Why Choice Products?

Home > 3 Tier Point-of-Service Plan > Why Choice Products?

The 3 Tier Point-of-Service (POS) plan empowers you to make decisions about how you receive care and who you receive it from. You can receive care from providers in the HMO In-Network Provider Tier, Participating Provider Tier, or from any licensed physician or facility you choose in the Non-Participating Provider Tier.

You’re free to choose whatever provider you prefer, whenever you receive care.

What does each Tier offer?

HMO In-Network Provider Tier:

Fully coordinated, high-quality care, lowest cost of the three Tiers.

In this tier, choose physicians and specialists and some affiliated providers.
Kaiser Permanente Providers are connected to your electronic health record, so they’re up-to-date on your care.
Lowest out-of-pocket costs compared to the Participating Provider Tier and Non-Participating Provider Tier.
Most medical offices across the region offer many services conveniently under one roof, including pharmacy, imaging, lab, primary care physicians and specialists, and urgent care services.
Your primary care physician coordinates your care. When you need specialty care, you and your doctor will find the specialist right for you and coordinate the referral. Specialists can often be seen within a few days or even sooner.
No claims paperwork is required.

Participating Provider Tier:

A wide network of providers with managed out-of-pocket costs.

Choose from an extensive network of participating providers across the country.
We’ve contracted with First Health® and the Cigna PPO Network to manage provider costs.
Your out-of-pocket costs will be higher than in the HMO In-Network Provider Tier and usually less than Non-Participating Provider Tier.
Your physician will complete a claim form, just as with most traditional health plans.
You can see most specialists in this network without a referral.
Certain services require prior authorization/pre-certification with First Health providers within Colorado and other Kaiser Permanente states (CA, GA, HI, MD, OR, VA, WA and DC). If using the Cigna PPO Network for care in non-Kaiser Permanente states, the Cigna PPO providers are responsible for obtaining pre-certification on your behalf when pre-certification is required. You won’t be financially responsible if a Cigna PPO provider fails to obtain pre-certification for covered services

Non-Participating Provider Tier:

Care from any licensed provider in the U.S., highest out-of-pocket costs.

You can receive care from any licensed care provider in the U.S., including physicians, specialists, hospital, or laboratory (outside of the HMO In-Network Provider Tier or Participating Provider Tier).
Your out-of-pocket costs will usually be the highest with this Tier.
You may have to pay the provider directly at the point of service.
A claim form will have to be completed, just as with most traditional health plans. If you are required to pay out of pocket at the point of service, you can complete a medical claim form and submit it for reimbursement from your insurance carrier.
You can see any specialist you choose without a referral.
Certain services require prior authorization/pre-certification.

View Kaiser Permanente’s Sample Coverage Documents:

FOR future members – To view our SAMPLE plan documents, click here and choose the line of business and state from the dropdown menu and review items to assist in your plan choice.

FOR current members – The sample documents may vary from your actual benefits. To view a copy of your specific plan documents, please log into kp.org or contact Customer Service at 1-855-364-3184 (TTY 711), Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Mountain time.

Get the care you need. Choice Products empower you to choose how and where you get covered care.
Manage your care and costs. You choose your provider.
Preventive care. It’s covered at no cost to you, when you see a HMO In-Network Provider or Participating Provider.
Pharmacy services. Most Kaiser Permanente medical offices have on-site pharmacies. You can also have prescriptions filled at retail pharmacies across the country.

Check here for more about pharmacy services, finding doctors and facilities, and the benefits of Choice Products.

Are Choice Products right for you?

Here are some examples of how people use Choice Products to get the care they want:

Tracey: Gets great family care, keeps her specialist, and manages costs.

Tracey’s young family appreciates all the services, convenience, and urgent care at their nearby Kaiser Permanente medical office. Tracey’s orthopedist is part of the First Health Network®. With the HMO In-Network Provider Tier, the family can take advantage of Kaiser Permanente’s coordinated care. With the Participating Provider Tier, Tracey can manage her out-of-pocket costs for her specialist.

For employers, Choice Products are a great all-in-one solution:

Give your valuable employees full choice in their providers, and allow them to determine and manage their health care costs.
Having three Tiers of providers to choose from gives your valued employees what they need to be healthier and more productive every day.
The versatility and benefits of Choice Products can help attract and retain employees.
Your company has the convenience of one health care provider for all your employee benefits administration.
Offer it side-by-side with HMO, DHMO, or HDHP plans to decrease your company’s overall health care costs, and still offer your employees plan choice.

How the Choice Products plan works for your company and employees.

With Choice Products, you can offer your participating employees three Tiers of providers when they receive care:

HMO In-Network Provider Tier. Members can receive in-network care from Kaiser Permanente’s highly rated integrated healthcare delivery system through our Kaiser Permanente Providers practicing exclusively at our medical offices. This Tier provides the most coordinated care with the lowest out-of-pocket costs, with no or lower deductible. Preventive care is at no cost. Members can also use kp.org and our mobile app to schedule certain appointments, email their doctors, view lab results, and refill prescriptions online.
Participating Provider Tier. With the Participating Provider Tier, members can select their providers based on location to manage provider costs. Certain services are subject to deductible, with coinsurance after the deductible has been met. Some services including office visits and urgent care are offered at a copay.

In Kaiser Permanente States: The First Health® Network provides access to care in the Kaiser Permanente states of CA, CO, GA, HI, MD, OR, VA, WA, and DC.

Non-Kaiser Permanente States: The CignaPPONetwork* only provides access to care in non-Kaiser Permanente states.

*Disclaimer: The Cigna PPO Network refers to the health care providers (doctors, hospitals, specialists) contracted as part of the Cigna PPO for Shared Administration

Non-Participating Provider Tier. Members can receive services from any licensed provider or facility they choose outside the HMO In-Network Provider Tier and Participating Provider Tier. Members pay deductibles, coinsurance, and any difference between the cost of the service and payment provided. Out-of-pocket costs are generally the highest under this Tier.
Learn more about what’s included in the HMO In-Network Provider Tier, Participating Provider Tier, and Non-Participating Provider Tier, and how they work.
Choice Products also includes: preventive care, pharmacy services, worldwide coverage, and customized case management services for serious, complicated, or high-cost illnesses.

Employers’ frequently asked questions

What are the pharmacy choices under Choice Products?

Members have several choices for having their prescriptions filled.

Most Kaiser Permanente medical offices have on-site pharmacies. Members can fill prescriptions written by providers in the HMO In-Network Provider Tier, Participating Provider Tier, and Non-Participating Provider Tier at pharmacies located in Kaiser Permanente medical offices, at the lowest out-of-pocket costs among the three Tiers.
KPIC has contracted with MedImpact to fill outpatient prescriptions at participating retail pharmacies—including Rite Aid, Safeway, Walgreens, and many supermarket chains. (Not all pharmacies in a chain may participate).
Members can also choose to receive prescriptions by mail at Kaiser Permanente medical offices.*
Members also can fill prescriptions at any pharmacy outside the Kaiser Permanente medical office and MedImpact network.
Learn more about pharmacy services.

What are guidelines regarding prior approval?

For care with Kaiser Permanente Providers, the provider will arrange for prior authorization, if required, for certain services.
For care with Participating Providers, Participating Providers must obtain pre-certification for inpatient services and certain outpatient surgeries, services and procedures when with First Health providers in Colorado and other Kaiser Permanente states. If using the Cigna PPO Network for care in non-Kaiser Permanente states, the Cigna PPO providers are responsible for obtaining pre-certification on your behalf when pre-certification is required. You won’t be financially responsible if a Cigna PPO provider fails to obtain pre-certification for covered services.
For care with Non-Participating Providers, members must obtain pre-certification for inpatient services, and certain outpatient surgeries, services, and procedures.
Learn more about pre-certification.

How are new members on-boarded?

Onboarding includes: Comprehensive New Member Welcome handbooks, an onboarding call from Customer Service agents, and a help line for any questions, from accessing care to transferring prescriptions.

Who do we contact for product pricing or to purchase Choice Products?

Contact Kaiser Permanente at any time through our Business Plans contact page.

Who processes claims?

The plans that underwrite HMO In-Network Provider Tier, Participating Provider Tier, and Non-Participating Provider Tier, process the claims:

Kaiser Foundation Health Plan (KFHP) of Colorado, Inc., underwrites the HMO In-Network Provider Tier.
Kaiser Permanente Insurance Company (KPIC), a subsidiary of Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc., underwrites the Participating Provider Tier and Non-Participating Provider Tier.

*A program operated or arranged by health plan that distributes prescription drugs to members via mail. Some medications are not eligible for the Mail Service Delivery Program. These may include, but are not limited to, drugs that are time or temperature sensitive, drugs that cannot legally be sent by U.S. mail, and drugs that require professional administration or observation. We cannot mail drugs to an address outside the state of Colorado.