[trichard]

Medicare’s open enrollment begins in a few days. It has been eerily quiet from The Villages Health in promoting United Health Care’s Medicare Advantage insurance product. Could it be that TVH’s new management is rethinking its commitment to the UHC M/A product? Could it be that they will quietly start taking original Medicare after the first of the year?

[Dan9871]

The Villages Health has had ad's in the Daily Sun... I'm not sure what other ways they have of getting the word out. The VHC clinic we go to is always busy and new people seem to be signing up... you can see them with their clipboards. A lot of the doc's are now listed as taking only medicare eligible patients. Also the 2019 UHC MA plan hasn't increased copays and in fact has lowered the amount of out of pocket you have spend before UHC covers it, from 4500 down to 2500 (I think that's the new level). The VHC website still says that only UHC MA is accepted for patients over 65. And the UHC MA plan for 2019 has not been cancelled... we would have already gotten a notice if that was the case. Also CMS says MA premiums are going down next year.

So if Villages Health going to switch to regular Medicare I don't think it will be this year.

[NotGolfer]

I think I've heard ads on the radio too...so not necessarily quiet.

[Northwoods]

I just don't see that happening. Primary Care physicians at TVH offer 30 min. or 60 min. appointments for annual or twice a year physicals. I don't think they can sustain that model with most Medicare reimbursement rates.