[MX rider]

Originally Posted by kendi

Avoid the advantage plans. There are very few if any that will allow you to have medical care in both locations. And they require pre-approval. Check out the medigap plans for your supplemental and plan D for your meds. Below is the website with the information you need.

Find a Medicare plan

Wrong. UHC Advantage has a nationwide network and doesn't require an approval. It travels where you go. We know, we're on it. No plan is right for everyone. Btw, SHINE said UHC Advantage is a very good option.

[MX rider]

Originally Posted by rustyp

"AARP® Medicare Advantage Choice (PPO) has a network of doctors, hospitals, pharmacies, and
other providers. With this plan, you have the freedom to enjoy nationwide access to care at innetwork costs when you visit any provider participating in the UnitedHealthcare® Medicare National
Network (exclusions may apply). Plus, you have the flexibility to visit any provider nationwide who
accepts Medicare."

No PCP specialist referral required.

Thanks for posting this!! Most people commenting on advantage plans know nothing about them, We chose this very plan and it works great for us, here and in Indiana. No plan is right for everyone. Also this very plan gets high ratings from Medicare. We are very fit and active, so we love the wellness benefits.

[nn0wheremann]

Originally Posted by charmed59

I’ve been a full time resident here in the Villages for 6 years and am looking to turn into a snowbird.

For those who go back and forth, how do you manage Health care? I have doctors here, but I’m aging into Medicare so I’m need to chose a Medicare plan. The popular plans don’t seem to work outside of central Florida. I’d like to have most of my planned medical care, including my primary at my summer home.

Are there Medicare plans that work anywhere in the US? Or do I pick a plan that works in my snowbird state and then just use regular Medicare here? I do have the option of holding onto my federal retirement medical insurance. Can I use that as backup for Florida in case of emergencies while I’m here in the winter?

Medicare part A and B + BCBS FEP works well.

[Marine1974]

Originally Posted by charmed59

I’ve been a full time resident here in the Villages for 6 years and am looking to turn into a snowbird.

For those who go back and forth, how do you manage Health care? I have doctors here, but I’m aging into Medicare so I’m need to chose a Medicare plan. The popular plans don’t seem to work outside of central Florida. I’d like to have most of my planned medical care, including my primary at my summer home.

Are there Medicare plans that work anywhere in the US? Or do I pick a plan that works in my snowbird state and then just use regular Medicare here? I do have the option of holding onto my federal retirement medical insurance. Can I use that as backup for Florida in case of emergencies while I’m here in the winter?

Regular Medicare and a supplemental insurance are best for me traveling or at home .
$208 deductible for the whole year . Call Medicare and ask them about your federal retirement insurance and how that will work .

[rsmurano]

Get a Medicare plan G supplement and you will be covered anywhere in the country and you will have $50k coverage overseas.

Do not, I repeat, do not get a Medicare advantage plan. These plans have many more restrictions on who you can see, and they will cost you more, and you will probably be sick much longer because the advantage plans tend to deny you service/help to save you money. Don’t believe me? Congress is looking into why these advantage insurance companies deny you medical help when Medicare itself will never refuse you medical help. All advantage insurance companies want to save money and denying you medical help is the biggest way for them to save money

[TVTVTV]

Originally Posted by vintageogauge

I like having the BCBS Supplement as I can go anywhere without a referral to see any specialist that I choose. Same with a primary, I can choose any Dr. that I want except for The Villages primaries as they don't accept supplements however there are plenty of great primary care doctors all around and withinThe Villages. If you live in the southern villages Leesburg also has some great doctors as well as the hospital.

So I am not yet eligible for Medicare. Currently, my BCBS (FL Blue) individual Silver PPO medical insurance only covers specialists within the BCBS in-network list, so I am quite limited in my choices, and don't have my preferred specialist in the network. If I choose BCBS supplement for my Medicare, am I understanding that as long as the specialist accepts original Medicare (which most do), that there is no more "in-network" to consider with a BCBS supplement? This would definitely widen the specialists I could see.

[Jcore]

Great tip Mr. Tinkerer, I joined a Shine zoom Intro to Medicare”, what a great resource, I was only one on the call so it turned into a 1-on-1 Q&A.

[MX rider]

Originally Posted by sharonl7340

Traditional Medicare works anywhere in the US that takes Medicare, Medicare Advantage plans only work in localized areas. But also know that Villages Health DOES NOT take traditional Medicare.

You're wrong!
We have AARP UHC Advantage and they have a huge nationwide network. As snow birds we needed this and it works well for us.

SHINE said it was a very good option for us and UHC gets very high ratings from medicare.

Most of the best advantage plans have nationwide networks. We know because we did a ton of research prior to going this route.

[MX rider]

Originally Posted by rsmurano

Get a Medicare plan G supplement and you will be covered anywhere in the country and you will have $50k coverage overseas.

Do not, I repeat, do not get a Medicare advantage plan. These plans have many more restrictions on who you can see, and they will cost you more, and you will probably be sick much longer because the advantage plans tend to deny you service/help to save you money. Don’t believe me? Congress is looking into why these advantage insurance companies deny you medical help when Medicare itself will never refuse you medical help. All advantage insurance companies want to save money and denying you medical help is the biggest way for them to save money

This has not been our experience with AARP UHC Advantage. We even talked to people who were on it and had health issues.

Saying all advantage plans are bad is like saying all doctors are good.

Yes, they're for profit, but so is every doctor and the majority of hospitals.

[GoRedSox!]

Originally Posted by MX rider

This has not been our experience with AARP UHC Advantage. We even talked to people who were on it and had health issues.

Saying all advantage plans are bad is like saying all doctors are good.

Yes, they're for profit, but so is every doctor and the majority of hospitals.

The managed care companies make a lot of money off Medicare Advantage as long as Congress keeps increasing their reimbursement. It is true that in order to maximize benefits, you have to stay in their network, but most providers are participating with United. Medicare Advantage must cover everything Medicare does, and they have many additional benefits. If your doctors don’t participate, you are probably better off with traditional Medicare with a supplemental. But if they do participate, Medicare Advantage should be just fine for most people.

[SusanStCatherine]

Originally Posted by charmed59

I’ve been a full time resident here in the Villages for 6 years and am looking to turn into a snowbird.

For those who go back and forth, how do you manage Health care? I have doctors here, but I’m aging into Medicare so I’m need to chose a Medicare plan. The popular plans don’t seem to work outside of central Florida. I’d like to have most of my planned medical care, including my primary at my summer home.

Are there Medicare plans that work anywhere in the US? Or do I pick a plan that works in my snowbird state and then just use regular Medicare here? I do have the option of holding onto my federal retirement medical insurance. Can I use that as backup for Florida in case of emergencies while I’m here in the winter?

If you have the option of holding on to your retirement medical insurance, that would probably work out best for you, especially cost wise. It's possible you can keep that and maybe get one chance to switch out of it in the future. If you pick a Medicare medigap supplement plan or Medicare Advantage supplement plan you have are allowed a period of time to switch to another plan without medical underwriting. It may be six months or something like that. Medigap plans offer coverage all over the country and all hospitals take it. Advantage plans are not accepted at all hospitals and that number is declining and some doctors are dropping out of Advantage plans. Find out how your federal plan works at age 65 so you can consider keeping it. You can go to the Medicare website and check out plans and prices. For 2024 Medicare part B costs about $174/mo and Medigap plan G (highest plan is G) about $180/mo and Part D drug plans start at $0/mo. Good luck!