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I figure that our best bet is to retire in an area with lots to do so that we'll stay active, enjoy some entertainment and have the opportunity to meet other active retirees. Better to eat right, stay active and avoid needing doctors as much as possible.
I did look at the list of doctors on my insurance before I moved from Atlanta to Knoxville. There were plenty. I have been happy with the human medical care. My biggest medical gripe is the lack of specialized veterinary care in Knoxville. The UT Veterinary College is wonderful, but there can be a long, long wait for an appointment.
Here in Las Vegas, the joke is the best place for medical care is the airport - fly to someplace else. Part of the issue is the total population has grown dramatically, especially during the pandemic as California retirees move here to escape high taxes and work-from-home employees relocated here for a lower COL -- but the number of physicians didn't increase that much, so the population-to-physician ratio is not favorable. Moreover, many of the physicians here are people who many seniors do not trust - physicians who went to medical school in a substandard 3rd world country. Perhaps they are fine; perhaps not, but many seniors complain about them on Nextdoor. They want someone who went to school in the USA.
In contrast, Park City Utah is a small town, but very expensive. The local medical networks (Intermountain Health Care and University of Utah Hospitals & Clinics) have difficulty keeping doctors in Park City because of the very high COL. Primary care and internal medicine physicians are well-paid of course but don't necessarily want to live someplace where they cannot afford a nice house. They stay down in the greater Salt Lake City area. It isn't that far of a drive, but it seems like another world. In contrast, orthopedic surgeons do quite well in Park City as specialty medical groups. There is a ton of demand for their services driven by skiing accidents and mountain bike accidents. One of the local famous orthopedic surgeons is Eric Heiden, who you may recall as a world record setting & Olympic gold medal winning speed skater and bicycle racer. It is really cool to go into his office where he has his many medals displayed in the waiting room. He even has a box of Wheaties on display where he is the cover athlete.
I'm in the process of moving to Toledo from the Orlando area. Besides cost of living the accessibility of preventative healthcare was a major consideration. For example I made two new patient appointments with specialists and in both instances at the University of Toledo Medical Center was able to secure appointments within two weeks. Here in Central Florida that would have easily been two months.
We didn't really think about healthcare when we moved here. We are very rural, 25 mins to a rural hospital, 30 mins to a larger, but not as good of a facility. 5 mins from a decent urgent care facility. But we are still fairly young and this won't be our last destination. I am positive that our next move will be much closer to better healthcare, if for no other reason, than the convenience.
Sometimes it is not about a medical situation taking you out before you can reach proper care. Sometimes it is about a medical situation that makes your life miserable and can be a long and drawn out downslide without proper medical treatment. But the right medical treatment can make your life much better.
The much more likely scenario for an average person is that they will need nursing home or in home care during their final years. So, perhaps selecting a town with good options for elder care would be even more important for those inclined to pick a location with an emphasis on "healthcare".
...In contrast, Park City Utah is a small town, but very expensive. The local medical networks (Intermountain Health Care and University of Utah Hospitals & Clinics) have difficulty keeping doctors in Park City because of the very high COL. Primary care and internal medicine physicians are well-paid of course but don't necessarily want to live someplace where they cannot afford a nice house..
That's a pretty bad situation when a doctor can't afford a decent home.
It recently came to my attention that the median home price in Jackson, Wyoming is 5 million.
Friends of mine living in Anchorage, AK traveled to Aspen, Colorado last month for one of them to get a knee replacement. I guess they "did their research" and decided this doctor was a better choice than any available in AK or elsewhere in a nearby state.
I'm in the process of moving to Toledo from the Orlando area. Besides cost of living the accessibility of preventative healthcare was a major consideration. For example I made two new patient appointments with specialists and in both instances at the University of Toledo Medical Center was able to secure appointments within two weeks. Here in Central Florida that would have easily been two months.
No doubt! Remember what Jerry Seinfeld said: "My parents didn't want to move to Florida but they turned sixty and that's the law."
I wonder how many people decide to retire to Florida without much consideration for obtaining accessible and expert healthcare.
Healthcare was 100% of our decision to stay within this area. No changing our Health Clinic, they have excellent Doctors who were previously in private practice or with other healthcare companies. They come in to the visits very relaxed, even talking about themselves. Makes going to the Doctor a pleasure. They all seem to love their jobs Your health is #1
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Your health is #1
