Sorry didn't get that correct.

http://www.thevillageshealth.com/insurance.php

The clinics take Fed Blue (they are a preferred provider)

Well most of you have put up with my bitching and moaning about my experience at
"the Dr. Welby" facility and I am the first to criticize, but also the first to compliment.
Went with my husband today to the Family Physicians Group and saw their newest doc,
Dr. Saxon, and was so happy to see a competent doctor who could talk to you while entering the information into that hateful electronic system. Without either my husband or I giving any indication of the problems with the Dr. at Colony he confirmed our suspisions about health issues that were either missed or misdiagnosed. So he has now had 2 physicals in 3 months, with additional blood work that she missed to be done in a few days, but at least we both feel confident he knows what he is doing.

As we were leaving Dr. Saxon came out another door and I told him how grateful and relieved we were to find him and he actually gave me a hug and said "I like what I do".
He shared some personal information with us that he had retired 4 years ago and came back to practice 'cause he likes helping and working with people. He is former military and you can tell by his incredible efficiency.

So anyone looking for an "outstanding" primary care physician I can't praise Dr. Saxon enough. He is one of the few good guys left in medicine! This was a true "Dr. Welby"
experience. He actually asked if we had any questions or concerns he didn't cover.

P.S. My husband and I are both early 60's and only dealing with high blood pressure and cholesterol for him and hypothyroid for me. We are not ailing and in need of continuous care or monitoring. We are very aware of our health and keep diligent records or past lab work. What worries me is we are very tuned into this and fortunately caught the issue with Colony early on - what about a senior not so tuned in getting poor care - who will advocate for them?

Thanks for the info. I found some doctors listed in the villages on FEPBLUE site.

We have been using Premier Medical for the last year. We live one mile from the new clinic and will NOT switch. Dr. Gegaj is like the Dr. Welby from the old show, talks as long as needed, listens and believes we should take responsibility for our health issues not just take meds and keep bad habits.

From what I have heard it takes several appts. to actually see the Dr. at colony the first time, why?

Can't imagine what the issue would be with, for example, the United HealthCare Medicare Supplement that I have. A friend who had done extensive research into these plans pointed out that every single Medicare Supplement plan of the same designation MUST be identical to conform to federal Medicare guidelines. Incredibly their premiums varied--and in some cases considerably--for identical coverage! And that's how I chose United HealthCare, as it had the absolute lowest premium, which made the choice a no-brainer. My friend even mentioned that if both husband and wife enroll in the same supplement, they offer a small discount on the monthly premiums. What could be wrong with this program?

Before moving way up north to The Villages I read of doctors that were limiting their practices to only 2000 or so patients. To be a customer or patient it cost about $1500 per year. Is this similar to Dr Welby? What are they charging?

Good question. Since the doctors are salaried, who pays the salary? Is there an upfront fee, an annual fee and does Medicare cover any of the fees?

Also been wondering if one of their patients is admitted to any of the area hospitals, will these doctors treat the patient in hospital for non surgical follow up or will routine care be handled by a hospitalist?

There is no "up-front" fee and since this is Morse's baby I assume he is paying the salaries until they get up and running and Medicare covers the costs. Knowing how savvy the developer is this will be a profitable venture, but curious how Obamacare may affect his plan since it seems weekly new things are unveiled how Obamacare will really work.

In msg. #40, dgammon6 posted a link the The Villages Health website. The FAQs have most of the answers -- Frequently Asked Questions | The Villages Health

Is there an upfront fee? No
An annual fee? No
Does Medicare cover any of the fees? Yes, since the fees are the normal and customary fees
Will these doctors treat the patient in hospital for non surgical follow up Yes or will routine care be handled by a hospitalist? and Yes

I do not like AARP! Had been a member years ago, when Bush 43 wanted to reform SS, they were all upset, wrote them to fight for Federal Employees getting less SS if we qualified for SS also when had jobs in private sector. Many people retired at 55 then went to work for a contractor to complete their necessary quarters for SS. The said they did not care about Feds and we got "too much money" I stick to NARFE and AMAC now.

My husband and I just started with Colony Health Care. We are very impressed. They are trying very hard to be the kind of medical center we all want.

Oh don't I wish. In fact most electronic health records have their primary purpose to be sure that the office visit gets coded at as high a level as possible to increase insurance reimbursement. That is how they are sold to practices. That means checking the box that says "reviewed family history" and the one that says "asked if patient smokes or uses alcohol" etc. And to actually find the last colonoscopy requires reading thru all the electronic documents scanned into the file that is labeled "documents" just like on your own home computer. Instead of opening each document to read it, it is much easier to ask the patient. A well organized and legible paper record is much easier to review than an electronic record just as a paper document is easier to read than an online letter. No need to scroll down, click there, move the cursor... just read it.

I am now on my third electronic health system and you could not be more wrong about the ones I have seen. You have to know where every item is supposed to be stored and go thru a series of menus and submenus to get there. No such thing as a search box for data other than patient name in any of them.

Then you haven't been associated with the University of Michigan health system, because I have personal knowledge of their search system. Our doctor pulls up anything she wants to know about us, using the search function, and I see it as I'm sitting beside her. It can (and should) be done right. U of M has been doing this since before it became a standard requirement.

Huh?
 

Now I’m even more baffled. This thread is about the “Marcus Welby” HMO program (a Medicare Advantage plan) being created in TV versus staying with conventional Medicare coupled with a Medicare Supplement. What I said was that all Medicare Supplement plans of the same designation (for example, I have Plan F; each has different benefits) are identical, yet the administrators of these identical plans all set different premiums. Does this make sense? I chose United HealthCare as it has the lowest premium, that is, making it the least profitable to its shareholders (which in itself is amazing when you think about it). What does this have to do with whether or not I like AARP?

Speaking of those other organizations mentioned in the quote, there’s a post in the thread having to do with choosing the right plan where someone tried to get info about the plan offerings of one of these groups and was rebuffed, never being given the literature needed to make an intelligent choice. Anyone would question the covertness and secrecy. At least United HealthCare, Mutual of Omaha (which I used to have but got awfully expensive), and others make their program info readily accessible. These are, after all, Medicare Supplement plans, structured in accordance with their contracts with Medicare central; who their administrators are has nothing to do with the operation of the plans! I see no reason for me to "cut off my nose to spite my face"....

Whether or not he's a good doctor depends on the treatment he recommends for high blood pressure, high cholesterol and hypothyroidism. What did he do or suggest other than write prescriptions?

That has not been my experience at all, and I am a retired Practice Administrator. Most physicians code too low in fear f an audit. The EMR (and this is specifically true for eClinical Works, which Colony uses) says that it will help the provider "Correct" code. Now is this higher than the provider currently codes? Probably, but it is in no way incorrect, and it will survive an audit.
I was happy to see eClinical Works, because I know the company and how they sell their product. To be honest, it would not be my first choice, but it is up there.

Lifestyle was discussed for cholesterol and blood pressure. Hypothyroidism is successfully treated with synthroid - not much you can do to make a thyroid produce on its own when it's shot!

I can at least for the time being eliminate my concern about the doctor that rendered such poor care at Colony Health Center - I understand she is no longer there.

Can anyone tell me if a referral to a specialist is needed with United Health Care and/or Preferred Care Partners?

This is my understanding...

MedicareComplete Choice Plan 2 is a PPO plan offered by United HealthCare, and it DOES NOT require a referral to see a specialist.

Preferred Secure Option is a HMO plan offered by Preferred Care Partners, and it DOES require a referral to see a specialist.

Note that I am not an expert in this area. Please consult their websites, or contact an expert or an educated volunteer with SHINE in TV.

Looking for Marcus Welby, Hawkeye Pierce, Trapper John MacIntyre or even Dr. House is a fool's errand. None of the stories spun on these TV shows should ever be used as a definition for REAL healthcare.

Glad to hear that lifestyle was disscused for cholesterol and blood pressure. If I keep getting this kind of feedback, I won't have anything to complain about. Darn! :)

I read the articles in last Sunday's Daily Sun and again today. The reporter keeps saying that the problem with health care today is that doctors have to have 2,000 or more patients just to keep the doors open. And because they have so many patients they have to rush, so they don't spent enough time with their patients.

With The Villages Clinics, each doctor's patient load is capped at 1,250 so they can spend 30 minutes with each patient instead of 15. But the reporter never explains how they will be able to afford keeping their doors open while other doctors need 2,000+ patients in order to do so.

Don't tell me they get a salary (unless the salary comes from the Tooth-Fairy) because that doesn't explain how the bills get paid long term. Money coming in from patient care must equal money going out to pay bills and salary. So where is the money going to come from with so many fewer patients?

The Morse Family??? parternship with University of South Florida??? partnership with United Health Care??? I believe there are enough high rollers involved with this to support getting it off the ground. Hopefully, once things are up and running is will be self sustaining. Don't forget those docs with the 2000 patients have ridiculous malpractice insurance and it is very possible The Village Health System has a group malpractice policy in place that is more reasonable.

My husband, Bobby and I arrived at TV a week ago Saturday. We are momentarily living in Mallory Square, but building in Fernandina. I have a minor health problem that needs to be addressed. Can anyone recommend a physician around 466A. We don't mine a short ride to get there.

Where ya been?

Well said...as usual.

G-Person...I've been practicing my own kind of healthcare. Keeping my blood pressure in check by NOT reading TOTV. :laugh:

I completely understand.

Agreed!
 

Agreed! Sounds more like a marketing gimmick than reality. It's a pleasant sounding gimmick, but I can't rely on gimmicks for my health care!

I think we all knew from the first article in the Daily Sun that Marcus Welby was a fictional character who portrayed the reality of doctors who do care and do spend time talking with patients to know more about them.

I have doctors and know others who do care and want to spend time with patients....but the cost of doing business in light of low insurance/medicare/medicaid reimbursement does not always permit that. And if you think private insurers pay a lot more than medicare does, think again. What private insurers often call "reasonable and customary" charges are often what Medicare pays...which is below cost to the clinicians.

"Marcus Welby" isn't what we're looking for. It's the concept, Stupid.

And the ad slogan "Marcus Welby" was chosen to remind us of the concept to keep in front of the discussion....when talk of healthcare financing sucks up all the public attention and the concept gets lost in the wrangling about "who pays?".

Marketing slogans and gimmicks. Nothing wrong with them.
 

Where's the beef? Just Do It! See the USA in your Chevrolet. A little dab'l do ya. Pepsi Cola hits the spot, eight ounce bottle, that's a lot. This Bud's for YOU. Wouldn't you really rather drive a Buick? The weiner the world awaited.

Burma Shave. I LIKE marketing gimmicks. They are very American.

Electronic records are a government mandate:
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act also includes financial incentives for healthcare providers who prove meaningful use of electronic health records (EHR). EHR is not only a more comprehensive patient history than EMR, the latter of which contains a patient’s medical history from just one practice, but also the end-goal of the federal mandate. “Meaningful use” of EHR, as defined by HealthIT.gov, consists of using digital medical and health records to achieve the following:

Improve quality, safety, efficiency, and reduce health disparities
Engage patients and family
Improve care coordination, and population and public health
Maintain privacy and security of patient health information
Penalties also exist for non-compliance. EP’s who haven’t implemented EMR/EHR systems and demonstrated their meaningful use by 2015 will experience a 1% reduction in Medicare reimbursements, and rates of reduction will likely rise annually thereafter.

E‐Health Records (EHRs) – 10 Things to Know

Advocates claim federally‐certified electronic health records (EHRs) will transform health care delivery in America. However, concerns include:

1. Computerized medical records give government health officials easy access to private details of the confidential patient-doctor relationship. Electronic health records (EHRs) record everything. Requiring EHRs to be interoperable across the United States (able to work together and link together) gives outsiders and strangers easy access. Outside access is authorized under federal law. Specifically, because of the federal HIPAA2 “privacy rule,” have access to private health records without patient consent and often [U]2.2 million entities, including state and federal government, without patient knowledge.

2. The federal government is paying $20 billion to doctors and hospitals to buy expensive government‐certified online EHR systems.
Federal incentive payments under the 2009 HITECH Act only cover about a third of the EHR system costs—and none of the hidden administrative, training and other costs.......

...6. EHRs are part of a larger research agenda to statistically analyze everyone’s patient information and use the “findings” to rationalize health care rationing.

The HITECH modifications to HIPAA provide 2.2 million entities with patient data
for study and predictive analysis. Proponents claim algorithms can be created to theoretically “see” things in the data that people cannot see and this will lead to “cures” for cancer. Failure to do so would be blamed on insufficient data, and data withholding—including refusal to share genetic data—would be a crime.

7. When EHR research finds “cures,” doctors may be required to provide certain treatments or face financial penalties and prosecution. “Decision Support” (DS), standardized treatment protocols based on data and algorithms embedded in a physician’s computer, will push doctors to prescribe one‐size‐fits‐all treatments rather than customized care. Not using the standards could be considered fraud, waste or abuse. Doctors using DS are less trusted.

8. EHRs have captured the interest of investors.
Private equity firms (the kind that only acquire companies with at least $100 million in revenue) are bidding on EHR companies to expand their portfolios......

See full report to consumers:

http://www.cchfreedom.org/files/file...NAL%20TEXT.pdf

As a nurse I think #7 is actually a positive. Too often I see docs who prescribe 'custom care' and in the long run it didn't work. (I think they actually just missed what the care should be from a standards point of view in the first place.). Let the data say what to try first and if THAT doesn't work then let's go custom.

I am concerned with this mandatory sharing of medical information and that it is mandatory for me, a patient, to allow all my medical history to be known. Then insurance companies will have access to this info and use it to deny coverage, employers will check this database before making job offers, etc. And that is just the tip of the iceberg.

marcus welby was a made up character and as such had his 'life' planned out via a tv script. reality is unscripted. i am sure that the ladies would enjoy it if our 'marcus welby's' had a young assistant like james brolin!

Not everyone will have a good experiance and not every system is best for everyone. THIS is a brand new venture. Glad you found a system that works for you. I have been a RN for over 30 years, love the new Colony Clinic and for the first time in years feel I have a intelligant primary MD Karla Noel who actually cares, knows what she is talking about and listens to me. ALso I retired from USF Health in 2010 and never as a pt. had to wait for less than 30 minutes for any MD even worse for most pts. and found that to be the normal in most offices over the years.It has been very difficlut fo rmost of the older MD's to switch over to the paperless system. It takes a lot of time to avoid errors in the pts charts.The younger the MD the easiest it is. Beleive Ihave worked with some brilliant docs who we had to help with e-mail.:wave: There is not a perfect sytem.... expect maybe in our imaginations. By the way I am also only 61. Best wishes to you both...

The good news is the offending Doctor is no longer at Colony Health so that problem has been eliminated.

This is completely untrue. Please don't worry. As has always been true, your personal medical information is released only after YOU authorize it, and only to the person/business/agency that YOU specify. This is true regardless of whether your records are stored electronically or on paper.