Who pays for ambulance?
 

Who pays for ambulance? Does advantage?

The hospitals DO accept regular Medicare. All hospitals do. Some do not accept Advantage plans.

But this discussion is about clinics and doctors, not hospitals.

The Village hospital, now renamed Spanish Plaines hospital, is not part of the Village Healthcare system and clinics.

I am aware of the problem of finding a doctor here in the Villages. Have not needed one other than Urgent Care so far. Knock on wood.

For Plan F, you need to have turned 65 before Jan 1, 2020. However, if you have Plan F, you may be better off switching to Plan G (assuming you can) because the difference between the Plan F and Plan G premiums might be greater than the Part B deductible, which Plan F includes but Plan G doesn't.

Medicare
 

Yes in speak with a Medicare specialist Advantage plans reimbursement is better for annual checkup but for specialist the reimbursement is better. Thus why specialist even in The Villages accept regular Medicare. I think more people here in The Villages have Advantage plans dye to budget. Nationwide it's roughly 50/50.

I might just be lucky but I have yet to find a doctor that DID NOT accept my original Medicare with supplement.

Villages Health decision on only having the advantage plan is being really shortsighted. We moved here at age 55 and couldn't get ANY doctors or services from Villages Health (VH) because we did not have the Medicare advantage plan and were 10 years too young to qualify. All our doctors are outside VH and we will probably never leave those doctors. I see this same situation all over (especially in the southern villages) and as Middleton builds out.

If Orlando Health or Advent Health built a primary care location in the southern area and used that as a feeder into their overall system the future demand for VH services might not be there. I know I'm not changing doctors and going on a Medicare advantage plan in the future just because of Villages Health restrictions.

This is what we have, and it works great for us.

Over 50% of new medicare enrollees choose Advantage plans. I think The VIllages Health business plan is working very well.

There is a lot of advertising for advantage plans. Rarely if ever for traditional plans. I read an article that this is a big influencer on the large number of people choosing the advantage plans.

I know too many people who have not been able to get the care they need approved by their advantage plan. One I know even died because of this.

It surprises me that so many are okay with leaving their health in the hands of the insurance companies. Not me! Freedom to choose who and where I want to go is priceless imho.

So much has been said already on this thread - my primary doctor is through Villages Health, but I am still under Medicare age, and they accept my Obamacare plan. Once I turn 65, I plan to go with traditional Medicare + supplement. I will have to leave Villages Health at that time, and I’m OK with that. I’ve done so much research on my own, as well have talked with SHINE (great resource I encourage everyone under 65 to engage with before making this important decision of which route to go). I think the error that many make, is they let cost alone guide their decision, and also are short-sighted, looking only at their current health situation, rather than anticipating what that could look like 20 years from now.

Hmmm, I'm not sure I understand that. I used the Villages Health Care (Primary Care Physician) until I reached age 65, at which time was I no longer eligible because I chose traditional Medicare and a Supplemental Plan. Before I reached age 65, I had health insurance through my employer and The Villages Health Care was more than happy to accommodate me with private insurance, which actually included an obamacare plan for about 24 months.

Although things keep changing, when I moved here is 2023, I attempted to get into Villages Health with my Obamacare. I was told then, that they will not accept any new patients under the age of 60, and if between 60-65 they would put me on a waiting list. It took one year for me to clear that waiting list (I was with Orlando Health during that first year, and drove to the facility off the Turnpike and the intersection with Hwy 27). I’m still a few years away from 65, but will need to leave Villages Health at 65, since I won’t be going the Medicare Advantage route.

Bingo, that’s my fear. Hopefully, in that scenario, those up us already in a Medigap plan will be grandfathered in for life?

I suspect the issue is not enough PCPs. When we moved to The Villages in 2014, they had just opened up the facility at Pinellas and there was no issue with getting a PCP.