[dadspet]

Be careful with the details. A few years ago I was told they would not accept United healthcare ppo. Earlier this year again ask them and they said oh yes we do now accept uhc and I filled out the paperwork got accepted and then I try to get an appointment. It turns out there was only one primary care physician in their system who would accept United healthcare at Brownwood and another one up north while I wasn't aware of that when I started but I still continued and then I found out it was going to take me about 4 months to get my first appointment with that doctor. I think there's just a little bit too much going on with the villages healthcare system.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by RoseyRed

I respectively disagree with the statement that TVH accepts patients not on Medicare with commercial insurance. I tried late last year to make an appointment with TVH and was denied because I am NOT on Medicare.

Originally Posted by biker1

That might be a relatively recent change. In the past, they accepted those under Medicare age as PCP patients. I was one of those. I suspect demand forced a change.

Originally Posted by Mrprez

That must have changed at some point. I do see where they only take MA plans.

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

I agree. That was the policy in the past, but it was changed years ago.

TVH has accepted non-Medicare marketplace health insurance AT LEAST for the past 7 years, because I'm still not old enough for Medicare yet and I've been a patient there for the past 7 years.

The problem that Rosey probably ran into, was discovering that doctors weren't accepting NEW patients. That is definitely a problem, there is a doctor shortage at TVH. That's why a couple years ago they were running ads offering $10,000 reward for anyone who referred a doctor to work for the Villages, if the doctor stayed in employment for a specified period of time. One of the rooms in TVH in Santa Barbara still has the poster up. I think it's on the side wall of the reception area, I only remember noticing it somewhere in the building last time I was there a couple months ago for my annual physical.

But yes they do accept regular normal non-medicare health insurance. They also accept Medicare Advantage for Florida Blue, UH Advantage, a specific Humana Advantage plan. They don't accept traditional Medicare, with the exception of a limited number of specialists, who might not be accepting new patients because of the ongoing doctor shortage.

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

TVH has accepted non-Medicare marketplace health insurance AT LEAST for the past 7 years, because I'm still not old enough for Medicare yet and I've been a patient there for the past 7 years.

The problem that Rosey probably ran into, was discovering that doctors weren't accepting NEW patients. That is definitely a problem, there is a doctor shortage at TVH. That's why a couple years ago they were running ads offering $10,000 reward for anyone who referred a doctor to work for the Villages, if the doctor stayed in employment for a specified period of time. One of the rooms in TVH in Santa Barbara still has the poster up. I think it's on the side wall of the reception area, I only remember noticing it somewhere in the building last time I was there a couple months ago for my annual physical.

But yes they do accept regular normal non-medicare health insurance. They also accept Medicare Advantage for Florida Blue, UH Advantage, a specific Humana Advantage plan. They don't accept traditional Medicare, with the exception of a limited number of specialists, who might not be accepting new patients because of the ongoing doctor shortage.

As I understand it, in the past, The Villages Health has not "always" accepted non-Medicare insurance for primary care. And, I also understand that, in 2025, they are suspending or stopping the acceptance of non-Medicare insurance. If this is important to you, I would suggest calling them directly because it is very confusing.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

As I understand it, in the past, The Villages Health has not "always" accepted non-Medicare insurance for primary care. And, I also understand that, in 2025, they are suspending or stopping the acceptance of non-Medicare insurance. If this is important to you, I would suggest calling them directly because it is very confusing.

I did call them, because I have to deal with having normal health insurance for the first half of 2025, and then I have to switch to some variety of medicare starting in the second half of 2025.

They said I'm fine, they'll still be accepting normal health insurance, I can keep my same doctor, he's not dropping anyone.

However, he isn't taking new patients, no matter what insurance they have. This has been true for three years, at least, when we tried to get hubby signed up with him.

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

I did call them, because I have to deal with having normal health insurance for the first half of 2025, and then I have to switch to some variety of medicare starting in the second half of 2025.

They said I'm fine, they'll still be accepting normal health insurance, I can keep my same doctor, he's not dropping anyone.

However, he isn't taking new patients, no matter what insurance they have. This has been true for three years, at least, when we tried to get hubby signed up with him.

Yes, but are they accepting people who are under 65 and not on Medicare?

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

Yes, but are they accepting people who are under 65 and not on Medicare?

THEY are, yes. HE is not, because he already has a full roster. This is the problem many people will find, when they try to get a PCP assigned to them at TVH. TVH isn't a PCP. It's a health GROUP, with PCPS employed by them. If you need to establish a patient file there, you need a PCP. But you can't get one, if you can't find one that is still accepting new patients at all.

'Not accepting new patients' has nothing to do with health insurance. It has to do with a doctor shortage.

[tophcfa]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

'Not accepting new patients' has nothing to do with health insurance. It has to do with a doctor shortage.

I’m gonna go out on a limb and predict that building thousands of new homes, at a breakneck pace, isn’t the solution to fixing the doctor shortage!

[Joecooool418]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

They don't accept traditional Medicare,

Red flag........