[mrf6969]

This is just another reason why a Medicare Supplement Plan may be the best option when your talking out of pocket expenses. Sure you have a monthly premium with it but you can choose your hospital and doctor and there is no doing the referral dance. You also do not have surprises in the form of co-pays that can add up to many times more than a monthly premium. Plan F/G can give you much piece of mind. Your health care is nothing to roll the dice with.

[Kathryn Putt]

I had an ER visit and went to a UF ER and only had to pay my co-pay.

[Nannyof3]

I just went to Shands/UF Eye clinic and they accepted my Villages Health insurance

[Mrprez]

Originally Posted by mrf6969

This is just another reason why a Medicare Supplement Plan may be the best option when your talking out of pocket expenses. Sure you have a monthly premium with it but you can choose your hospital and doctor and there is no doing the referral dance. You also do not have surprises in the form of co-pays that can add up to many times more than a monthly premium. Plan F/G can give you much piece of mind. Your health care is nothing to roll the dice with.

My advantage plan has an annual out of pocket maximum. Works out to the same amount. I don’t want to be running all over creation looking for doctors. TV Health is welcome to do that for me.

[riamd1954]

Change your insurance carrier

[tuccillo]

If you have Plan F, you may wish to consider switching to Plan G if you can pass the underwriting, if it is required. The only difference is that Plan F includes the $200 annual Part B deductible and Plan G doesn't. However, the difference in premiums might be greater than $200 so there is an overall savings. Similarly with Plan N, the premium difference, compared with Plan F, might be greater than the Part B annual deductible, possible additional copays, and possible excess charges associated with Plan N.

Originally Posted by mrf6969

This is just another reason why a Medicare Supplement Plan may be the best option when your talking out of pocket expenses. Sure you have a monthly premium with it but you can choose your hospital and doctor and there is no doing the referral dance. You also do not have surprises in the form of co-pays that can add up to many times more than a monthly premium. Plan F/G can give you much piece of mind. Your health care is nothing to roll the dice with.

[WindyCityzen]

Nonprofit only means they do not have shareholders ... that profits (if any) are retained not distributed. Nonprofits may or may not pay federal business income tax on their mission-related businesses. (They undoubtedly pay many other taxes on unrelated activities, e.g, renting out office space to doctors.). The profit and tax exempt statuses are technically unrelated. Bottom line: All of this has little if any effect on how they negotiate with insurance carriers. Also, just saying ... if the US had a single payer system like all other first-world nations, none of of this would even occur.

[WindyCityzen]

I couldn’t agree more. Advantage plans are losing ground. Medigap/Supplemental Plans F or G are the best options.

[capecoralbill]

Originally Posted by Villages Kahuna

After several years of subscribing to TVH Medicare Advantage offered by United Health Care, we switched to Florida Blue this year, when it was first accepted by Villages Health.

.

Hello, Kahuna, did you just say Florida Blue is accepted by the Villages Health? Are you over 65 years old?
When I switched from UHC VILLAGES I, to Blue, I had to leave the Village Health, can I get back in now?

[2BNTV]

Originally Posted by Villages Kahuna

After several years of subscribing to TVH Medicare Advantage offered by United Health Care, we switched to Florida Blue this year, when it was first accepted by Villages Health.

One important reason was that Moffitt and Shands no longer accepted UHC as of a couple of years ago.

If you examine the benefits and co-pays of Florida Blue you’ll find there are quite a few that are better and cheaper than United Health Care. I’d recommend that you take the time to do the comparison. Better yet, visit the insurance office at any Villages Health office. They are staffed full-time with licensed agents from both companies. The Florida Blue reps can lead you through a comparison.

I couldn't agree more. I too, switched from UHC to Florida Blue on the advice of a SHINE rep.

The specialists fees are $10 less, ($30 instead of $40) and the first few days of a hospital stay are less($150 for days 1 -6 and I think UHC was $250 for the first few days). $2900 Out Of Pocket for the year.

I addition, they give you $75 OTC medications every 3 months instead Of $40 from UHC. I ordered stuff on Monday and got it on Tuesday. WOW!!!

You have access to Moffitt and Shands which is not promoted by UHC, I believe the Daily Sun had posted a comparison of UHC and Florida Blue several day ago.

I went to the Florida Blue office off 101 in the shopping plaza to talk to a Florida Blue rep.

I haven't noticed any change in the level of care! I see my villages doctor as ususal. So far, so good!

I agree that one should check it out.

[glsatterlee]

We have the AARP United healthcare supplemental plan instead of the advantage plan and we can go anywhere, except we cannot get a PCP in the villages. How strange is that. But we can go to all of their specialists in the villages.

[pmken2]

I go to a doctor at UF in Gainsville and have medicare and United Healthcare supplement and they take my insurance. No problem at all.

[Mrprez]

Originally Posted by capecoralbill

Hello, Kahuna, did you just say Florida Blue is accepted by the Villages Health? Are you over 65 years old?
When I switched from UHC VILLAGES I, to Blue, I had to leave the Village Health, can I get back in now?

I am 68, have Florida Blue Medicare Advantage and go to TV Health for everything. I am sure they would welcome you back.

[sally123]

When october comes around - consider looking at bcbs!!! I needed a reverse shoulder replacement - determined by local ortho dr in october. Uf shands was closest (gainesville) place to go to for this operation. Had to wait till january to start bcbs coverage - but i was well worth the insurance change!!!

[Carla B]

Originally Posted by pmken2

I go to a doctor at UF in Gainsville and have medicare and United Healthcare supplement and they take my insurance. No problem at all.

We're not talking about Medicare and supplements, or Medigap, which, of course, are accepted by Shands. We're talking about Shands and The Villages Health United Healthcare Advantage program.

I think RustyP has probably hit on the right answer. Shands and UHC will eventually negotiate something to accommodate the thousands of Villages Health patients with UHC Advantage. But now, if I were thinking of going back to The Villages Healthcare I'd look at Florida Blue.