You and Kaiser Permanente

We believe that a little prevention goes a long way. That's why we suggest getting familiar with Kaiser Permanente today, before you even need us.

Start right here, at kp.org. You can visit doctor home pages to learn about each physician's approach to care. Then register online to choose a physician, make routine appointments, email your doctor's office, and much more.

While you're getting to know us, be sure to check out our preventive care recommendations to keep you and your family healthy all year round.

We take your patient rights seriously. We honor your right to privacy and believe in every person's right to considerate and respectful care.

Member and patient rights and responsibilities

At Kaiser Permanente, we believe maintaining good health is a very important part of your well-being. Providing the quality health care necessary to maintain your good health requires a partnership between you and your health care professionals. You need information to make appropriate decisions about your care and lifestyle choices. Your health care professionals need your involvement to ensure you receive appropriate and effective health care. Mutual respect and cooperation are essential to this partnership.It's important to know what you can expect and what we need from you when you receive care from us.

Kaiser Permanente does not unlawfully discriminate, exclude people, or treat them differently because of age, race, ethnic group identification, color, national origin, cultural background, ancestry, religion, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, physical or mental disability, medical condition, source of payment, genetic information, citizenship, primary language, or immigration status.

NOTE: If you’re a Medicaid member, your rights & responsibilities can be found here.

Kaiser Permanente Member/Patient/Visitor Code of Conduct: We are committed to ensuring a safe, secure, and respectful environment for everyone – including our members, patients, visitors, clinicians, providers, health care teams, and employees.

Visitors are welcome at all Kaiser Permanente facilities.  Family and friends play a key role in helping loved ones recover during and after their stay in the hospital.

Patients who are capable of making decisions have the right to choose who can visit them. This includes anyone important to the patient, regardless of age, race, ethnic group identification, color, national origin, cultural background, ancestry, religion, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, physical or mental disability, citizenship, primary language, or immigration status.

We expect all individuals to demonstrate civil and respectful behavior while on our premises or in virtual or home-health care interactions.

We expressly prohibit:

Abusive Language Including Threats and Slurs

  • Engaging in any action or behavior that would reasonably be interpreted as gender, racial, cultural, religious, or sexual orientation bias.
  • Engaging in any action or behavior that would reasonably be interpreted as abusive, aggressive, inappropriate, disruptive or uncivil.

Sexual Harassment

  • Engaging in behavior that would reasonably be interpreted as sexual harassment.

Physical Assault

  • Any act or threat of violence, or intimidation by means of an act or threat of violence, or behavior that would reasonably be interpreted as an act or threat of violence.

Weapons

  • Bringing a weapon to or carrying a weapon at: any KP premises, KP working environment, or KP care delivery areas.
  • The use or brandishing of any weapon or instrument to threaten or assault anyone on KP premises or in a KP working environment, including home health care services.
About Your rights and responsibilities

At Kaiser Permanente, we believe that maintaining good health is a very important part of your well-being. Providing the quality health care necessary to maintain your good health requires building a partnership between you and your health care professionals.

You need information to make appropriate decisions about your care and lifestyle choices. Your health care professionals need your involvement to ensure you receive appropriate and effective health care. Mutual respect and cooperation are essential to this partnership.

It is important for you to know what you can expect and what we need from you when you receive care at Kaiser Permanente.

Your rights

At Kaiser Permanente, you have the right to:

Receive information about Kaiser Permanente, our services, our health care practitioners and providers, and your rights and responsibilities.

Be treated with consideration, compassion, and respect taking into account your dignity and individuality, including privacy in treatment and care without regard to your race, religion, ethnicity, color, national origin, cultural background, ancestry, language, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, physical or mental disability, genetic information, age, or financial status.

Be supported in selecting and changing clinicians and seeking a second opinion within our plan.

Participate with practitioners in making decisions about your health care.

Receive full information about your care, including a candid discussion of appropriate or medically necessary treatment options for your conditions; the benefits, risks and alternatives of recommended treatments or procedures regardless of cost or coverage; and realistic alternatives when hospital care is no longer appropriate. We'll provide information in a way you can understand and provide an interpreter if you need one.

Receive assistance when you face difficult medical ethics issues by arranging consultations with members of our ethics services staff.

Be supported if you change your mind about any procedure, refuse treatment or decline to participate in medical training programs or research projects, and inform you of the consequences of your refusal.

Be respected for your right to personal privacy and your right to make decisions about your future.

Give instructions about what is to be done if you are not able to make medical decisions for yourself. The legal documents that you can use to give your directions in advance are called "advance directives".

Timely access to your covered services and drugs. As a plan member, you have the right to get appointments and covered services from our network of providers within a reasonable amount of time. You also have the right to get your prescriptions filled or refilled at any of our network pharmacies without long delays.

Be transfered only when medically appropriate and when the receiving facility is ready to accept you.

Receive the names, professions, and educational backgrounds of the people treating you.

Expect that the confidentiality of all personal health information, communications, and records regarding your care are protected. This information will not be released to any person or entity not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente without your prior authorization. We may make exceptions to this policy only when the release of information is authorized by law or when the information is to be used for quality improvement activities, bona fide research, or statistical reporting. You may review and obtain copies of your medical or dental records, unless restricted by law or when detrimental to your own well-being. If you think part of your medical record is incorrect, you may add a statement listing your objections and corrections.

Receive a response in an appropriate, confidential, and timely manner to any concerns you have about your care or services provided, without sanction or reprisal. Membership Services will inform you of member satisfaction procedures and resources available to assist you.

Be informed of business relationships between your Health Plan and others — health care providers, educational institutions, insurer — that may influence your treatment and care.

Receive information about charges and payment methods. We will provide an itemized statement of non-covered services upon request, for an additional service charge.

Voice your complaints freely without fear of discrimination or retaliation. If you are not satisfied with how your complaint was handled, you may have us reconsider your complaint.

Make recommendations regarding Kaiser Permanente’s Member Rights and Responsibilities policy.

Your responsibilities:

At Kaiser Permanente, you have the responsibility to:

Follow the treatment plan agreed on by you and your health care practitioner. You have a responsibility to inform your health care practitioner if you do not understand or cannot follow through with your treatment and to let your health care practitioner know if changes need to be made.

Improve the quality and safety of your care by providing accurate and complete information about your medical history, medications, and any changes in your condition.

Understand your health problems and participate in developing mutually agreed upon treatment goals, to the extent possible. Ask questions if you do not understand any aspect of your medical or dental condition or treatment.

Be aware of the daily lifestyle decisions that affect your health, and that the choices you make can reduce the risks to your health and the health of your family.

Tell your health care team if you are satisfied or dissatisfied with any aspect of your care.

Provide your family, health care practitioner, and hospital with a copy of any advance directive you wish Kaiser Permanente to follow, should you be unable to make your own decisions.

Treat your health care team with consideration and respect.

Treat other patients with consideration and respect. When you are in the hospital, avoid having the volume on television sets too loud, having too many visitors, or holding loud conversations that may disturb other patients.

Comply with the no-smoking, no-weapons, and visiting-hours policies.

Be familiar with your health care benefits.

Tell us if you have any other health insurance coverage or prescription drug coverage in addition to our plan. Please call Member Services to let us know.

Tell us if you move. If you are going to move, it is important to tell us right away. If your coverage is through your employer, it is important that the change of address is also reported to your employer.

Have your membership ID card handy when you call for an appointment or advice, or when you come in for care.

Notify Kaiser Permanente in advance if you will be late for, or have to cancel, an appointment.

Pay your bills on time and pay your copayments when you come in for care.

Reviewed by: Lou Ann Sailer, October 14, 2019