Kaiser Permanente Nurses Clinic (2024)

FAQs

Will Kaiser pay for a second opinion? ›

As one of our members, you have the right to get a second opinion. As a California member, simply contact your local Member Services department or call our Member Services Contact Center for help in arranging a second opinion.

“Families shouldn't have to choose between paying their health care bills or paying for electricity and food,” said Stephanie Ledesma, vice president for community health programs at Kaiser Permanente. “Our program can cover 25% to 100% of qualifying costs for patients in need. And, it doesn't need to be repaid.”

Your doctor knows that getting other professional opinions is a good practice and that you have a right to be informed of your options. They will likely support a second opinion, so it's best to ask for it outright.

Kaiser Permanente is one of America's leading health care providers and nonprofit health plans. Our health plan finances the care delivered by the more than 24,605 physicians of the Permanente Medical Groups, 73,618 nurses, and 75,000 allied health professionals in our 40 hospitals and 616 medical facilities.

The report, by Mark Roberts, M.D., chief of medicine at Kaiser's Vallejo Medical Center, said many physicians are leaving Kaiser for "less demanding jobs" elsewhere or cutting back on their Kaiser work schedules, resulting in a 13 percent turnover rate over the last two to three years.

And Kaiser does not allow for negotiation of compensation.

The MFA program provides financial assistance to qualified patients who are having difficulty paying their medical and pharmacy bills. The MFA program is available to patients that have an outstanding bill for health care services, appointments, or pharmacy prescriptions through Kaiser Permanente.

Kaiser rebounded last year, as revenues increased and Kaiser's investments improved to offset 2022 losses. The company reported an operating income of $329 million for the year compared to an operating loss of $1.3 billion in 2022.

Our Medical Financial Assistance program helps low-income, uninsured, and underserved patients receive access to care. The program provides temporary financial assistance or free care to patients who receive health care services from our providers, regardless of whether they have health coverage or are uninsured.

Your new doctor should have no problem getting records from both of the old doctors with nothing more than your signed consent form. But generally all evaluations and test results must come from the original source, and you, the former patient, must ask for them directly.

Do doctors get upset about second opinions? ›

“No doctor should be upset if a patient asks for a second opinion,” says Loyola neurologist Jose Biller, MD. “A good and experienced healthcare professional should be comfortable in encouraging patients to consult with other specialists whenever appropriate.”

No. If you feel that you need to get a second opinion, ask for one - especially when the second opinion may change how a cancer or other life-altering condition should be treated or managed. Most conscientious doctors and other health care team members understand and value the patient's right to seek a second opinion.

Better care from a connected team

When you're a Kaiser Permanente member, your whole care team is connected — to you, and to each other — through your electronic health record. Every visit is captured, so your doctor can use your health history to inform your care.

Kaiser Permanente is made up of three distinct but interdependent groups of entities: the Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc. (KFHP) and its regional operating subsidiaries; Kaiser Foundation Hospitals; and the regional Permanente Medical Groups.

The Kaiser Nurse Strike: Background

The coalition organized the strike to highlight the unfair labor practices, including low wages, unfair healthcare and pension benefits, short staffing, and more. In response, workers approved a strike that began on October 4th and ended on October 6.

“A second opinion is most useful when there is not a perfect answer and you want more input,” Dr. Grauer says. He points out that doctors themselves ask other doctors for their input regularly; the Spine Center has multidisciplinary conferences where cases may be presented.

Doctors guidelines say they must respect your right to seek a second opinion. But you don't have a legal right to one.

It is your right to seek a second opinion when you feel it is necessary. It can be especially useful when facing a serious or life-threatening disease, when the diagnosis is not clear, or when you are unsure which treatment option you want to pursue.

How much does Medicare pay for a second opinion? Part B helps pay for a second (or third) opinion and related tests, just as it helps pay for other services that are medically necessary. If you have Part B and Original Medicare: Medicare pays 80% of the Medicare-approved amount.