Health care in California

female_expat wrote:

Some answers to the question below 

> So, can you please list some of the private clinics & public hospitals in California?

This depends on the insurance subscribed. Insurances have network of hospitals/clinics and also depends the type of insurance benefits e.g.: PPO network, HMO network, etc

List of hospitals and clinics as per network can be found on the health insurance card issued by the provider.

   > What about dental care? May be some tips about the costs?

General cleaning, with insurance is usually free from deductible once every 6 months. Again, other services such as root canal and many types of dental work varies depending on the network PPO or HMO.

For a general cleaning without insurance, depending on the zip code you live, range from $180 (including x-ray) to $800.


   > Some addresses of Eye care clinic, opticians will also be welcomed!

Without vision insurance, it can be very expensive. Optometrist service alone is usually charge $100+ per patient excluding glasses, lens etc..

Tip: get a Cosco membership and have eye exam and supplies provided by Cosco... so much cheaper.


   > Some addresses of pharmacies around California will also be useful.

Addresses are listed depending on the network of insurance PPO or HMO. Again the insurance company issues health cards which includes the list of hospitals/clinics and specialist to go to when services are needed.

female_expat is right.

There are lots of hospitals in California.  I used to live in San Francisco. In SF, there's SF General and several branches of UCSF, California Pacific, and Kaiser, just to name a few more recognized hospitals. But wherever you are in California, the hospital to which one you go is dictated by your insurance company's coverage.

Health insurance is expensive, but it would even be more expensive if you get sick or injured without insurance. There's PPO and HMO.  There are pros and cons to each one.  You can look these up and see which plan best suits you and your wallet. 

Once you sign up with an insurance company, either through your employer or for personal coverage, usually the insurance company would ask for a medical group.  (My relatives and all my former employers told me to go with Brown and Toland.) Then you sign up for a primary care physician who is within the same medical group, who will then refer you to a specialist, from OB/Gynes to orthopedists, who is also from the same medical group.