Estimate Your Requirement With A Free Health Insurance Quote

If you're searching for health insurance, but don't know where to start, try estimating your needs with a free health insurance quote. Simply enter some information about yourself and your family in the box below or call us today at 1-800-123-4567.

Free Health Insurance Quote

Victor Ortega, 32, of Los Angeles has had a free health insurance quote through Blue Shield of California for the past 18 years. "I started at the age of 26," he said. "Prior to that I was on my parents' plan." Now, as a husband and father to two children, he has one of his own.

The plan covers himself, his wife and their kids: Maria, 4, and Luis Jr., 23 months. They all get their primary care through Kaiser Permanente Medical Group's Los Angeles offices in Monterey Park and El Monte. Both are general pediatricians who work with all ages from newborns to adolescents.

"I do everything from immunizations and regular checkups to asthma testing, wound care and dental care," Ortega said. "I'm assigned for the kids' health care. My wife has a primary-care doctor. And the pediatrician bills are all paid by Kaiser. It's very convenient."

Ortega said his wife also sees her primary doctor and sees the pediatrician through Kaiser's Southern California network.

He was born in Puerto Rico, grew up in Baldwin Park and is a 2001 graduate of Cherry Creek High School. He came to the United States at age 5 with his father, who worked for a corporate company in San Diego as an electrical engineer and computer programmer. "We've been here about 16 years," he said.

He earned an associate degree in information technology from El Camino College and is now taking courses at Compton College to finish his bachelor's degree in business administration.

"I want to work in the computer field," Ortega said. "I'm going to school for computers."

He currently works full time at a medical-management company that does software and training for physicians' offices, hospitals and other companies, but his own personal insurance has him working part-time. In addition to health insurance, he also got coverage through work when he was with the Army National Guard.

"I've only been to the emergency room a couple of times," Ortega said. "But for the most part, I have not had any problems."

Ortega has paid less than $1,500 in premiums annually for himself, his wife and their two kids. That amount was based on Kaiser's rates for family coverage. But he's been steadily increasing his premium each year "because we all use it."

He said he initially paid $200 a month when he first switched to Kaiser; that rose to $300 a month about six years ago and from there, it doubled every year until now. "When my kids were younger, I started paying $600 to $800 a month," he said. "But now that they're older, it's gone down to about $500."

"I believe it's an investment," Ortega added. "It's worth the investment because you spend a lot of money on things and your health is the most important thing."

He works with Kaiser's HMO Permanente plan and said it covers his family well. "There are no co-pays or co-insurance," he said. "If you can't pay the first time, they'll pay for it themselves."

For more information on free health insurance quotes, visit http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/index.aspx?id=542&x=2&y=4, or call Blue Shield's toll-free hotline at 1-800-336-1657.

Blue Shield of California is an independent regional nonprofit health plan serving California's 17 counties with other states' members. For more information on Kaiser Permanente, visit http://www.kaiserpermanente.com or call 800-KAPAHA (1-800-525-2240), Monday through Friday, 7 a.m.-9 p.m., Pacific time; weekdays 7 a.m.-6 p.m., Eastern time; Saturdays 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Eastern time.

You can also go to the Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Pacific's website at http://www.kaiserhealthplanofpacific.org or call 1-800-811-4259, Monday through Friday, 7 a.m.-6 p.m., Pacific time; weekdays 7 a.m.-6 p.m., Eastern time; Saturdays 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Eastern time, for more information on Kaiser Permanente and Blue Shield of California's policies and services or to find out about free health insurance quotes offered by other Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans in your area.

Blue Shield is the only regional health plan in California to be recognized by the National Committee for Quality Assurance as a Platinum-level health plan. You can go to www.healthstarapp.com/blueshield for more information about Blue Shield and its policies and services.

OvaCare is also an independent regional nonprofit health care provider that serves Kaiser's Southern California members through Blue Shield of California's network of participating doctors and hospitals. For more information on Kaiser Permanente, visit http://www.kaiserpermanente.com or call 800-KAPAHA (1-800-525-2240), Monday through Friday, 7 a.m.-9 p.m. Pacific time; weekdays 7 a.m.-6 p.m., Eastern time; Saturdays 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Eastern time, for more information on Kaiser Permanente and Blue Shield of California's policies and services or to find out about free health insurance quotes offered by other Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans in your area.

About Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Pacific:

Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Pacific (KFHP) is Pacific Area Division of Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc. (KFH), one of America's largest and oldest nonprofit health insurance companies. Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Pacific provides coverage to 1.6 million families and individuals, including those who are not eligible for full Federal employee benefits programs like the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) or Medicare. For more information about KFHP, visit http://www.kaiserhealthplanofpacific.org or call 1-800-811-4259, Monday through Friday, 7 a.m.-6 p.m., Pacific time; weekdays 7 a.m.-6 p.m., Eastern time; Saturdays 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Conclusion:

Perez Ortega and his family are some of Kaiser Permanente's hardest-working members, and they deserve a lot more than the current market penetration of HMOs. It is time for the industry to wake up to the possibilities in participating in a broader array of health care arrangements that include fully paid, full service hospitals with post-acute services, fully paid physicians' offices with 100% payments for all office visits and follow-up care, and fully paid state-of-the art laboratories with Medicare or Medicaid reimbursement for medically necessary treatment. The next 10 years will be critical to the success or failure of this effort.