[BoatRatKat]

Interesting that we all live here and have different takes. I've not had any problems with Drs here. I get into my Dr. easily and if he's booked up longer than I care to wait then I am perfectly happy with either of the PAs. My husband switched to Medicare Advantage and loves it. Has seen every Dr. he has wanted to. The plan pays for his gym membership, it pays him to get a 6 month check up, it pays him to have routine screenings...so far it's been very good. About 6 months ago a specialist I regularly saw discharged me because the entire practice was switching over to accepting only Medicare Advantage and I don't have it.

[garykoca427@gmail.com]

We live in Illinois and in Florida. As far as I am concerned, the health care in Illinois is way better than health care in The Villages. Just my opinion.

[bowlingal]

Retiredguy....doesn't cost anything when you go to an ER if you have traditional Medicare with a supplement

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by garykoca427@gmail.com

We live in Illinois and in Florida. As far as I am concerned, the health care in Illinois is way better than health care in The Villages. Just my opinion.

Kind of depends on where in Illinois. Some rural areas may still have an 85 year old GP making house calls in his horse and buggy

[Justputt]

Medicare doesn't require preauthorization, Advantage plans often do. Medicare doesn't generally tell providers what to do by virtue of what they'll pay for. e.g. If we want to do 28 radiation treatments for breast cancer, an Advantage plan may say they'll only pay for 15 treatments hypofractionated. If we want to do 45 radiation treatments for prostate cancer, an Advantage plan may only authorize 28 treatments. No, the insurance companies (private and Advantage) can't practice medicine, but they can tell you what they'll pay for, which can drive the treatment offered. Medicare doesn't have dental, vision, or hearing coverage, but Advantage does. Advantage plans are PPOs or HMOs, so you have to be in network, and as a snowbird do you want to be in network at TV or your other home? See an advisor BEFORE you chose. Rusty Nelson (TV local) did a series of 3 YouTube videos with an insurance advisor/consultant that I found very informative. Between private insurance and Medicare, Medicare always pays less. Some insurance companies pay a percentage of billed (e.g. 50%), so in order to get what Medicare pays, they have to bill twice as much, but usually they bill much more to private insurance because they'll pay more than Medicare and percent of billed is usually a lot lower. I'll probably stay straight Medicare once I retire and keep my PCP and specialists here and just use clinics at/around TV.

[Ptmcbriz]

I feel your pain. My husband has a rare heart condition which on the west coast where we lived for 30 years were top notch specialists everywhere treating his condition. We move to TV and find out there are only two specialists in the entire state that treat it. One physician at Mayo in Jacksonville which isn’t taking new patients, and the other at Cleveland Clinic near Miami. He has to travel 4 hours down there to see his cardiologist. We are amazed at how behind the state is compared to other states.

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by Ptmcbriz

I feel your pain. My husband has a rare heart condition which on the west coast where we lived for 30 years were top notch specialists everywhere treating his condition. We move to TV and find out there are only two specialists in the entire state that treat it. One physician at Mayo in Jacksonville which isn’t taking new patients, and the other at Cleveland Clinic near Miami. He has to travel 4 hours down there to see his cardiologist. We are amazed at how behind the state is compared to other states.

Might I inquire as to what his "rare heart condition" is????

[kendi]

Exactly why I keep my doctors up North. The medical care in this area is extremely poor. Have a primary down here too at TVH just in case but once I’m off private insurance I’ll probably just rely on the urgent care. As a previous poster said there’s a revolving door at TVH. Have become less impressed with them over time. The quality of care is definitely declining.

[tombpot]

No problem with traditional Medicare and a supplement

[Singerlady]

BEFORE we moved, I found doctors and made appointments. Wouldn’t have done it any other way. If we couldn’t have found doctors, not sure we would’ve moved. Too iffy. I recommend all prospective newbies to do the same. Our doctor said it’s difficult to attract new doctors just like the OPs have said. Thank goodness we could go to Ocala, Orlando and/or Gainesville if needed.

[mntlblok]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

First


Forty years ago, there were 120,000 applications for 17,000 medical school seats. Five years ago there were only 25,000 applications. Our best and brightest are avoiding careers in medicine due to the many years of education, the increase in litigation, and relatively low compensation in comparison to other careers available to them.



Yesterday's was from the Tampa area, offered a 4 day work week, limited patient schedule, no "on call" responsibilities, 6 weeks vacation, and a compensation package of about $500,000/year. There is no way TVH can compete with that.

I'll bet I missed something. 500k and relatively low compensation would apply to a different world from where *I* hang out. You've got me right curious. . .

[mntlblok]

Originally Posted by Ski Bum

And don't get me started about medical schools and why we have so few doctors, PAs and nurses.

*Please* start. Very curious and don't really have a clue.

[Stu from NYC]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

Kind of depends on where in Illinois. Some rural areas may still have an 85 year old GP making house calls in his horse and buggy

Thank you for continuing to add your voice of reason and sanity to these health care threads

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by mntlblok

I'll bet I missed something. 500k and relatively low compensation would apply to a different world from where *I* hang out. You've got me right curious. . .

It's a different world from where I hung out when I was practicing as well. But times have changed. Like any shortage, offers go up to compete for available resources, in this case physicians. It looks like everything is starting to get ridiculous----$15.00/hr minimum wage for flipping burgers at Micky D's? UAW, whose high school educated (maybe) factory assembly workers, may have the most ridiculous demand.

As of now, "The average compensation for a union auto worker, including wages, bonuses, overtime, and paid time off, is about $40 an hour. When benefits such as health insurance and pensions are added, the average compensation increases to about $55 an hour1. Union members may also enjoy other benefits such as a pension plan, education and training opportunities, tenure, and legal representation in work-related matters" Based on a 40 hour work week, that's compensation of $110,000 per year. They now are demanding a 40% pay increase and a 4 day work week. Imagine the price of a car if the big 3 give in to that garbage.

So, while $500,000 seemed high for a general internist, if an uneducated factory worker in Detroit might get pushed to $170,000/year, it seems reasonable in perspective.

[Vermilion Villager]

Originally Posted by kendi

Exactly why I keep my doctors up North. The medical care in this area is extremely poor. Have a primary down here too at TVH just in case but once I’m off private insurance I’ll probably just rely on the urgent care. As a previous poster said there’s a revolving door at TVH. Have become less impressed with them over time. The quality of care is definitely declining.

Same here....one of the MANY reason we snowbirds are snowbirds!!