In a listening to, therapists decried Kaiser’s proposed contract phrases throughout labor negotiations, which they argued would undermine psychological well being companies. The biggest well being insurer for metropolis staff stated it stays targeted on offering well timed, high-quality psychological well being companies.
Josh Sokolski (left) and Brenda Hinaga (proper), each occupational therapists from Kaiser Walnut Creek, march whereas on strike on the picket line exterior Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Heart on Feb. 19, 2026. (Tâm Vũ/KQED)
Unlicensed cellphone operators and algorithms directing sufferers to insufficient telehealth companies. Controversial synthetic intelligence applied sciences are more and more deployed at clinics. Distraught sufferers who can’t get an appointment with a human for weeks.
These have been among the alarms raised by Kaiser Permanente clinicians who advised the San Francisco Board of Supervisors the healthcare big has didn’t considerably enhance its mental-health companies, even after current sanctions by state and federal regulators for denying or delaying care.
The listening to Tuesday examined Kaiser’s contract proposals throughout labor negotiations, which the union stated would enable the employer to develop its use of AI instruments in mental-health care and lay off extra therapists who presently present it.
Consultants stated these adjustments may degrade care by giving the corporate a free go to outsource sufferers to corporations that use chatbots and squeeze overworked professionals — claims Kaiser denies. The clinicians pleaded with supervisors to strain their employer to strengthen affected person care and assist its employees.
“The issues that we mentioned at present are infuriating, regarding and unacceptable,” stated Supervisor Chyanne Chen, who known as the listening to after a number of constituents, together with Kaiser staff, complained concerning the healthcare firm’s strategy.
Chen stated she’ll introduce a decision subsequent week calling on the state’s largest well being plan to conform to contract language stating it can use AI to assist therapists — not exchange them — and again off a proposal that will enable it to refer extra sufferers to third-party contractors.
Kaiser executives declined to attend the listening to, a transfer a number of supervisors decried as disappointing and even “disrespectful.” Town of San Francisco, San Francisco Unified Faculty District and different public employers paid Kaiser $508 million in well being premiums final yr to cowl greater than 39,000 staff and retirees, based on the San Francisco Well being Service System.
“Their nonpresence suggests to me that the image that’s being painted by the employees is fairly correct,” Supervisor Rafael Mandelman stated. “We don’t wish to be subjecting our staff and our retirees to a state of affairs the place they’ll’t really get the care that they want.”
In a press release, Kaiser stated it doesn’t use AI to diagnose sufferers or make scientific choices, and that it stays targeted on offering well timed, high-quality mental-health care whereas reaching a good settlement with the therapists’ union.
Since 2023, Kaiser has agreed to pay greater than $231 million in settlements after investigations into the corporate’s behavioral remedy entry by the U.S. Division of Labor and the California Division of Managed Well being Care.
The nonprofit well being group stated it has invested greater than $2 billion since 2020 to develop its mental-health amenities and supplier networks, and now constantly meets California legislation requiring well being plans to offer well timed entry to care. Kaiser, headquartered in Oakland, made a web revenue of $9.3 billion final yr.
“This isn’t about real innovation. It’s about saving a buck on the expense of affected person care and public well being. If we don’t cease them now, we received’t stand an opportunity down the highway,” she stated.
Kaiser argued that clerical employees who make appointments for sufferers are educated to escalate an emergency to scientific employees, and its behavioral well being e-visit instrument helps join members to care extra rapidly.
“It’s an extra path to getting care — not the one path,” the corporate’s assertion stated. “On each display screen all through the e-visit course of, the affected person is supplied a cellphone quantity that they’ll name at any time to speak to a reside individual.”
