Moffitt and USF Programs - Why did they Leave us?
 

In light of the big changes coming with the VHS, I'm asking for those in the know to explain to us why Moffitt and USF are no longer in TV.
I remember the big excitement and fundraising that went along with Moffitt coming to TV - and participated with the USF focus group in 2011...
So, please explain why they are gone????

Moffitt Center
 

This was posted by DillyWho a while back

"The initial understanding was that over time, additional services gradually would be added to reach the goal of a comprehensive cancer treatment center in The Villages -- similar to what Moffitt provides in the Tampa area".

Moffitt notified officials that their plans have changed and that is no longer going to happen. As a result, the operators of Central Florida Health Alliance (which operates Leesburg and The Villages Hospital) reached out to Florida Cancer Specialists, one of the largest providers in the U.S. As a result, the services will be expanding much as Moffitt had in mind when they came here. The equipment purchased, with the help of some of the Villagers and others, will remain in place. Also, one of their Board Certified Radiation Oncologists, is transitioning to FCS and remaining. He will be working with most of the same ones on board with the Moffitt contract. Other doctors in the field will also be added. Apparently, patients remain with Moffitt in Tampa if they wish.

This says to me, that this is a very positive outlook for all Villagers and those in the surrounding area having to receive cancer treatments. Sounds like a win-win and will perhaps avoid some now battling this illness having to use two facilities -- here and Tampa.
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It's not complex. Enough patients translate to enough revenue to pay the bills. Unlike the federal government, they could not print money when revenues were lower than expenses.

Some call that "greed", but others call it "fiscally responsible" and "committed to solvency".

USF pulls out of its $4 million specialty care clinic at the Villages
By Jodie Tillman, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, September 17, 2014 5:45pm

"....But less than six months later, USF quietly got out of that business, walking away from a $4 million investment by its doctors group before the losses grew even greater.

The center remains open to patients, but USF in June turned its operation over to for-profit partner Villages Health, which already owned the property on which it sits.

Within months of opening, USF officials decided they couldn't make enough income for the center to succeed, said Dr. Jeff Lowenkron, CEO of the USF Physicians Group, the medical school faculty's practice.

One of the main reasons: lower-than-expected sales of a Medicare managed care plan at the heart of USF's revenue projections.

The center was on track to run a $2 million operating deficit this year, he said, and the gap showed no sign of closing soon.

"We just made a conscious business decision that we couldn't afford the ongoing investment," said Lowenkron.....

Lowenkron said the USF group needed about 230 patients a day to make the finances work. When USF pulled out in June, the practice was drawing fewer than 100 patients a day, he said.

Further, the business model relied on getting enough patients to enroll in a United Healthcare Medicare Advantage plan created specially for the Villages. Only about 6,000 Villages residents enrolled in the United plan in its first year. About 20,000 would have been needed for the math to have worked out favorably, Lowenkron said.

He and Wolfson blame some of the controversy surrounding cuts to Medicare Advantage plans, as well as news that United was dropping popular hospitals, including Moffitt Cancer Center, from its networks......"

USF pulls out of its $4 million specialty care clinic at the Villages | Tampa Bay Times

Moffit Center
 

Of interest, this guy, Dr. Jeff Lowenkron, quoted in the Moffitt story on behalf of USF, is now chief medical officer of Villages Health and signed the letter telling members our way or the highway.

If you have not had a medical facility say they would not take your insurance than you are unusual in this day and age. Insurance companies make agreements with medical facilities to pay certain amounts for certain procedures. Sometimes the medical facility is "asking too much", more than what the insurance company wants to pay.

It is a little different than "our way or the highway".

Medical facilities and pharmaceutical companies and insurance companies sometimes take us to the cleaners. Many of us would like to see the rates drop. Many of us would like to be richer and younger too.

Some more info on The Villages/USF:

After USF failure in the Villages, top official finds job there | Tampa Bay Times

Health-care is changing ALL over the country. We've lived here 7 yrs and when we return to our former home...the facilities and care there have ALL changed. I can understand the concerns here (I have them too) but to blame our developer...in my opinion isn't fair. From what I understood and still do, the developer is and was trying to give us the best. The insurance systems are what are driving this...it's all about their power and money they earn. Have you stayed in a hospital lately? Compare the time spent to say, 30 yrs ago? There were more nurses on the floor back then, we got a few "amenities" (such as sponge-baths, massages, personal items and more). That isn't happening any longer. We used to all have a cadillac ins. if we had a good career. Full coverages on health, vision and dental---I remember those! Very few plans are like that now. Our kids don't have the choices we had when we were starting out. If you all will remember----a couple of years ago we were told in the news that ins. coverages would change. Folks in our paradym will be the ones most affected. Maybe some of us were lulled to think it wouldn't happen because of TVH here, but unfortunately I think we all will be affected. Things can change quickly in industries! My spouse found that out just before retirement...the change there happened almost overnight and it was to the benefit of a much larger corporation. Bottom lines always/always prevail!!