Kaiser Permanente Colorado for Individuals and Families switched over to a 21-page application on July 17th. They’ll honor the old application for 1 month, until August 18th.

The old application was nine pages and basically the same as Kaiser Permanente’s old California application. The new application for Colorado is modeled after the new California application that Kaiser Permanente California switched to in October of 2008.

Customers Have a Love/Hate Relationship with the New Application
Many customers are frustrated that the application has become so much longer. The old application had 13 medical history questions; the new application has 29. The size of the application has more than doubled in size. Customers complain that the application is tedious and difficult to get through. On the positive side, customers have the hope that the new application will speed up processing time.

Underwriters Love It
Many underwriters felt like the old application just didn’t give them enough information to approve or deny applications. As a result, they often had to do a lot more research, checking medical records, calling applicants, etc. This increased their work load and slowed down the processing of the applications so customers had to wait longer. This more lengthy application will help underwriters be more successful at approving and denying applications accurately and according to the underwriting guidelines.

Posted: July 27th, 2009 under Colorado Individual.
Comments: none

When looking for Kaiser Permanente medical insurance plans in Colorado, there are some key things to consider in order to find the right plan for you and your family.

1. Do you want a plan without a deductible?
If you don’t want a plan with a deductible, then you would want to go with the $35 Copayment Plan. There are three copayment plans offered for Colorado individuals, but the other two plans offer less coverage and the rates are usually about the same. The $35 Copayment Plan includes prescription drug coverage, doctor visits for a copayment of $35 and a fairly low out-of-pocket maximum ($3,000 for individual/$7,500 for family).

2. Do you want a plan with a low out-of-pocket maximum?
If you’re like me, you really want to know what your worst case scenario would be in one year. I ask certain questions. What if I had to have surgery or I was hospitalized for a long time? I don’t mind covering the small stuff out of my own pocket, but I want to know that if something terrible happens, I’m not going to get wiped out financially. If you’re in this scenario, I highly recommend the $2,000 Deductible Plan with HSA. This plan has the lowest out-of-pocket maximum of all the plans. After you pay out $2,000 in one year, you have 100% coverage for the rest of the year. That means that for the rest of the year you only have to pay your monthly premium, and everything else is covered for free. I like that!

3. Are you looking for a cheap health insurance plan?
If you just want a low monthly premium on your medical insurance plan, there are a couple ways you can go. The cheapest health plan is the $5,000 Deductible Plan without Rx. This plan covers doctor visits right away for $30, which is really nice. You get such a low premium because there is no prescription drug coverage and because the deductible and out-of-pocket maximum are so high. However, if you really want prescription drug coverage, for a little bit more on your monthly premium, you can bump up your plan selection to the $3,000 Deductible Plan. Another option is to get the $5,000 Deductible Plan with HSA. This plan is around the same price as the two I just mentioned, but it has a lower out-of-pocket maximum by far. Once you reach $5,000 in one year, you have 100% coverage for the rest of the year, and you have the option of opening a health savings account which allows you to deduct many of your medical expenses from your federal taxes.

Posted: June 25th, 2009 under Colorado Individual.
Comments: none

When looking for Kaiser Permanente medical insurance plans in Colorado, there are some key things to consider in order to find the right plan for you and your family.

1. Do you want a plan without a deductible?
If you don’t want a plan with a deductible, then you would want to go with the $35 Copayment Plan. There are three copayment plans offered for Colorado individuals, but the other two plans offer less coverage and the rates are usually about the same. The $35 Copayment Plan includes prescription drug coverage, doctor visits for a copayment of $35 and a fairly low out-of-pocket maximum ($3,000 for individual/$7,500 for family).

2. Do you want a plan with a low out-of-pocket maximum?
If you’re like me, you really want to know what your worst case scenario would be in one year. I ask certain questions. What if I had to have surgery or I was hospitalized for a long time? I don’t mind covering the small stuff out of my own pocket, but I want to know that if something terrible happens, I’m not going to get wiped out financially. If you’re in this scenario, I highly recommend the $2,000 Deductible Plan with HSA. This plan has the lowest out-of-pocket maximum of all the plans. After you pay out $2,000 in one year, you have 100% coverage for the rest of the year. That means that for the rest of the year you only have to pay your monthly premium, and everything else is covered for free. I like that!

3. Are you looking for a cheap health insurance plan?
If you just want a low monthly premium on your medical insurance plan, there are a couple ways you can go. The cheapest health plan is the $5,000 Deductible Plan without Rx. This plan covers doctor visits right away for $30, which is really nice. You get such a low premium because there is no prescription drug coverage and because the deductible and out-of-pocket maximum are so high. However, if you really want prescription drug coverage, for a little bit more on your monthly premium, you can bump up your plan selection to the $3,000 Deductible Plan. Another option is to get the $5,000 Deductible Plan with HSA. This plan is around the same price as the two I just mentioned, but it has a lower out-of-pocket maximum by far. Once you reach $5,000 in one year, you have 100% coverage for the rest of the year, and you have the option of opening a health savings account which allows you to deduct many of your medical expenses from your federal taxes.

Posted: June 25th, 2009 under Colorado Individual.
Comments: none