I do not have Medicare Advantage and I have NOT received a notice from The Villages Healthcare that they are dropping me.

goodtimesintv;1219864]Like AARP receiving royalities from United Healthcare for use of the AARP name, The Villages, Inc. is receiving royalties for intellectual property (brand name recognition) from United Healthcare.

Here is the page to access the four Advantage plans accepted at TV Health (I put in Sumer County and Zip 32162). And the fine print says it.

The Villages Health Landing Page

"Plans are insured through UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company or one of its affiliated companies, a Medicare Advantage organization with a Medicare contract. Enrollment in the plan depends on the plan’s contract renewal with Medicare. UnitedHealthcare pays royalty fees to Holding Company of The Villages, Inc. (The Villages) for the use of its intellectual property. The Villages and its affiliates are not insurers."


UnitedHealthcare Medicare Solutions | AARP Medicare Supplement Plans

"The AARP Medicare Supplement Insurance Plans carry the AARP name and UnitedHealthcare pays a royalty fee to AARP for use of the AARP intellectual property. Amounts paid are used for the general purpose of AARP and its members. Neither AARP nor its affiliate is the insurer."

It seems to me that "the playing field is being leveled" by giving AARP some competition. In terms of these two entities reinvesting in our community here in TV, I would much rather have such revenues go to The Villages, Inc., than AARP.

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goodtimesintv: your spot on about AARP . And because they supported Obamacare I dropped my membership and for a number of years they attempted to get me back and well while I do not swear the notes I sent back were short and to the point.

AARP has always made money sponsoring insurance policies of all sorts. AARP claim savings for members but if AARP is getting part of the action how do you suppose a member saves money?

Obamacare has had an effect on all insurance companies one way or another.

I have maintained my insurance with BSBC Plan F because in the long run I believe it fits my needs better. I also associated my medical needs with Munroe System and those docs who associate with Munroe Hospital.

What concerns me as much if not more than the negative effect Obamacare has had on both insurance and medicine is what the FED/OBAMA economic policies are doing to seniors income. The federal spending , deficits, debt has kept interests rates extremely low worse yet there is a threat of negative interest rates. Its sad that seniors are losing income because of lack of interest but if the madness in Washington continues then soon people will be paying banks to hold their cash. In turn people will buy federal securities and of course that is what the FED wants in order to eliminate the debt. Its all maddening to me

It's really quite simple. If you were on MEDICARE with a supplemental prior to this new policy, you are grandfathered in. If you were NOT YET on medicare (under 65, no disability), you WILL receive the letter approximately 3 months before your 65th birthday. They will continue to provide service to you until you are eligible for medicare and 90 days after. Then you must sign up to one of their advantage plans or seek other medical providers.

That's the current policy which is about to change.

If you have Tricare for Life, expect to lose your Tricare pharmacy benefit when you go with United Healthcare Advantage.

Change to what?

Effective January 1st, 2017 The Villages Health will no longer accept original Medicare. If you want to stay with The Villages Health you will be required to change to UHC Medicare Advantage Insurance or seek care elsewhere. The so-called "grandfathering" will end.

This should be interesting.

Wish you would post this information in a new thread. That would get a lot of attention on this forum.

I agree with all the above. I have established a great relationship with my Dr J over the last two years. I also will be effected by "the event" and had to make a most difficult choice . I do not want anyone to take away my earned rights of choice. Very,very sad I left.

Based on the level of care I received in TV, I was pleased to go to Ocala and Belleview to get treatment. Much higher level of care there, with better professionals.

Can you recommend a primary care physician in Belleview?

My 2 cents worth!
 

My 2 cents :rolleyes:

The Villages Health System = convenient, cost effective and good choice when healthy. As health issues / problems develop (and they will) you may have restricted medical options or options that are expensive. The advertising in local paper explaining how wonderful TVHS is, is included in the cost of the newspaper at minimal cost to you. Perhaps a Good cost effective option for Frogs (here till you croke ) but not Snow birds (up to 3 months) or Snow Flakes (not full time but more than 3 months and going back when there is no chance of snow).

Medicare Supplement Plan = more expensive but includes the option to get the best medical treatment (where ever) if needed and desired. The more issues you have or don't know about yet, travel, the more this plan seems to makes sense.

If I had the choice I would opt for not having any significant medical issues - unfortunately neither of the above plans offers me that option.

Right or wrong :spoken: Got that off my chest so now I can take my nap

That summary is worth way more than 2 cents.:beer3:

I too was told to go. There are drs. In the villages that are not in the village care system. I found Arbor Health in Laurel Manor

I agree with you 100%. Ive been the villages for five years and am discussed with their policy. In my opinion any new person that comes to the villages will have a gun put to their head as far as medical treatment. Although I am grandfather in and I have Florida Blue I am looking for a new Doctor outside the villages.

Read Post #125. If what the poster says is true, nobody will be "grandfathered" in come 2017.

Village Health Care System
 

I'm in the same boat! Turning 65 in September. Got my notice last month. I've got The Empire Plan (United Health) through retirement in New York.
Have been with the Villages Health System since they started. Really like my Doctor. And I am very pleased the Village Health Care System. They won't Grandfather me in. Cannot get Medicare Advantage. What a shame, have to start looking for a new Doctor. Wish the Villages Health Care System would bend a little. Will have Medicare A & B plus my secondary through the Empire.

even if they said they'd take me now I wouldn't go. Who knows what they'll do next week or next month? I looked back at my calendar to see if I had noted who called in Feb. and told me they didn't send me a letter because they would keep me with my Fed BC/BS. It was the same person who called me two weeks ago and told me I should have gotten a letter and I would not be kept on--acting like she couldn't understand who would have called. I wish them good luck. I liked my doctor and everyone I met there but if they ever decide they need my business, I won't go back.

Has Villages Health put out a written notice that nobody will continue to be grandfathered after January 2017? We have been grandfathered and haven't received any notice it will end.

The office manger at colony told me they were a private medical group and we are here to make money. My worry is if they could lead us along and use us with are health care to get started when they first opened, what will they do when it comes to other quality of life issues here in the villages.

Oh for pete's sake. That isn't logical.

The reality of life is that many of us worked hard to get the best insurance, hopefully for the rest of our lives and now because of overcharging by medical facilities and just plain abuse of all systems, things aren't very nice anymore. We used to not pay ANYTHING and now the costs keep creeping up. I would LOVE to have the three of us included in The Villages Health System but they don't take our very good insurance. I think that when UCF pulled out, that was a game changer. You can blame them, or blame the Morse family for not being able to pull a good plan off, but we all need to face the scary reality of health care becoming socialized. Not good in my opinion...since we worked hard to try to avoid that, saved and sacrificed. If you have breast cancer in Europe, you may wait for three months to be treated, but everyone is included in the health care.

Not true in all cases. I personally know of a couple who went MA and were able to keep all of their Tricare benefits, including their rx plan.

I am retired Navy. I have been with The Villages Health Care system about 3 years. Loved everything about, doctor, service, etc. I will turn 65 in January. I called and asked if I would be able to continue using Tricare and of course Medicare come January. The answer is NO! I would have to buy their plan. I feel they have sucked me in and now are throwing me to the curb. Now I will search for a new Doctor. This is how they treat retired military? Anyone think this is right?

Get in line sailor, you're just another number.

I would guess Villages Health is going to lose a lot of retired military and federal employees. I hate to go looking for a new health care provider, but guess it will be in the cards later this year.

Been with Villages Health for about 3 years. Medicare and Tricare for Life. I am calling to find out what my status will be come 2017. Looks like some of us will be looking for new Doctors. Once I get a straight answer I will post.

Was told by an extremely reliable source that 15,000 people will receive letters.

however, if you got hearing aids thru Villages Health you can still be seen for them. I have Fed. BC/BS and was kicked out but had a hearing aid follow up and they said they will continue to see me for them.

"July 12, 2016 --We are more committed than ever to keep our innovative model and maintain the level of excellence we've established. Because our superior care best aligns with Medicare Advantage, we have decided to no longer accept Original Medicare wath a traditional Medicare Supplemental policy for all new and existing patients starting Jan 1 2017. this means that as of next year, you will need to be enrolled in a UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plan to remain a patient with The Villages Health."

What irks me most of all, is their marketing that sold The Villages Health as Marcus Welby medicine where the bond between the patient and the physician was the ultimate value. This is all about $$$$. There is nothing in there letter about "We are sorry, we know you trusted us, and formed a relationship with your physican but we need more profit than the existing model will generate so we are breaking our agreement with you. And, by the way, you know the Marcus Welby pitch was only a marketing ploy and not a statement of our values, didn't you?"

Good advice but don't worry too much about what insurance co carries your supplement plan as they are standardized. Meaning a plan F from this company is the same as one from another. Get the cheapest one.

Maybe all 15,000 letter recipients should contact their PC doctors and tell them they are considering leaving, or call VHS and tell them their concerns. I am sure the loss of 15,000 patients would get their attention.

I'm not so sure.

I think they would just go ahead and turn it into a standard health system, whereby they accept most any insurance (with the possible exception of Medicare) and then do anything necessary to turn a profit.

Which (you heard it here first ;) ), I think they will be doing within 5 years anyway.

I am concerned because the hospitals in the united health care advantage plan are not highly rated! Additionally,if you want to go to the top cancer hospitals,you are out of luck!They aren't in network either. Finally, you are at the mercy of bean counters to get necessary referrals.I know this because I am a former med mal defense atty.

My husband and I just got the "dear John" letter.We have all been duped! We did trust them. Fell for the Marcus Welby hogwash. We cannot join their advantage plan due to pension rules. So after 4 years we are thrown out. Here within a short distance are all these nice health care facilities we will not be able to use even though we purchased a home here and live here full time. Where did the monies for these health facilities come from. Did our home purchases contribute to paying for them? And now I can't use them. This is just so wrong in so many ways.

My son is a physican and he interviewed with the Villages health care a few years ago. He has been in a solo private practice for 20 years and his comment was that while the concept is good it could not be work due to low patient loads. He just didn't see that it could be profitable. This has nothing to do with greed. It is just plain old business. A medical practice must generate enough income to sustain itself.

With proper top management this place could make money like any physician office.

Well, yes and no.

The desire to make a 'profit,' is 'greed' by definition.

Having said that, I understand your point.

Even if the business model were based on not-for-profit (which I haven't heard anyone say that this is the case), they still have to cover expenses/capital and health industry costs are very expensive.




I think the main theme here is that there are those that were naive enough to believe that the developer was more interested in setting up a health system whose primary/sole goal was geared toward taking care of residents, even if it required supplemental funding from somewhere else (the developer?).

That isn't meant as a criticism of those that took the developer at his word, it is meant more as a wake-up call to those who think the Morse's walk on water and actually care more about the residents than they do about increasing their net worth.

It should be pretty clear by now (additional home building/high business rents/$40M POA lawsuit settlement/etc., etc.) to everyone, that they only walk on water when the lake is froze over solid, measurements of the ice thickness have been made and the lake is only 3 inches deep.

On the positive side (for us), is that they still think they need to maintain the common areas in beautiful condition, provide live entertainment, strong 2 for 1 happy hours and many other perks to attract additional buyers/businesses.

Anyone who believes that those same things would be provided if the developer thought for a minute that they could sell the same amount of houses/commercial property without providing what we currently have, needs to seriously think about taking those rose-colored glasses off.

At the same time, I tip my hat at the exceptional business acumen the Morse's have shown and think they are a good model of what can happen in this great country, with a good idea and a lot of hard work.

Just don't make the mistake of thinking that they are doing it out of the goodness of their hearts, altruism or are hoping to be viewed as great Samaritans.

They want to make money and everything they do, is predicated on what it will take to make more.

And there's nothing wrong with that.

It's the American way. :ho:

I too was disappointed in the lack of a "we're sorry" paragraph in their letter. While I understand their reason for doing this I think the LEAST they could offer is an apology for kicking us to the curb!

Very Sad
 

My wife said I was an one person cheering section for The Villages. I told everyone outside of The Villages, this was where they should be. I thought it was heartwarming to watch the Morse family yearly presentation this year with their children. When Village Health first started recruiting, I said I'd be willing to be a Guinea pig for the system. How sad, how very salad to see what's happening now with The Village Health system. Without realizing, I was duped into lying how wonderful the system is.