I hate Kaiser. A lot.

[kellykapowski]

Poof.  My H's doctor is a jerk.  That's all folks!

[Deleted]

It sounds like he did it to save himself the work. This can be a sexist suggestion but this sounds more like a lazy one

[shostakovich]

Okay, "the entire penis team" made me laugh

But I'd say the issue is more with your H's PCP for his suggestion of an IUD instead, and likely with your medical group, than with your insurance. I have a condition that I often have to see specialists for, and the process above (other than taking 3 CLASSES, wtf?) doesn't sound too far off from the referral process I normally go through.

Sorry it's such a headache, though

[tripleshot]

That's fucking ridiculous! DH just had his (second) vasectomy and we just called our PCP for the name of a urologist. Called the urologist and scheduled a consultation to talk about what the surgery entails. Then scheduled the procedure with that same urologist. So 2 appointments-consultation and surgery.

I'd be blowing up whoever is in charge of this cluster duck of a process.

[shell24]

Mar 26, 2015 13:40:41 GMT -5 elle said:

It sounds like he did it to save himself the work. This can be a sexist suggestion but this sounds more like a lazy one

I agree. That is a lot of damn work to go through!

[wambam]

I find it infuriating that it's so difficult for people to make decisions about their own damn fertility. You have to jump through all these hoops just because you either do not want children, or do not want any more children.

I've watched my BFF struggle with this for two years now, trying to find a doctor that believes her that she wants to be child free. Ugggghhhh.

[themysteriouswife]

We have KP. H made an appointment with urologist and they sent him for one class. He called back and scheduled the vesectomy. I would call member services and get theirs advice.

He did get a referral from emailing his PCP

[panbitch]

His PCP gets to decide if he is finished fathering children?

[shoeaholic]

Honestly, I think it's nuts that they all have to get up in his junk (see what I did there?) to confirm he knows what it means to get it done. Pretty sure guys have a clue about what the decision means.

Having said that, if you count up all the visits you made to an gyn over the years to be on a birth control, he can cough up a little inconvenience that has a finite end time.

[gault]

This reminds me of when my gyno told me to suck it up when I said I have breakthrough bleeding for weeks at a time with my bc, and I wanted to try for mirena.

[erbear]

I'd find a new doctor.

FWIW, my husband had a vasectomy and no doctor counseled him or consulted me. No "penis team" met to talk about his junk. Because, ya know, he's an adult and gets to make medical decisions about his body.

[kellykapowski]

I'm not on his insurance plan, thankfully. I have a PPO through my employer, so I admit I'm jaded as PPOs tend to be way easier to navigate (not always, but definitely fewer hoop jumping). I get the whole referral process is standard on other plans, though, so that part doesn't bug me as much as it makes me feel bad for all these steps H has to take. I'm more irritated about his suggestion that I just handle it instead. Why can't we decide what's best for our family's fertility? Why must the onus be on me? He and I agreed that it's his turn to take on the procreation responsibility. You know, because we are adults and we know how to make decisions on our own and whatnot.

[kellykapowski]

Mar 26, 2015 13:59:01 GMT -5 mofongo said:

I guess it's not called Kaiser 'Permanente' for nothing. Sorry though, that's quite a lot of hoops for a V.

ETA: Urologists do surgeries, so I don't know why he'd need to see another 'surgeon'?

H relayed all this information to me.  He was just as perplexed at the whole process, so who knows.  I do know that for every other procedure he's ever had done, he's had to go through several levels of doctors to finally get what he needs?  

[open24hours]

That sounds like way too many hoops to jump through for a vasectomy. I'm sorry. I have Kaiser too and navigating the system can be very frustrating.

[emoflamingo]

Wait, his PCP told him this or his insurance did? I'd call the insurance company to verify what his PCP said.

[Deleted]

H got his vasectomy through Kaiser (northern california - I understand the southern california kaiser isn't as good) but it was great and very easy. He did have to go to the class, but it was an hour of watching a video.

[Deleted]

Mar 26, 2015 13:45:36 GMT -5 AutumnRose25 said:

Mar 26, 2015 13:42:26 GMT -5 tripleshot said:

That's fucking ridiculous! DH just had his (second) vasectomy and we just called our PCP for the name of a urologist. Called the urologist and scheduled a consultation to talk about what the surgery entails. Then scheduled the procedure with that same urologist. So 2 appointments-consultation and surgery.

I'd be blowing up whoever is in charge of this cluster duck of a process.

Different insurance companies have different policies. 

It's not like there is someone you can call to bitch at for the policy that would be able to change it LOL

And can you imagine being the poor CS rep who is getting reamed for a policy they didn't even create?

I don't think it's unreasonable to complain to a CS rep about a policy you find ridiculous, unhelpful, or not in their customers best interest. It is unreasonable to ream the CS rep, yes. But at a good company, they should be able to pass along feedback from the customers to those who are responsible for changing those policies.

[kellykapowski]

Mar 26, 2015 14:12:18 GMT -5 emoflamingo said:

Wait, his PCP told him this or his insurance did? I'd call the insurance company to verify what his PCP said.

His PCP told him this.  He was there for a check up and asked about what needed to be done and the PCP gave him this breakdown.

I'll tell him to call KP to confirm, but given how he's had to go through these types of hoops before, I wouldn't be surprised if this is pretty close to accurate.

[ginap]

Mar 26, 2015 14:14:21 GMT -5 @heyitsme said:

H got his vasectomy through Kaiser (northern california - I understand the southern california kaiser isn't as good) but it was great and very easy. He did have to go to the class, but it was an hour of watching a video.

So funny, I have heard the total opposite - that the NorCa Kaiser sucks.  We live in SoCal and I LOVE Kaiser. 

[Saint Monica]

[Saint Monica]

In all seriousness that doctor sucked.

also

Health insurance companies (imo, in general) suck.

[ginger]

The stupidness aside about suggesting an IUD instead, how old is your husband. The whole process sounds INSANE!

[Deleted]

Mar 26, 2015 14:42:09 GMT -5 ginap said:

Mar 26, 2015 14:14:21 GMT -5 @heyitsme said:

H got his vasectomy through Kaiser (northern california - I understand the southern california kaiser isn't as good) but it was great and very easy. He did have to go to the class, but it was an hour of watching a video.

So funny, I have heard the total opposite - that the NorCa Kaiser sucks.  We live in SoCal and I LOVE Kaiser. 

Awesome!  I love Kaiser.  My H had no interest but I told him to just try it a year.  He will never go back.  He loves it - and he's had some serious health issues so he's certainly tested them out!

[wannabe]

Yikes! We have kaiser and it wasn't anywhere near that difficult to get the hub snipped. I hope it all works out for you guys quickly.

[ginap]

Mar 26, 2015 14:50:25 GMT -5 @heyitsme said:

Mar 26, 2015 14:42:09 GMT -5 ginap said:

So funny, I have heard the total opposite - that the NorCa Kaiser sucks.  We live in SoCal and I LOVE Kaiser. 

Awesome!  I love Kaiser.  My H had no interest but I told him to just try it a year.  He will never go back.  He loves it - and he's had some serious health issues so he's certainly tested them out!

My emergency c-section and 2 day hospital stay cost me $250.  My elbow surgery cost me $100.  I love that every provider you see has all of your information right in front of them and can reference previous visits.  :Y:

[Deleted]

In my experience, doctors rarely know the ins and outs of insurance. I'd find a urologist and call them and see if they take your insurance and try to just make an appointment.

[emoflamingo]

Mar 26, 2015 14:17:03 GMT -5 kellykapowski said:

Mar 26, 2015 14:12:18 GMT -5 emoflamingo said:

Wait, his PCP told him this or his insurance did? I'd call the insurance company to verify what his PCP said.

His PCP told him this.  He was there for a check up and asked about what needed to be done and the PCP gave him this breakdown.

I'll tell him to call KP to confirm, but given how he's had to go through these types of hoops before, I wouldn't be surprised if this is pretty close to accurate.

PCPs don't know the ins and outs of all the plans so I always advocate for calling the insurance company.

I don't PERSONALLY work for an insurance company, but I have family who do and even the employees of the company don't know the ins and outs of every plan they have, they can only tell you about the one you're enrolled in at the time.

ETA: I call for a lot of verification on my policy - especially when it comes to seeing specialists. My DS1 sees a specialist out of network and I wanted to make sure I didn't need a referral to have DS2 see the same one so I called prior to making any appointments.

[Deleted]

I'd just like to know how I can become part of the penis team.

[Deleted]

Op, that really does suck. Navigating the health care system can be incredibly frustrating. I really hope it's not that many hoops!

[So_Fetch]

Mar 26, 2015 14:42:09 GMT -5 ginap said:

Mar 26, 2015 14:14:21 GMT -5 @heyitsme said:

H got his vasectomy through Kaiser (northern california - I understand the southern california kaiser isn't as good) but it was great and very easy. He did have to go to the class, but it was an hour of watching a video.

So funny, I have heard the total opposite - that the NorCa Kaiser sucks.  We live in SoCal and I LOVE Kaiser. 

I've heard terrible things about Kaiser (I'm in norcal) but we have had pretty good luck with them.  I had to have gallbladder surgery and it was scheduled in a week and cost me $15.  My friend's husband has Kaiser and is lookinga at getting a v- he has to go to a class/watch a video before they will schedule the surgery.  But no other appointments are needed.
(why do I know all this?!)