Kaiser Permanente is the largest non-profit health plan in the U.S. It is headquartered in Oakland, California, and operates in its home state plus Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Maryland, Oregon, Virginia, Washington, and the District of Columbia.

Kaiser sells health plans to individuals and families. Individuals may choose from bronze, silver, gold, platinum, and catastrophic plans. Kaiser Permanente serves more than 10.6 million people with 38 hospitals, 630 medical offices, and over 18,000 physicians. The company’s continued commitment to preventive care and chronic care management remains the hallmark of its quality care.

The company ranked highest for customer satisfaction in California 9 years in a row, according to J.D. Power and Associates. The same report ranked Kaiser Permanente as having the highest customer satisfaction level in Colorado, the Mid-Atlantic, South-Atlantic, and Northwest regions.

The company’s origin dates back to 1933 when physician Sidney R. Garfield opened a general hospital in Desert Center, California, to care for workers building the Los Angeles Aqueduct in the Mojave Dessert. Garfield wanted to be able to treat patients regardless of their ability to pay, which influenced insurance companies to pay in advance for each worker, thus allowing Garfield to focus on preventive healthcare.

Like many insurance companies, Kaiser Permanente’s product offerings include the following types of plans: HMO, POS, PPO, and EPO.