[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by kingofbeer

I understand. From what I know, SHINE provides health insurance advice but does not address this local healthcare issue.
"Anyone moving to The Villages needs to check out the health care situation first. Good physicians are few and far between and difficult to find. A physician told me today that general practitioners in the area are "sketchy." The much touted Villages Health Care system only accepts United Healthcare Advantage plan for primary care. The Villages Health care doctors sign 2-year non-competes. So, even if you have the correct insurance, if your dr. quits or is terminated by The Villages Health Care, you are out of luck if you want to continue seeing that physician because they are no longer permitted to practice medicine in the area.
If you are thinking of living at the villages make sure that you can get good healthcare before you leave you home city"

I think we have a non-sequitur here.

You are responding to the OP
I was responding to the misinformation in the 3 sequential posts I quoted
SHINE will give the proper advice and information---of course they can't solve the problem.

[kingofbeer]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

I think we have a non-sequitur here.

You are responding to the OP
I was responding to the misinformation in the 3 sequential posts I quoted
SHINE will give the proper advice and information---of course they can't solve the problem.

Correct. I was responding to the original post. To navigate Medicare choices, Shine seems like a good resource.

SHINE (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders) is a free program offered by the Florida Department of Elder Affairs and your local Area Agency on Aging. Specially trained volunteers can assist you with your Medicare, Medicaid, and health insurance questions by providing one-on-one counseling and information. SHINE services are free, unbiased, and confidential.
Our Mission

The SHINE program supports the Florida Department of Elder Affairs’ mission by providing free and unbiased health insurance counseling through a dedicated network of volunteers, empowering Florida seniors to make informed health care choices.

[ThirdOfFive]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

Shouldn't be a problem for anyone, as long as they are qualified.

I think we can all assume that the doctors who practice here ARE qualified. That says nothing about their experience, personal interaction skills, or the quality of their various support personnel. But they do meet minimum standards to practice in Florida, or else they wouldn't be here.

But that is only part of the issue. Another part is that The Villages (and Florida in general) seems to be a jumping-off point for Doctors, qualified CNPs and other medical personnel to get their start in America. So far here I've been served by a total of six such; three MDs, two CNPs, and two dentists. Doctors are from the Philippines, Mexico and Kosovo, CNPs from the Philippines and Columbia, and dentists from Canada and Ukraine. Other than one doctor (and my dissatisfaction was not so much with him as with his "support" staff) their service has been excellent. But one of the dentists and one of the CNPs have already moved on, and my current MD is looking to move his practice out of TV. From what I've read here and information I've gathered from speaking to to others, turnover of staff is a significant issue. It is a pretty human thing that, as you advance and gain experience, you want to go where the pay is better.

I have a niece who, next month, will be entering her first year of two of medical residency; her first year in the Philippines (where she is in med. school) and her second year of Thailand, which is her country of origin. Her plan after that is to come to America to work as a G.P. for a year or so, then go on to obtain a more specialized ticket. Her plan is Florida at this point for three reasons; family, climate and numerous openings for doctors. But if she follows her plan, she won't be here long. Greener pastures will beckon.

As they have apparently for a lot of the doctors who practice, or who have practiced, in The Villages.

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by ThirdOfFive

I think we can all assume that the doctors who practice here ARE qualified. That says nothing about their experience, personal interaction skills, or the quality of their various support personnel. But they do meet minimum standards to practice in Florida, or else they wouldn't be here.

I wouldn't be all that quick to jump to that conclusion. About 7 years ago when my late wife was in the hospital, a medical subspecialist told us something that was the most ridiculous utterance by any physician I ever knew, so I asked him where he had heard that. He gave me the name of his supervising physician in his fellowship---unfortunately for him it was a doctor I had trained, so I knew it was total BS. And he is not alone. Minimum standards---yes, but I would hope we could strive for something better

[CoachKandSportsguy]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

He gave me the name of his supervising physician in his fellowship---unfortunately for him it was a doctor I had trained, so I knew it was total BS. And he is not alone.

I am not sure how to interpret this. . . ie, the doctor you trained is full of BS. . .
so you didn't train him well or he passed the exams but is incompetent in the profession. . . .
or the BS statement is one you trained him with when the answer is unclear. . . he is not alone in the doctors you have trained?

again, not sure how to interpret this statement . .

[Aces4]

Originally Posted by CoachKandSportsguy

I am not sure how to interpret this. . . ie, the doctor you trained is full of BS. . .
so you didn't train him well or he passed the exams but is incompetent in the profession. . . .
or the BS statement is one you trained him with when the answer is unclear. . . he is not alone in the doctors you have trained?

again, not sure how to interpret this statement . .

Try this, the physician was originally well-trained and now flies by the seat of his pants. Like that doesn’t happen….

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by CoachKandSportsguy

I am not sure how to interpret this. . . ie, the doctor you trained is full of BS. . .
so you didn't train him well or he passed the exams but is incompetent in the profession. . . .
or the BS statement is one you trained him with when the answer is unclear. . . he is not alone in the doctors you have trained?

again, not sure how to interpret this statement . .

I guess I wasn't very clear. Part of the responsibility of 2nd and 3rd year medical residents is to teach interns and medical students. From 1984-6, one of my medical students and subsequently interns went on to do a fellowship in a medical subspecialty, returned to the hospital that we both had trained at, and eventually became head of that department. While he was dept. head, he had a fellow in that subspecialty that he trained, obviously one that was younger than both of us. It was this physician that I encountered here in TVRH and gave an ignorant answer as a solution to a diagnosis, and claimed he heard that particular info from his head of dept., who I had taught. I knew the dept head pretty well and know that he would never have told anyone the BS that this guy here in TV was laying on me. Hope that clarifies the issue.

[CoachKandSportsguy]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

I guess I wasn't very clear. Part of the responsibility of 2nd and 3rd year medical residents is to teach interns and medical students. From 1984-6, one of my medical students and subsequently interns went on to do a fellowship in a medical subspecialty, returned to the hospital that we both had trained at, and eventually became head of that department. While he was dept. head, he had a fellow in that subspecialty that he trained, obviously one that was younger than both of us. It was this physician that I encountered here in TVRH and gave an ignorant answer as a solution to a diagnosis, and claimed he heard that particular info from his head of dept., who I had taught. I knew the dept head pretty well and know that he would never have told anyone the BS that this guy here in TV was laying on me. Hope that clarifies the issue.

umm, yes, that makes sense! my respect for teaching doctors has been restored!

[MichaelAllsup]

Originally Posted by Altavia

Advantage Plans have risks. They are great as long as you are healthy but not so good for a long term illness or significant medical issues. Good luck getting first line cancer care if on an Advantage Plan.

Stick with standard Medicare if you can afford it.

Would do you consider "first line cancer care"? Moffit & Shands aren't on your list?

[Happydaz]

Originally Posted by MichaelAllsup

Would do you consider "first line cancer care"? Moffit & Shands aren't on your list?

Which Advantage Plans allow subscribers to go to Moffitt Cancer Center.

[tophcfa]

I did my health care research the hard way. I went to the ER at the Villages Hospital with a life threatening infectious disease, had the worst experience one could possibly imagine, was in a hell hole for about 12 hours, finally got misdiagnosed and given medication I didn’t need, and was sent packing to go home in my golf cart after midnight to die (I was in absolutely no shape to drive). If I didn’t get to a real hospital in Gainesville in short order for proper care and treatment, I wouldn’t be here today. I love the lifestyle of The Villages, but I am in constant fear of needing competent health care while here. BEWARE!

[Dusty_Star]

This is interesting, the original post was by a troll hoping to disparage The Villages health care options. But, in spite of his negativity the resulting discussion was very positive and informative. Another fail for the troll and another win for Villagers with helpful advice to add to the comments section.

[NotGolfer]

We moved here in 2009 and never an issue with health-care. We have TVH and couldn't be happier. It's been our experience that some of the "stand alone" dr's are the ones that cause issues for their patients. We've been fortunate to circumvent those, so far. That said though...we have a family member who lives on the frozen tundra whose at their "end of life". The care there has them falling through the cracks even with hospice. I think the way our health-care in this country is designed it will continue to slide with more and more people not getting what they need. It's not just in Florida!!

*****edit. we had good health-care in our previous community in the mid-west. BUT we've been away for years now and by what I can tell things have changed up there. NOT so sure if we'd ever go back (no plans as yet) we'd find the "comfort" we once had there.

[paulat585]

You can find docs who take these here, but I had to go to Winter Park to get a "good" endocrinologist and to Clermont to get an OB/GYN when there were none who were taking patients nearby.