Originally Posted by kathyspear (Post 1654852)

Not everyone over 65 is on Medicare. Some of us have private insurance and use VHS. I was warned, though, that if my situation changed (no private insurance and on Medicare) I would have to be on a Medicare Advantage plan or find a new doctor.

And as others pointed out, there is a long wait to get your first appointment. On the flip side, though, I was surprised at how efficiently the place is run (kinda like TV, ya know?)

kathy

Originally Posted by Hifred (Post 1654606)

Wow what a coincidence. We are renting in TV for 3 months from July - September as well. We are retiring the end of June and will be looking for a home. We are renting from Jon and Vanessa in Pinellas while we search for a home. My husband and I both see specialists at home at Northwestern in Chicago. Our doctors gave us recommendations of specialists to see at UF Shands Hospital in Gainseville. We have Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO and we contacted the Villages because we will also want a local doctor. They accepted our insurance. We are not on Medicare yet as we are 60 and 61. Will you be looking for a home as well? Over the last few years we have scoured the State of Florida looking at 55+ communities. We have decided on TV because other developers do no put in the recreation before they build the houses. Look at the mess at Margaritaville. Minto promised a beach club which has not started. They said they would build one after 500 homes were built. Then they decided not to put in phase 2 because of a disagreement in the cost of the infrastructure. So many amenities promised to those that built early will not happen. I know so many people who were disappointed by developer promises that never panned out. At GL Homes and at Del Webb there are no separate pool or activity areas for grand kids and we saw many 3 to 7 year olds climbing on fences around the pool and toddler crying and in the water wearing diapers. When we were at Del Webb Lakewood Ranch the changing rooms for the pool was full of grandchildren (boys and girls in the women's changing rooms) and there was no quiet area by the pool. Plus the bond fees for Lakewood ranch were much higher than the Villages. At Del Webb Tide Water there were hardly any activities and when they had yoga or meditation class you had to pay extra. When I looked at there schedule there was no line dancing at Tide Water. TV really seems to have it together with activities for both young and old by offering Camp Villages and pools where adults can enjoy themselves and kids can be kids.

Originally Posted by retiredguy123 (Post 1654866)

I am not on Medicare Part B. I have Medicare Part A and private insurance. There is no premium for Part A, and it is pretty much automatic when you turn 65. The Villages Health representative at the Colony Primary Care Center told me this morning that my private insurance (or any private insurance) would not be accepted at any of the seven Primary Care Centers in The Villages because I am eligible to purchase Medicare Part B. In order to use their primary care facilities, I would need to sign up for Medicare and purchase the United Health Advantage plan. Is it possible that there are people in The Villages who are over 65 and do not qualify to purchase Medicare? The representative said that, since I am eligible for Medicare, I must purchase their Advantage plan or they will not treat me.