How is Kaiser for DS care?

I am thinking about switching my insurance to Kaiser.  Blue Shield is just too high any more.

I wondered if Kaiser had a good bariatric department, and if their nutritionists are any good.

Any of you have Kaiser?

Good Question! I have Kaiser as well. I am having my surgery done in Feb with Dr. K :-)

I had to appeal to the CA state insurance board to get my DS paid for by Kaiser three years ago. I believe they are approving more DS's now. It was not too difficult to do the appeal and there are people on both boards that might help. (you cannot let Kaiser know you want the DS until after they admit you into the bariatric program.) My after care with Kaiser was excellent. I think it all depends on who your personal physician is and you should interview a few people before choosing. I had to leave Kaiser this year because my husband's company doesn't cover us anymore with them. I was very satisfied with their system. (other than the fact they don't have a DS surgeon in the system in N. CA.)

I wonder if they'll have any good DS specific nutritional guidance. That would be my worry and if they will pull the labs you want. They seem pretty bossy.  2 cents.

--gina

There are very few nutritionists or dieticians that are any good for DSers.  They just won't embrace the level of our malabsorption and say that it's okay to eat high fat.

I never used Kaiser for a DS nutrition consult. I know they have wonderful consults for diabetics nutrition and I would think you might be able to find one willing to research your DS needs. I depend on my surgeon and the boards for my nut info.  My personal  physician was very supportive after approval. She even gave me a personal phone call the day I got home from the surgery even though my surgery was at a non Kaiser hospital. In Nor Cal we are very lucky to be referred to Dr. Rabkin in San Francisco.  All I had to do was to email him my surgeons lab orders and they were sent to the Kaiser laboratory. No problem.

I find that Northern and Southern California Kaiser can be quite different.

Thanks for the info.

I tried to go to Rabkin before my surgery, but he doesn't accept my insurance.  And getting PAMF to refer me to him is like pulling teeth because they have 3 bariatric departments between Palo Alto and Santa Cruz (all RNY orientated). 

It took me countless hours working to get a referal to Rabkin just for a consult - Rabkin's office was worthless in saying it all had to come from PAMF, and PAMF was more than willing to blame Rabkin's office for not putting in the proper paperwork.  So the referral was never granted. 

Having Kaiser refer you to Rabkin is wonderful.  I will have to look into the Kaiser option. 

Being in Santa Cruz, I hate the thought of driving to SF.  It seems strange that there are no decent DS surgeons in the valley.

Kaiser only "referred" Gail to Dr. Rabkin after she won an external appeal for the DS through the DMHC (dept of managed health care).  Had it not been for that, she never would have been sent to him. Kaiser in NorCal does send people with a bmi over 50 to Dr. Rabkin, IF they know about the DS and request it. But they don't inform people of this option themselves, the patient has to know about it from other sources.

As to finding a "decent DS surgeon" closer to Santa Cruz, there are no DS surgeons closer than SF, decent or otherwise. But since you have already had your DS, hopefully you can arrange for follow-up labs and such through your pcp. And if your pcp won't get on board, find a different pcp. PAMP is a big organization and has lots of pcp's.

And I realize this is still some distance for you, but we have a monthly support group meeting in San Jose that you would be welcome to join regardless of who your surgeon was. The group is sponsored by Pacific Laparoscopy, the practice of Dr. Rabkin, but anyone interested in the DS, or not sure and wanting to learn more, is very welcome. Let me know if you want more details.

Larra

I have the details of the next meeting on my calender.  Thanks for the invite.

Thanks for explaining that Kaiser isn't going to be any better than PAMF.  I am trying to bridge the need to have follow ups with a DS team, but I really do not want to drive to LA to have a follow up with my original surgeon. 

I'm a newbie, so it's a bit unnerving.  I'm just thrashing in the deep end looking for a firmer grip on labs and malabsorbtion.

My BMI was almost 60, when a Kaiser bariatric surgeon suggested I get the DS with Dr. Rabkin.  I had never heard of the procedure.  This was in October 2012.  Maybe Kaiser is evolving, or at least, the surgery department at Richmond.