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Kaiser Permanente vs. Oscar Insurance
Which health insurance company is the best option for you and your family? Compare Kaiser Permanente and Oscar side by side.
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 Written & Edited by Fran Majidi Fran MajidiFran Majidi manages content on SmartFinancial's website. She's had nearly a decade's worth of experience writing about i... Read more |
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Kaiser Permanente vs. Oscar: What You Need to Know
After the war ended the shipyard workforce fell from 90,000 to 13,000. Only 12 of 75 medical group providers remained. On July 21, 1945, the Permanente Health Plan opened to the public to continue the health care delivery set up by Kaiser and Garfield. In 10 years, more than 300,000 people enrolled in Northern California with the support of two unions, the International Longshoremen’s and Warehousemen’s Union and the Retail Clerks Union.
In 1953, the name of the health plan and the hospitals were changed from Permanente to Kaiser Permanente. Even today, there are ties between the nonprofit Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Hospitals and the Permanente Medical Groups.
In 2017, Oscar entered the small group insurance market in New York. That summer, Oscar announced its partnership with Cleveland Clinic to offer individual health insurance plans to consumers in five counties in Ohio. Later that year, they also entered Tennessee, Texas, New Jersey, and California.
A technology-focused health insurance company, today Oscar focuses on the health insurance industry through telemedicine. Oscar Insurance health plans are available through the health insurance marketplaces in New York, Texas, and California.
To learn more about each company, you can check out the Kaiser Permanente Overview and Oscar Overview.
What is Kaiser Permanente and Oscar Insurance Rating?
Which health insurance company is better? We've made it easy to compare companies side by side. See how Kaiser Permanente and Oscar ranked among the industry ratings.
| Comparison | Kaiser Permanente | Oscar |
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1945 | 2012 |
| Medicare Star Rating | 5 stars (out of 5) | |
| BBB Rating | A+ | A+ |
| NAIC Complaint Index | 0.36% for group health | 12% |
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Pros & Cons of Kaiser Permanente or Oscar
Pros
Kaiser Permanente
- Affordable marketplace plans with different tiers of coverage.
- Low complaint ratio for group health plans.
Oscar
- Affordable marketplace plans with different tiers of coverage.
- Health plan concierges who offer guidance and answer questions.
- Very low complaint ratio, which means they offer great customer service.
Cons
Kaiser Permanente
- Kaiser Permanente is only available in California, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Maryland, Oregon, Virginia, and Washington D.C.
Oscar
- Oscar Health Insurance is only available in New York, California, Texas, New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee, Arizona, Florida, and Michigan.
Kaiser Permanente and Oscar Mobile Apps Options
The Kaiser Permanente app allows users to find doctors, hospitals, and pharmacies, view claims, and pay your bill. They also offer an app called Humana Pharmacy which helps you to manage your prescriptions.
The Oscar app allows you to access your health information anytime you need it. It allows you to search for doctors & drugs and even have virtual visits with a doctor.
| Kaiser Permanente Mobile App | ||
|---|---|---|
| iOS | 3.1 | 2K users |
| Android | 4.3 | 16,728 users |
| Oscar Mobile App | ||
|---|---|---|
| iOS | 4.8 | 2.5K users |
| Android | 3.3 | 433 users |
Kaiser Permanente and Oscar Enrollment Process
Kaiser Permanente
Kaiser Permanente offers plans through the health insurance marketplace. You can begin searching plans here or you can get several free health insurance quotes.
Each state has its own marketplace. If you’re not sure where to begin, visit https://www.healthcare.gov/. You can also schedule a personal appointment with a local Kaiser Permanente Medicare specialist: 1-866-973-4588.
Oscar
Oscar Health Insurance offers plans through the health insurance marketplace. You can begin searching plans here or you can get several free health insurance quotes with SmartFinancial.
Each state has their own marketplace. If you’re not sure where to begin, visit https://www.healthcare.gov/.
How to File a Claim with Kaiser Permanente and Oscar Insurance
Kaiser Permanente
To submit claims for reimbursement, contact member services at 1-888-901-4636. Otherwise, you should be covered except for copay. If you need reimbursement for Medicare Part D prescriptions, you must use the Member reimbursement drug claim form (PDF). For all other prescriptions (non-Medicare and Medicare without Part D) you must use this Prescription claim form (PDF).
Oscar
Your doctor or care provider should submit a claim to the insurer. You should be covered except for copay. Your insurer will send you an explanation of benefits. If you owe anything, your doctor will send you a bill. If you visit an out-of-network provider, you will not be covered unless it was an emergency. Call 855-672-2755 with any additional questions.
Common Questions About Oscar and Kaiser Permanente Insurance
Kaiser Permanente
Does Kaiser Insurance cover ambulance?
Kaiser Permanente covers ambulance cost if the transportation is necessary or if a Kaiser Permanente physician or authorized staff member orders the ambulance or instructs the patient to call 911.
Does Kaiser cover therapists?
Kaiser offers mental health and wellness services with their basic plans, without charging extra.
How much is Kaiser Insurance?
In 2018, the average premium for single coverage was $575 per month or $6,896 per year. For a family, the average was $1,635 per month or $19,616 per year.
How to change Kaiser health insurance plans:
If you want to change an HMO plan to a PPO plan or vice versa, you’ll have to wait for the open enrollment period before the new year to make changes to your health plan, unless you have a qualifying event, which would enable you to make changes to your plan at any time during the year as long as it is within a reasonable time after a qualifying event.
Check out our full list of common questions about Kaiser Permanente.
Oscar
How to cancel Oscar health insurance
To cancel Oscar health insurance, you can call Oscar health directly at 1-855-672-2788 or cancel using your account at healthcare.gov or your state’s health exchange marketplace.
How much can I save by switching to Oscar insurance?
Oscar Insurance has several options for health insurance, based on the different tiers that marketplace insurers use. Prices for plan vary from person to person but the average monthly cost for a 30-year-old is $162.09 pm the secure plan. The deductible, however, is $7,900. If you need emergency surgery, you’d have to pay the $7,900 before expenses get covered.
Is Oscar a good health insurance provider?
Oscar Insurance is a reliable company with positive ratings in customer service. Users find the online app and doctor on-call service helpful.
How to get Oscar insurance quote
You can get health insurance quotes here.
Check out our full list of common questions about Oscar.
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Kaiser Permanente and Oscar Insurance Contact Info
| Kaiser Permanente Contact Info | |
|---|---|
| Address | 1 Kaiser Plaza, Oakland, CA 94612 |
| Phone | 1 (510) 271-5910 |
| Website | https://healthy.kaiserpermanente.org/ |
| https://www.facebook.com/kpthrive/ | |
| Youtube | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqZdtT_o6xZbMkRbLZJ7Zvg |
| https://twitter.com/aboutKP | |
| https://www.linkedin.com/company/kaiser-permanente/ | |
| Oscar Contact Info | |
|---|---|
| Address | 75 Varick St. 5th Fl, New York, NY 10013 |
| Phone | 1 (844) 392-7589 |
| Website | https://www.hioscar.com/ |
| https://www.facebook.com/OscarHealth/ | |
| Youtube | https://www.youtube.com/user/OscarHealthInsurance |
| https://twitter.com/OscarHealth | |
| https://www.linkedin.com/company/oscar-health/ | |
Fran Majidi manages content on SmartFinancial's website. She's had nearly a decade's worth of experience writing about insurance-related topics. Prior, she was an arts and entertainment editor in New York City. She has a B.A. from Barnard College and an M.F.A. in writing from The New School. She writes books under her given name, Afarin Majidi.
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