LOTS of different stories going around here. Phone calls that I made give one set of information and the posts here somewhat different. We still didn't get our letter(s)....we live in the vacinity of the Colony Clinic. Sooo guess we'll have to wait and see what happens next week.

Got our letter today but it didn't tell us how to sign up. It said to be patient and more information would be following. If anyone knows the number to call to be put on the wait list, please post it.

Got the letter today. One thing mentioned a number of times is the word JOIN. Is this a membership? Will it be open to everyone? What sort of pre-exisiting conditions will be "allowed"? Will this be available to Medicare-age people only?

IMHO, it was a very vague letter, and left many questions of ours unanswered. It also makes me wonder just how bad the quality of health care really is here in TV. Guess we've been lucky so far...we've got a good PCP, and a good opthamologist. The only downside has been the long (5+) week wait for the spinal neurologist. We didin't have a "boutique" doctor in NYC, but it sounds like that's what is starting here...IMHO.

First come, first served
 

That is what we were led to believe as well. Everything that Amy Wixted told us made it sound like when they were ready to accept patients they would go down their list and call people in the order they signed up. We received the letter yesterday as well and are told that we won't get in either due to our location. We are in St. James...really not that far from Colony, if you ask me. I called the number on the letter and was told today they were accepting patients by demographic areas, not the order of registering. We have put off for 8 months getting established with new doctors here because we were waiting for this and now we find out we won't be in the initial group. There are going to be seven centers built..theoretically it could be seven years before they are built and up and going. They could not commit as to which center would be built next but I was told that one will be close to Brownwood and one will be by the Sumter Cty. Offices/Library on 466A. Neither of those will be any closer to us than this one.....I called Amy today, left a message and never heard back. I am very disappointed and really don't know what to do next.

Just remember, the successful doctors here in The Villages have to figure out how to survive on Medicare reimbursements. Comparing medical care here to a place like Boston, where doctors see a relatively low number of medicare patients, just highlights the problems with low Medicare reimbursements.

We have had good luck so far with PCP. However, my wife recently had a hospital stay at The Villages Hospital. The bill was $28,953.68. We paid a $200 deductible and PCP paid $6,206.76 which I assume is the Medicare reimbursement rate. I guess the hospital ate the rest.

reply
 

.

We do not get a news paper (The Sun) and don't wish to .


Guess I will have to just watch the forum for info or go to Mayo.

You can read The Sun online.

We are in the same boat except we've put off getting established for 7 months. Very disappointing how this is being handled and certainly doesn't speak well for the system that was supposed to be so patient friendly.

Letter From Morse, some concerns
 

Mr. Morse's letter concerned me in two ways.

Firstly he used the term general practitioner to describe the type of doctor they are looking to employ. A GP is a person who has passed medical school thus has an MD or DO and done at least one year of rotating internship. The term is not synonymous with board certified Family practitioner who has done a 3 year residency in Family medicine (program designed to train the doctor in internal medicine (adult only medical care), pediatrics (child only medical care), obstetrics, gynecology, general surgery, and a little ER, hospital care, and psychiatry) Obviously trying to learn all these fields in a 3 year program means that one cannot get as much training as someone who does just one of these fields eg an internist or internal medicine doctor only does the adult medicine and adult hospital care training. A GP in the US has a lower level of training than a FP. You want your primary care doctors to be board certified minimum as FP or internists.



Second he frequently invokes the Mayo name as if the key part of Mayo is that the doctors are salaried. The key part is that they are very highly trained with specialty and sub-specialty experts in the same medical home who share resources and communicate as a team. There is nothing in the Morse letter to suggest that his new system will have anything other than primary care doctors on salary instead of fee for service, FFS. It is true that FFS can encourage excess office visits and in office procedures (beware of doctors with large in office labs and Xrays and cardiac testing and bone density... they have to run enough patients thru to pay for that stuff). You can be sure that you will not have limitless time for your visit. The office managers will know who is seeing fewer patients for the same salary. The practice will still be paid on volume as they are going to be billing the insurance companies based on services provided so for the practice to make money, the goal of all corporations, they will have to see enough patients per hour to make a profit meaning more than the cost of the doctor, nurse, manager, NP, secretary, billing clerk, receptionist in both salary and fringes, and the rent, supplies, insurance, utilities, maintenance etc etc . Don't think there wont be pressure to keep the patients moving. The only difference will be the doctor won't be paid per patient, but will not keep his/her job if working too slowly.

:agree:

I disagree. We were told over and over that the doctors would be able to take their time and there would be no waiting to see the doctor (no appointment needed) because these doctors would be payed a generous salary. Therefore, there would be no need for them to see a lot of patients.

The one thing I don't remember being told is where the money will come from to pay the generous salaries. That's why I have stated in the past that it seems like it will be "concierge medical service". This type of service requires a monthly or yearly fee to be payed by each patient who joins.

Some concierge clinics around the country have even been known (or suspected) to cherry-pick the healthiest patients so as to keep the fees within reason and/or profits up.

You may be right. If this is going to be concierge care then the letter from Morse is more than misleading as lying by omission is just as egregious. However everyone can see the fallacy in being told that the doctor will give you as much time as you want and you will not have to wait or even have an appointment. That doesn't even work well for the 10 minute oil change business.

We got our letter day before yesterday.

boy talk about a can of worms!!! :shrug:

We got our letter today.

I know that someone has to pay something, I don't live in a dream world, and I don't see how people can just go and stay for TOO long at a doctors office and some surely would, knowing people as I do.

I think ole Gar is trying to find a solution and it could be just for his bottom line but I doubt it is just that. He has made many fortunes over and he deserves the money..but I think his motives are different on this one. I think he would like his legacy to be a near perfect community.

I think that this would indeed make this place dang nigh perfect, but fixing affordable health care is being failed at by all takers if you ask me.

The companies that manufacture medicine and give care (hospitals) charge tooooo much to individuals for starters. AND so do some doctors, but certainly not good ones, ethical ones.

But they don't deserve a pittance either.

There is no easy answer.

I don't know how this idea will work, I am very sceptical.

Blueash is ABSOLUTELY correct on everything stated. Mayo clinic is a wonderful
institution, however, board certified family physicians at Mayo or anywhere else are basically subsidized by specialized services such as labs, testing, surgeries and sub-specialists. Furthermore, if a family practice doctor does not "rub elbows" or practice in an intellectual enviornment like Mayo, Cleveland Clinic, etc. the quality of their practice will suffer. Doctors need to learn everyday, too, to keep up with advances. They need to learn from others and "share" what they may know or else they get stale and stagnant in their thinking. Don't think for a minute that reading a journal or going to a seminar once a year is enough. Mayo is fantastic because it has many great minds that daily collaborate on medical issues, injuries, diseases, current and trial treatments AND they contribute to the scientific world by the amount of research they fund. How much do you pay for that?
So, if Morse is going to plan clinics that will provide great care for medicare consumers, he better plan on subsidizing it heavily. Otherwise it will be "same ole', same ole'" or it will be destined to fail.

I agree.

Got the letter! Now folks, I think I remember somewhere that there is a grant in place that will help with the salaries. I don't think there's a conspiracy going on here that is fishy. We all have enjoyed coming here, living here and enjoying the amenities. I know that healthcare doesn't fall into that...but I don't think that "powers that be" will set us up to something that won't pan out. We should know by now that this place we live in has been well thought out. I can only believe that this new clinic system has been as well.

Some of you have stated you think our health-care up til now has been "awful". Do you not think that the Morse family is trying to rectify this?? Just another opinion...which is mine!

My wife and I have lived here for 18 months. Medicare. Both have reasonably significant health issues. Came from Md and previously belonged to a Johns Hopkins primary care group. Both have had surgical proceedures since comming here .

Are we the only people on this forum who have received what we believe to be very good health care from TV based physicians and our local community hospital ?

Gary Morse is the son or stepson of Harold Schwartz the founder of the Villages. Mr Morse is the one who is primarily responsible for the huge expansion of the development and the addition of amenities such as golf courses. Mr Morse and his family basically own and operate the Villages.

Hmmn. Wonder how did they decide who gets "the letter"? We didn't.

I was assurred everyone would get a letter! We got ours on day 3 after they first went out. I'd guess that if you didn't get one..you will this next week.

Nope you are not the only folks! We've received very good care so far!! One of us has fairly significant health issues as well.

We have been here for 12 1/2 years and have had very good care.

You and I share a doctor we both admire VERY much. Dr. Hamilton Fish an endocrinologist in Leesburg.

We also have the best dentist we have ever had. Palm Ridge Dental with both women being extremly good. Dr. Kathleen Williams and Dr. Reem Jabar. (and warm as well)

It is hard to find excellent family doctors here and if you do find a great one, sometimes you have to be on a waiting list for over a YEAR.

I am a person who believes you increase your chances of survival if you take the time to find the best doctor and medical facility you can.

I don't summarily dismiss all physicians here, but some of them just aren't REAL GOOD.

Health Care Question
 

Also read the letter, wondering what insurance they will take? Letter seems to exclude Medicare but I may be reading into it. Since you have to "Join" I fear this may put the cost out of reach for many..Thoughts ?

I received the letter from Gary Morse about the new health care system and also the letter saying when they build one in my neighborhood I would get a priority invite. Well I have been on the waiting list since June and live in Hadley - I don't think you can get any closer to the new facility than Hadley so this looks to be to be a farse and I am sorely disappointed on how this has been handled. I know I it's a new start up, but looks like the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing. Hope the care they supply is better.

"Just remember, the successful doctors here in The Villages have to figure out how to survive on Medicare reimbursements. Comparing medical care here to a place like Boston, where doctors see a relatively low number of medicare patients, just highlights the problems with low Medicare reimbursements.

We have had good luck so far with PCP. However, my wife recently had a hospital stay at The Villages Hospital. The bill was $28,953.68. We paid a $200 deductible and PCP paid $6,206.76 which I assume is the Medicare reimbursement rate. I guess the hospital ate the rest."

The quoted sentence in bold above is a concept that people refuse to look at. How in the world do consumers expect medical providers to hire and attract excellent doctors, nurses and technicians when 85% of patients at TVRH are on Medicare, and the above is how much Medicare pays of the actual costs to deliver the care.....in a hospital that does not have unionized (higher) nurse wages and benefits to pay????

Given the circumstances, I think any effort Mr. Morse makes to provide a primary care physician practice in which they can attract good physicians for a sensible salary that is cost-effective and balances the budget......is a gift horse not to be questioned in the mouth.

And also, nobody has to go there. Take it or leave it.

Got my letter the other day and am very excited about this concept. It is long overdue. I am going to urge my Dr. in Maryland to consider applying as he is a great GP. So exciting.

Sent you a PM

yes, but what does it mean?? will you have to join???? any one know?

Don't get too excited until you read the letter and wait for all the angles involved in this future healthcare program. One of the things that we as 50 and over residents do is jump before thinking. Anything you do related to your health should be looked at several times, like getting second opinions for surgeries, etc. I've been a nurse for 43 years and have seen many many seniors pushed into new things that later are questionable. Let's all wait and see what this new Healthcare brings us before we get too excited. I'm sure everyone will get the letter.