyroid and my potassium levels. I had to send research information to my doctor. He has not responded. I have a new female doctor that I wrote to before I could see her as the wait at Kaiser for an appointment is usually a month or more. I have not heard from her yet, but to be fair, they are allowed 48 hours and today should be the day I hear from both of them. Should be interesting.
In retrospect, the lack of knowledge and the quick attack (email response in all caps telling me how misinformed I am) has scared the heck out of me. I'm on Medicare and I believe I can only change insurers once a year. But, I will begin researching it immediately.
Kaiser is the worst insurer if you have any chronic conditions. If you are completely healthy, they're fine, just pray you don't get sick.

SERIOUSLY! I agree with Mica 1755.

How about the list of medications you take? Your date of birth?

I have been on specific pain medications for months now. I turned in my request 3 days prior to the fill date as requested by the staff. The prescription was not filled and my regular doctor went on vacation. The fill in doctor said I could not have the medication because I was taking another medication? Yes, that is right, I take both, that is why my regular doctor prescribes both, see, A +B=C, right? The pain became so excruciating I spent 3 hours in Urgent Care, where the pretend doctor, the NP, looked at me like I came in for a paper cut. I litterally could not stand up, could not walk, she gave me a shot of an anti-inflamatory, the nurse came in 20 minutes later and said "Did that help?" I said, "No, not a bit" She looked so disapointed, like oh no, we might actually have to treat this patient. The nurse asked me "What do you want?" What do I want? What do I want? How the hell should I know what I need? Do I have a medical degree? I told her to just fill the original prescriiption. That made her so happy, how easy for them to just tap the letters on the computer and be rid of me. I walked out, sort of, bent over with an icepack tied to my lower back with a scarf I had worn, grasping the walls, wincing in pain for every step up a flight of stairs and an elevator, then waited for another hour at the pharmacy because the doctor had not bothered to send up the prescription. My husband came home from a business trip and was absolutely appalled at the condition I was in and the fact that they let me drive home after seeing that obviously I could not even walk. I hate Kaiser! The only bright spot is my very wonderful Rhumetoologist, Dr. Li, wondeful, competent, compassionate. Too bad the rest of the staff did not have her brains or her heart.

Double nightmare with Kaiser. I am livid to the point of tears. These people are more interested in the number of paitents and days of stay than providing care and information. I am still dealing with a mess of a system that only cares about the kaiser bottom line. I can not seak to one person that can answer my questions or provide advice. Everyone tells me I need to talk to someone else, yet I find that decisions are being made without my knowledge, consult or advisement. I can not plan for these descision without being advised of then in advance. They have major implications for my time, purse and other resources that I have to have in place. I would have appreciated some prior discussion before they decision regarding care were decided and put in motion. I am not invisible, deaf or dumb.

I recently applied for insurance through Kaiser. I had Kaiser about a year ago and quit my job. So I now wanted to go back for an individual plan and this is why I got denied.

Headaches/Migraines
Recommended treatment not yet received (There is no recommended treatment for my migraines. There was nothing found to why I get them.)
Use of prescription drugs on a regular basis in the last five years. ( Trying to find a medication to keep the migraines minimal. I am not taking any anymore)
Your height/Weight does not fall within the most desired range for body mass index. ( I am 5'4" and 110 lbs. Maybe I should try to gain some weight and become obese so I can get health insurance?)

I could not believe the reasons I got denied for insurance. Why could they just not pay for any treatment for my migraines? This is getting absolutely ridiculous!

Agreed. I am Type I Diabetic, wondering if the Dr. has a right to require the patient come in for blood work every 3 months to get insulin refilled. This practice does not seem uncommon as this is the second doctor who has withheld prescript refill unless I will come in for an appointment only (3) months after my last blood work) which has been consistently good for the last 10 years (since I have been diagnosed).

This has been an ongoing issue for me as well, I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one that feels like I'm being extorted by my doctors for Insulin. It's ridiculous that being a diabetic for 30 years, that I still need to go see my doctor before he will renew my prescription. It's gotten worse over the years, and I have very good control, and it seems the more I have control, the more they try and pressure you for appointments, etc. I've been managing my insulin dosages since I was 10 years old, and to have to go through hoops to just get insulin, in ridiculous. I hope this gets resolved so diabetics can support themselves as much as possible, and not have to deal with appointments every 3 months to get a basic drug that their lives depend on.

I'm glad to read others are complaining about GP's threatening withholding insulin prescription if the patient does not come in for a check up. THis has frustrated me to no end. In the past several months it has been like pulling teeth just to get my insulin prescription filled without my Primary physician ( 0f whom I'm deeply unhappy with to begin with, as they are from a group of Doctors within a clinic. She is a Nurse Practitioner Aand the second doctor I have had with-in a year at this clinic. All of this is beside the point ). Well, maybe not beside the point. She is the problem. Grrrrr. I have a very busy schedule right now with it being tourist season and my work schedule unpredictable. I do not have the time to go see her for a check up, nor do I feel I need to see her and when I do go see someone it will not be her. Yet, she stands in my way to simply getting my prescription filled. There have been so many mishaps and unbelievable situations occur since I was diagnosed as a diabetic a little over a year ago, I can not begin to share the agony of it all but what tops it all is the local pharmacy being in some sort of mutual financial support with the local clinic here. Also, I do not have insurance and can not afford to go to the clinic every time they want to make a buck off of some chronically ill dependent person, like myself.

I feel trapped. I feel like I have enough to deal with as it is and then they go stressing me out by putting the squeeze on me to go to the doctor for blood work and check up. My blood sugar levels are fine and I'm functioning... ugh! Can they really withhold filling my prescription until I go see her again? Really? I'm so stressed out over this.

I want to know, are is this legal? It feels a little like extortion to me and like a huge violation of my rights.

~Julie Koski

I agree completely, this behaviour by Doctors is totally unacceptable. I have type II diabetes, and each and every time I attempt to renew any related prescription, I am denied until I come in for a regular check-up. I do come in every three months for a check-up and have for years. I just visited my Doctors office to give blood for bood ananlysis and
requested three prescription refills at that time. I had been out of medication for almost a week and had called in earlier to request a refill. I call back the next day and they have no prescription ready, three days later I get a voice mail on my home phone saying I must come in for an appointment before they will write the prescription. The doctor sends me a letter showing the results of the blood test, and states on the letter that "let me know when you need more meds, the new meds seem to be working". Apparenlty nobody forwarded the prescription request to the Doctor or he forgot about it. I spoke previously to my Doctor about being threatened with no medication if I didn't schedule an appointment and how this could impact my health. Going on and off medication like Metformin and Janubia does major things to the body, and puts patients through major mood swings and stress, not to mention the danger of blood sugar levels as a result. I call back a few days later and get the same threat, you MUST come in before we will write a prescription.

It's clear to me in my specific case that the primary interest here is in making money for office visits from Health Insurance, not in the patients actual health or well-being. What a disgrace. When I look at what the office is charging my insurance carrier for a 10 minute visit (while handling four other patients at the same time), I better understand why our Health insurance system in America is so screwed up. What a disgrace, thanks for nothing Obama, having Health insurance is only half the battle.

I got on my husbands medical in March I was also on Senior Advantage, because I am also on Medicare, I called Kaiser's customer service and told her I was on my husbands medical which his job also have Kaiser, I asked the customer service person would I still have to pay premiums, she told me no and that I would not get a bill, my husband got laid off and his coverage ended 8/1/2019 then a week later I got a bill for $728.00, when I called and asked why I received this bill, Kaiser told me that I needed to put in writing that I was cancelling my Senior Advantage, they told me this after the fact I told them if I had of know that I would have put it in writing, they were still billing me while I was on my husbands medical plan I told them why would I not sign and pay premiums when I was on my husbands medical which would save me money, they could not answer my question and I know I am being ripped off, they never told me I had to sign anything, so what I am going to do is report them to the California Attorney General, Kaiser will not cooperate with me or answer any questions, why they never told me I needed to put this in writing, I see greed here, I'm also reporting Kaiser to the Governors Office, I had to report other companies to the California Attorney General and the Governor and they did help, I'm also reporting them to my congressman I had to report a company to him before also and he helped. From all the complaints about Kaiser I see they are ripping people off, if I could find another worthwhile supplemental plan I would, I a still appealing this I know I am being ripped off.

They charged my pregnant wife $2, 000 for a sickle cell test. They told her they were doing routine blood work and did not tell us they were taking the test. This is our second pregnancy. The first baby was born without any complications and we have no history of sickle cell in any of our families. We are both white, where sickle cell happens to approximately 1 in every 100, 000 babies. How is this routine? We have been appealing this for months and they simply will not cooperate.

I come to the appointment 9:50 other patients come after and they attended first I don't is because we are Spanish people we are very upset about this I feel discriminate the hospital is santa teresa kaiser in San Jose California

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I called Kaiser Permanente today and waited on hold for 75 minutes.

I dread having to call them.

They need to get more staffing to handle the volume of calls.

The idea you followed through on a complaint with no input or me actually relating my experience is laughable. I have no trust or faith or expectation that you or your staff can or will service me due to the attitudes and lack of professionalism. Glad you sleep well at night

I have asked that a supervisor please call me as Kaiser Permanente members services have violated my privacy. I will contact legal as well regarding this. I have yet to receive a phone call

Every time I go to the pharmacy they don't have my medicine. And when they do it's less than half! The lady who runs the pharmacy at night is extremely rude! The head pharmacists always has a excuse

I can not afford this coverage. I can no longer pay the monthly cost. I called the Seattle office to cancel and was told I cannot cancel until October.