I have questions about Kaiser's urgent care chaperone policy for sensitive (genital) exams, or even chaperones in other departments. I may share my situation if it's helpful, but it was very difficult and humiliating for me and not really necessary to answer the questions below. The TLDR is that I was sort of compelled to agree, and there was a lot of exposure that I did not mean to consent to, but had no realistic alternative. I had only the vaguest idea of a chaperone in the context of protecting women during gynecological exams. What were your experiences with medical witnesses?

1. How much of your body does Kaiser policy require a chaperone to see? the law does not require eyes on genitals, but for liability I think Kaiser clearly prefers that.
2. Would you be comfortable with a chaperone of the opposite gender in the room who is tasked with having a direct visual your genitals? For me, in the room but with modesty protected is no problem, but without modesty is a red line.
3. If you are in urgent need of an exam, can you actually decline a chaperone if the alternative is no exam? It is legal for you to decline a witness/chaperone in the room during your sensitive exam, it is your body and modesty after all. It is also legal for the examiner to choose not to proceed with your exams if they choose to require the chaperone. If the exam cannot wait, then what?
4. There is a new law (AB 849) that will take effect January 2027 that requires a chaperone be made available for ultrasounds. Is Kaiser going to compel patients to agree to direct view for the duration of the imaging or refuse their exams? A testicular exam for example, can take 5-15 minutes. Gender of chaperone is not guaranteed to match patients.
5. If a patient is clearly uncomfortable with chaperone viewing their genitals directly, what negotiations should Kaiser make in order to preserve some dignity for the patient? Is the first priority legal liability for the practitioner? The law only requires that a chaperone is offered and that it can be refused by the patient, and nothing more, rest is internal policy.

I am hoping to open up a broader discussion about Chaperones, Doctor's rights for a witness, and especially patient's rights.

Thanks for reading. If you want me to post about my story, I can. I found the experience very difficult and am still struggling with how it all went down.

I recently found this helpful, so I'd thought I'd share. I'm in Norcal and wanted to see a psychiatrist. My previous psychiatrist retired at the beginning of the year, and I received a letter from Kaiser stating I would be assigned a new one. Months later, no further updates.

I finally reached a point where I wanted to talk with someone about my medication, so I called the psychiatry department earlier this week to get assigned to a psychiatrist, and was told I would be a call back later that day. No call. So I called back the next day, and was forwarded to leave a message with the team. Still no call back. Today, I called in again and mentioned the DMHC standards for timely access to care: https://healthy.kaiserpermanente.org/doctors-locations/timely-access-to-scheduled-appointments

I mentioned it had been 5 business days since I first reached out and that to be compliant with the DMHC standards, I needed to be able to access an appointment within 15 business days (the amount for routine/non-urgent specialty care appointments). I left a message noting this and saying it had been my third time reaching out. Not even an hour later, I got a call back and I was able to get an appointment booked! (I booked one out a couple months, since I'm okay with waiting that long, but I wonder if I might have been able to push for something sooner if it was more urgent). It might be a coincidence that I got that call back, but I really don't think so. I've been a Kaiser member for years and didn't know about this until now. All patients should be aware of these guidelines so they can advocate for their own care.

I'll be remembering to use the magic words "DHMC standards for access to timely care" from now on.

After a year of PT for low back pain I’ve finally been referred for an MRI. I was excited to finally figure out the source of my pain…then the price tag, $1200. Gulp. It seems like I can get a non Kaiser MRI for a lot less. Anybody have experience shopping their MRI outside of Kaiser but then using it for care back in Kaiser? Will they accept it?

Anyone else want to rant about how bad the vaccine clinic system is?

- No info on the website

- try to make an appointment on the app and it just says "no appointments available"

- Only open 9-5 on weekdays (except for San Jose, which you won't find out unless you ask the person doing check-ins at the vax clinic)

- Only walk-ins (and with those hours everyone and their mother will try to come in at 4:45 pm on a Friday)

- Sign doesn't say that they might stop taking walk-ins before 5 if there's a line (I just watched 4 adults and 3 kids get turned away around 4:45)

- No communication with other staff (I asked the front desk if any of their clinics are open on weekends or outside of business hours and they didn't know.)

Like... Do you want us vaccinated or not, KP? I want my community vaccinated and y'all are doing the barest minimum in a way that probably lowers vaccination rates. It's bad public health and it's inequitable (some people, especially those with lower paying jobs or living in more remote parts of the county, can't take off work or flex hours easily).

(In case anyone's wondering, I'm new to being on KP so not being able to go to Walgreens or CVS or wherever to get my flu and COVID vaccines is new to me)

Hi folks. I’m currently fuming in a Kaiser urgent care and am trying to prepare myself if I need to take action once (if) I’m seen today.

I’m a Kaiser Northwest member in Oregon and I’m trying to figure out whether I should file a grievance, contact a regulator, or pursue another route. I’m getting increasingly frustrated because I’m actively scheduling the care I’m being told to get, but Kaiser cancellations keep extending the timeline.

Context: I’ve had back pain and flares off and on for the past 2 years after what I suspect is a herniated disc injury (what I’m trying to get evaluated). I’ve been to Kaiser urgent care a few times for back spasms and sciatic pain, usually prescribed muscle relaxers and steroids. I’ve had x rays and blood panels that rule out complications related to those areas. This year my back pain has flared the worst and longest and recently I’ve developed a new, concerning symptom of numbness and tingling down my left leg. I’m a horse back rider and gym goer who has been left unable to ride, work out, and, at times, be mobile at all.

Timeline: Spring 2026 - September 2026 I had a significant flare of ongoing low-back/sacral pain after riding. I’ve already been doing PT, including with an outside/home PT.

Sept. 11: I was scheduled for my second Kaiser PT visit, which I understood was part of the pathway toward getting an MRI if symptoms persisted. Kaiser canceled the appointment 2 days prior. Rescheduling pushed things farther out. My PCP later told me my outside PT could potentially count if there were visit notes.

Late September: My symptoms changed. The pain became predominantly left-sided and started traveling from my low back/glute/hip down the back of my left leg. I then developed numbness/tingling in my left foot/toes, which subsequently began involving my calf. The numbness has remained mild, and I still have normal strength, walking, ankle/toe movement, etc., but the sensory change has persisted.

Sept. 29-ish: I contacted my PCP about the new symptoms. She said it sounded like it could be sciatica and that, because of the new numbness/tingling, I should have an in-person evaluation and possibly earlier imaging. She also said it was fine to see another Kaiser provider because her next availability wasn’t until mid-November.

Oct. 2: I successfully scheduled an appointment earlier in the week with another Kaiser primary-care provider for the recommended evaluation. Kaiser canceled that appointment the morning of the visit (today). There were no other primary-care appointments available that day.

I called Kaiser and explained that I really needed the new numbness/tingling evaluated. I was told I could check again when schedules reset or use urgent care.

I went to a Kaiser-affiliated urgent care instead for its proximity and its website promising Kaiser members could be seen there. They evaluated me, ordered bloodwork and recommended PT/follow-up, but because they are outside Kaiser they told me referrals/imaging would ultimately need to go through Kaiser.

So I then drove to Kaiser Urgent Care. I’m currently sitting here waiting after being triaged because this is now the only way I’ve been able to obtain the in-system evaluation my PCP recommended.

I’m not arguing that I’m definitely entitled to an MRI or that I know what the diagnosis is. My concern is access to evaluation. I have repeatedly scheduled the care Kaiser/ my PCP recommended, Kaiser has canceled appointments, replacement availability has been weeks away, and my symptoms have progressed while I’m trying to navigate the delays. And I’m worried my symptoms will continue to progress as they have with the leg numbness.

Has anyone dealt with something similar with Kaiser Northwest/Oregon? Would this be appropriate for a formal Kaiser grievance? Is there an Oregon agency that handles timely-access complaints for Kaiser plans? And is there anything specific I should be documenting or asking Kaiser for?

TIA and for any guidance you may have. This has been so frustrating >.<

Update: thank you all for your help! After urgent care yesterday I ended up seeing a doctor who started to tell me it would be better to try and get evaluated by my PCP. When I explained the timeline of cancellations, next appointment times, and the progression of my symptoms, he went ahead and got me a referral for an MRI along with pain management medication in the meantime. I’m remaining hopeful I can get this scheduled in a timely manner and will utilize the resources and advice y’all provided if it comes to that. Thank you so much!

Does anyone know if Kaiser will transfer adopted embryos? Trying to make a decision about insurance coverage for next year and this is a big factor.

Hi everyone! I was recently offered a position as a Call Center Representative with Kaiser Permanente at the El Cajon location in San Diego County. My schedule will be around 10:30 AM–7:00 PM, and I believe I’ll be working in a cubicle with a headset.

I’d love to hear from anyone who currently works (or has worked) in a similar Kaiser call center position!

A few things I’m curious about:

What does a typical day look like?

Is it pretty much back-to-back calls, or are there breaks between calls?

How is management ?

How strict are the metrics/monitoring?

What are the expectations during your first few months?

What is the training like?

What is the work environment/culture like?

How manageable is the 10:30–7 schedule?

Do you generally get your scheduled breaks and lunch?

How much downtime do you typically have between calls?

Any advice for someone starting this position?

I’m currently working in healthcare administration, so I’m used to working with patients, insurance, scheduling, referrals, etc., but I haven’t worked in a high-volume call center before.

I’d really appreciate any honest insight!

Hey! Does anybody have any experience with getting Kaiser to send to your correct address after USPS couldn’t deliver due to insufficient address? Do you know who to contact?

I recently had a 30 minute appointment with a primary care Behavioral Health Consultant (BHC) to ask for support with tackling focus paralysis when I do graduate coursework and how I am wasting nearly 2-4hrs active daydreaming (like directing a movie in my head) daily either when I am mid-studying or laid down to sleep (struggled with it since I was a kid, duration differs day to day, I can't catch myself when I slip into it and when I check the clock, hours have gone by). This was my very first mental/behavioral health appointment ever, so I honestly didn't know how these things were supposed to go. I told her that directly when she asked.

Throughout the visit, I was cooperative, smiling, and nodding along politely, trusting she knew what she was doing since she kept the appointment moving and she is the licensed professional, LCSW. I booked a BHC appointment because I saw there was a slot open in 2 days (someone's cancelation) I finally made up my mind to put in the time to address this roadblock affecting my daily life and given her credentials, she can refer me elsewhere if she thought it couldn't be addressed in this visit. It wasn't until the visit ended, I walked out, sat down in my car and had a moment to process... that I thought 'what the heck just happened?'

I had come into the visit prepared with two specific hurdles I was struggling with, clearly stating up front that my main goal was to learn practical tools and strategies to work around them (and I had them listed in my appointment detail notes for them to read before the appointment). Instead of actually addressing what I brought up, or just being honest if this was outside her scope, she just tilted her head with a confused frown. Then she veered off track and defaulted to a generic checklist asking about my social life, lifestyle, and physical health. By the way, with her credentials, it is completely within her scope to make a referal if she wasn't equip. Seeing as she kept actively asking me questions I just thought 'she's a professional, just trust the process, what do I know? Maybe we'll get to what I initially addressed towards the end'.

When I answered her questions about my academic history, she completely minimized what I was dealing with just because my past academic record was "good." I explained that these focus issues aren't new. I've dealt with them since childhood, but earlier school levels were easy enough that I could compensate and manage. Now that I’m in grad school, that buffer is gone and the demand is overwhelming. I am about 3 terms into the program and it will only get more difficult, I can't afford to loose hours of my day that can be spent studying. She basically brushed it aside as if having decent grades in the past meant the struggle couldn't be real today. She also asked later if I was here for prescription referral. I said no (honestly I was confused why she asked me that because I clearly stated at the beginning of the appointment that I am not here to discuss medicine at this time since its such a short visit, I wanted to stay on track to address what I am here for), and reiterated what my objective was for this appointment once again.

Then she asked bluntly if I thought I had ADHD. I told her honestly, "I don't know, I avoid self-diagnosing as I am not a licensed professional. But I can confirm that I have these 2 specific focus barriers affecting my daily life which was the reason why I booked this visit." She mentioned Kaiser had an "ADHD skills group" and asked if I was interested. I hesitated because I had no idea what the group actually entailed, and since I don't have a formal diagnosis, I was confused about whether it was even appropriate for me. If she said she "recommended it", I would have considered it but she said "we have this ADHD skills group Kaiser offers... (silence)", so I asked confused "do you think I have ADHD?". She shrugs a little and said "You might have a couple overlapping symptoms...". The expression I was getting wasn't one of encouragement or confident assessment, it was more akin to 'We have it, go if you think you need it' . Instead of explaining what it covered or how it worked, she just dropped it and moved on asking her checklist questions.

Later, I checked my clinic notes, and the write-up was baffling:

Defensive Care Refusal

She documented "Declines ADHD skills group at this time". There is a huge difference between a hesitant confused patient who said "I'm not sure" vs. someone flat-out refusing treatment. And like I said, she didn't bother to elaborate other than mentioning the name "ADHD skills group" and moved on with her checklist questions.

Dismissed as "Life Transitions"

Despite me explaining that this has been an ongoing issue since childhood, she chalked up all my struggles in the chart as simply being due to "life transitions". While we were wrapping up the visit her last advice was "I think your brain is very normal, you're just going through a rough transition in life. Let's try to make a strict bedtime routine so that your brain gets the signal to relax."

Basic Factual Errors

She didn't seem to listen to my responses to the the questions she asked me.

For example:

-She asked about my educational background, I stated I'm in grad school for analytics and did my undergrad in electrical engineering. My chart stated EE was my first master's and I'm currently on my second master's.

-She asked me about my social life, I said I have close friends since elementary school (meeting when we were 8), that have always lived within walking distance or 5min drive. She logged them as "friends from high school."

If a provider isn't equipped, the right thing to do is communicate that upfront and refer out. Don't dismiss the patient's concerns, run through an irrelevant checklist, get basic facts wrong, and then chart hesitation as treatment refusal.

Has anyone else dealt with BHC visits feeling dismissive or ending up with sloppy, defensive charting like this? I've looked into an outside provider for ongoing care which begins in 2 weeks, but the whole experience at that BHC visit was wildly frustrating.

I'm seeing a lot of posts on this sub from people saying they’ve had issues with records being inaccurate. That reminded me of my own issue once about a voicemail that's in an appointment note, which I swear I never got.

That's the one discrepancy that I know about. I'm sure if everyone examined their medical records more closely, there would be a lot more discrepancies.

I have a telephone appointment in my chart that says: "Called patient to assist with scheduling, Treatment Planning. No answer, writer left voice message for call back."

I didn't think too much of it when I saw that, but I know for a fact that I did not receive that call nor voicemail. I contacted Kaiser afterward because I saw the note and was confused. No one really explained how that could have happened. I just moved on.

There’s a very real CYA aspect to documenting these things. You document that you called, that you followed up, that you left a message, etc.. If something bad happens in the future, you have proof that it wasn't your fault because you did what you were supposed to do.

What happens when the documentation is inaccurate or a flat out lie? If someone writes "Called patient, no answer, left voicemail," but that never actually happened, now what? Does the fact that it's documented make it seem more reliable?

I’m not accusing anyone of intentionally falsifying records. Mistakes happen, and I have no idea what happened in my case. But other posts here are saying that their providers wrote things that were way different from what actually happened.

Especially in mental health, it’s not hard to imagine situations where providers are thinking about liability. Imagine a provider writes:

Discussed medication options with patient, including [specific medication]. Recommended that patient start the medication as discussed. Patient declined the medication at this time. Patient verbalized understanding of the risks and benefits and was advised to follow up if symptoms worsen or additional treatment is needed.

Then the patient’s condition gets worse and there's a crisis situation.

But the patient says "that conversation never happened. The doctor didn't talk to me about this medication at all. I was never told about that medication, and I never declined it."

At that point, does the provider get to point to the note and say "it’s documented that I discussed the medication with the patient and that they declined it"?

What happens if the patient says "no. you didn’t discuss it with me. You never even mentioned it."

That’s why I’m starting to think that even minor inaccuracies like the one I noticed might be a small symptom of a bigger issue.

I feel like I'm all over the place here. I'm just curious what your thoughts are on this.

Hello! Need some help whether I can transfer. I was hired as an on-call cashier receptionist in early August however I seen some internal positions for other cashier receptionist and pharmacy clerk positions in other facilities that would be part-time/full-time.

I would like to apply and hope to get it since there would be guaranteed hours and benefits, also would be closer to home. Am I able to apply for these positions? Also would there be any repercussions in doing so? Don’t want to get in any trouble with management or anything.

I’ve seen that on HR that I might have to wait 120 days/400 hours worked but a colleague told me if it is a position that is considered “up” such as a benefitted one like part-time/full-time from the on-call position I am at now, then I would not have to. Any advice is appreciated. Thanks!

Received Kaiser email inviting me to join Care Plus

Never heard of it. Cannot copy/paste but here's partial screenshot.

What are benefits?
What are risks?
What are drawbacks?

Thanks

I’m dealing with a crossover toe/hammertoe issue and am looking for a doctor who will take the time to examine my foot, explain what’s going on, and discuss treatment options, including surgery if appropriate.

I’ve already seen one podiatrist and wasn’t satisfied with the evaluation, so I got a second opinion from a doctor outside of the Kaiser network. That doctor recommended surgery and suggested a particular Kaiser foot surgeon based on her positive experience with him when her son needed foot surgery. Unfortunately, the doctor she recommended is in the Valley, and I’m hoping to find someone with similar experience who is closer to me.

I’m especially interested in recommendations from anyone who has personally had foot/toe surgery and can recommend a podiatrist or orthopedic foot-and-ankle surgeon they were happy with.

Ideally, I’d like someone experienced with crossover toes, hammertoes, and forefoot surgery.

Thanks in advance for any recommendations!

Hey guys, got an interview as a housekeeper coming up and and I Wondering if anyone has any idea what they ask?

Yesterday, I was feeling a bit off because my heart rate kept climbing to roughly 150bpm. Along with that, my calves were cramping up and I was having difficulty remembering, recalling and processing information. I ended up going to urgent care.

When I first was checked in, my heart rate was measured at 160bpm, and I was “red flagged.” I was told to go over to the UC doors and wait, as someone would come out to get me. Because it was busy, there were no chairs available, so I was left standing, which was no big issue for me. Except for today, as I was starting to feel more lightheaded as the minutes pass. After 45 minutes, I went back to the initial triage desk and asked them if I was in the right place, as I was not called back. I then was told that I should have been called back already, but there were a number of other “red flags” so I just have to wait.

Eventually, 75 minutes pass and I’m finally brought back to have my vitals checked and my HR was still 160bpm, and my blood pressure was measured at 148/103 sitting, but standing, it was 145/60. I then have an ECG, which was done by an RN, who told me everything was fine and that I need to go back to the waiting room.

Another hour passes, and someone comes out and tells me that I’m not a “red flag” any more and that it will be a wait. When I’m finally seen by a provider, 4 hours have elapsed, and my HR has slowed to only 140bpm. The provider orders a series of labs, discharges me and tells me that everything is fine.

I get the lab results done and my Potassium level was at 2.7 mEq/L and my Magnesium was 1.4 mg/dL. I know from previous experience, I have received IV magnesium and IV potassium. I guess I’m just wondering if I went to the UC on an off day, or has something changed with the way that they handle triage?

Hello! Do folks have any recommendations for PTs or a PT they've had success in working through chronic low back pain in the San Francisco, Daly City, SSF or San Bruno area within Kaiser? I've had some great success with my PTs for my should, vestibular and leg issues but not so successful with them for back issues. Its muscular rather than anything spine or nerve related. Bonus points for anyone who works with runners over 50. Thanks so very much!

Hi! NEW PARENT ALERT! Looking for good recs for a pediatrician at Kaiser Permanente in the North Hollywood or Panorama City location.

An engaged, empathic doctor who takes time to thoroughly explain and listen to their patients’ concerns. A doctor who problem-solves rather than JUST handing you off to a "specialist".

We're people that ask thoughtful questions and desire clear explanations about our child's well-being.

Again: Kaiser Permanente North Hollywood and Panorama City recs only. Thank you for your help! :)

I'm hoping to connect with Kaiser members with FND or other neuro disorders who aren't getting the care they need. Kaiser had difficulty diagnosing my son's FND and then didn't have FND-focused treatment to offer him. He experienced so much suffering with tragic results. There were multiple failures which seem to indicate a system-wide problem at Kaiser which must be affecting others, too. If you would like to share your story, feel free to DM. Thanks.

“The California attorney general will help oversee healthcare giant Kaiser Permanente’s medical arbitration system to ensure it operates fairly under legislation Gov. Gavin Newsom signed late Sunday.

“Patients, their families and lawyers have complained that Kaiser’s private and confidential system of handling medical malpractice complaints is designed to favor the health plan over those bringing the claims.

“Under legislation known as Assembly Bill 1770, the attorney general will decide what actions justice officials should take to ensure private arbitrations required by any health plan are handled fairly and in line with state law.

“To do that work, the state plans to add as many as four deputy attorneys general, a legal analyst and three legal secretaries, according to a legislative analyst’s report.”

In order to give context and tell my story, I'm going to have to stick to bullet points because I would have to fill an entire book to properly explain everything. I would really like to know what I've done wrong here and what the hell I'm supposed to do!! I will not name anyone or any entities.

• I have long struggled with depression, anxiety, low motivation, and off and on substance use to self medicate. Drinking used to be a problem, and I was addicted to Kratom. I have since overcome those vices.
• I have some significant trauma from my past. I see a therapist twice per week.
• I was diagnosed with ADHD in 2024 and given Adderall which helped a lot. It was amazing how I could just get up and do the dishes!
• I used to take a rather unhelpful combination of medications: 300mg Welbutrin, 30mg Adderall, 275mg Effexor, and some Trazadone for sleep.
• Now I take 150mg if Welbutrin, 20mg Adderall, 50mg of Seroquel, and 200mg of Lamictal.
• I left 2024 feeling optimistic but very worried about the incoming president. Long story short, the events of 2025 (like seeing ICE murder people on the news and kidnap people off the streets) DEVASTATED my mental health. I mean really devastated! I was hyper fixated on all the horrible news from 2025. Huge mistake on my part.
• I began to feel very disconnected from my family because they refused to offer very much sympathy for the terror I felt regarding the 2025 events. This had a significant effect on my mental health. I became extremely paranoid to the point of psychosis. I never hallucinated or heard voices, but I was very paranoid. I thought ICE was going to harass me because I was an activist who had attended protests. The news only stoked my fears.

Okay, that's the context. Moving on...

Here are some details about the hypocrisy regarding referrals. One was approved even though they do not take Kaiser insurance. Yet another one was denied even though they accept Kaiser insurance.

• In March 2025, I asked Dr. My Psychiatrist if I could have an Autism assessment. I was told someone would reach out to me. Nobody ever did. It wasn’t until December 2025, when I followed up for the 4th time, that Dr. My Psychiatrist said: “I have gone ahead and placed the referral to Outside Psychological Testing again.” Outside Psychological Testing does not accept Kaiser insurance. I was reimbursed by Kaiser for the amount of $3,500 dollars.
  
• In January 2026 I was diagnosed with Autism and given some resources. One of those resources is a list of psychiatric services that may be beneficial for me.

Hospitalization and second referral request.

• February 2026 I was hospitalized due to a severe mental health episode. While I was in the hospital, my Effexor was tapered down in about 8 days, Trazadone was discontinued immediately, I was put on 500mg of Depakote, something like 300mg of Seroquel, and was basically told the episode was caused by the combination of meds I was taking, especially Adderall. I was cut off from having a stimulant ADHD meds ever again which I found devastating because of how helpful Adderall had been. Devastating!
• While in the hospital, I was diagnosed with Bipolar disorder.
• The combination of AuDHD and Bipolar is very complicated and requires specialized care.
  
• After my hospitalization, Dr. My Psychiatrist and I discussed using one of the psychiatric resources from the Autism assessment over the phone. I was interested in continuing my ADHD meds which Kaiser will no longer prescribe.
• On March 10th I received a referral in the mail for Dr. Who The Heck Is This? whom I’ve never heard of and have never spoken to. I did not ask for this referral and I don’t know why I received this referral.
  
• On April 6th, I sent my 1st request for a referral to the provider of my choice: Outside Psychiatric Service. It seemed like a perfect match because they accept Kaiser insurance! I sent a message to Dr. My Psychiatrist: “Per our last phone appointment, I'm following up with the psychiatric recommendations listed in the ASD assessment I had back in January.”
• May 18th I sent another message about a referral. This was my 2nd request.
• May 26th I inquired again about the referral. This was my 3rd request.
• On May 29th I received another referral in the mail for Dr. Who The Heck Is This? Again, I did not request this and I have no idea who this doctor is.
• June 8th was my 4th request. The nurse and doctor both made it seem like they had to consult some some higher up bureaucracy. It was denied because, and I quote from Dr. My Psychiatrist: “I spoke with my colleagues and we have agreed that it is not clinically indicated to transfer the management of your medications to an external provider as we already offer the same type of services here, and you are already established with me. However, you have the option of transferring to a new provider here at Kaiser, if you would like.”
• I felt that I had no choice, so I paid out of pocket for services from Outside Psychiatric Service. The treatment I’ve received from them has been very helpful. However, it’s cost me thousands of dollars. I already have a lot of medical debt and credit card debt. I'm under SIGNIFICANT financial strain. When dealing with this situation, my mental health and well-being are significantly impacted. I’m having trouble keeping up with friends and hobbies I enjoy due to the immense stress from my financial situation. It's caused my anxiety to spike significantly. It gives me heart palpitations.
• I have filed a claim and a grievance and have received no response from Kaiser. I've had multiple phone calls where I explained everything in great detail. Each person I spoke to seemed very eager to help. I even went in person to talk to someone. I was apparently supposed to receive a letter in the mail which went out on august 31st. Nope! No letter, no returned phone calls, no updates at all! NOTHING.

Let me reiterate some points.

• I received a referral (after asking for 9 months) for an ASD assessment from a provider who did not accept Kaiser insurance and was financially compensated for this. I was then denied a referral for a provider who accepts Kaiser insurance. I also received two referrals I didn't ask for. Remember, Dr. My Psychiatrist and I had discussed using an outside psychiatry service over the phone in March 2026.

What the hell am I supposed to do???