[olderandwiser456]

What is the experience of retirees in Florida with finding doctors who accept Medicare and are taking new patients? Is there any issue in this regard? With the high number of retirees in Florida, I'm thinking it may be an issue, but I could be incorrect. For Florida retirees, what is your experience with the quality of care received, from doctors and from hospitals? Are there certain areas of the state that are better or worse for either finding doctors or in terms of quality of care?

[aridon]

The closer you are to a Level 1 trauma center the better your care will be. Otherwise you don't have nearly as many specialties and availability of services. Many of them will simply attempt to stabilize you and ship you off to a facility better capable.

[grampaTom]

Sadly, Pensacola currently has a shortage of primary care docs making it hard for patients to find a Dr. Not just Medicare and Medicaid patients but they are especially affected.

[Restrain]

Down here in SWFL, so many retirees that doctors accepting Medicare is common.

[chopchop0]

Won't be a problem in peninsula, might be a bigger problem in less populated panhandle.

Most doctors take straight Medicare, problem is when you start trying to find doctors or specialists in network with Medicare advantage plans like United Medicare complete, Humana, Blue cross Medicare etc

[olderandwiser456]

Originally Posted by chopchop0

Won't be a problem in peninsula, might be a bigger problem in less populated panhandle.

Most doctors take straight Medicare, problem is when you start trying to find doctors or specialists in network with Medicare advantage plans like United Medicare complete, Humana, Blue cross Medicare etc

That's good to know. The Advantage plans usually have narrow networks, so there is that to contend with, on top of who is taking new Medicare patients. I have Medicare with a medigap supplement, so that part would not be an issue. But I imagine that the availability of docs and good facilities will vary around the state.

[RedneckRebel]

I work with people on Medicare for a living. Generally speaking, if you have a medicare supplement, you will be fine as far as finding a doctor. This is a retirement state, so any doctor that doesn't accept medicare doesn't want to be in business.

That being said, The Villages Health, starting January 1, 2017 will not accept Medicare as a form of payment, you will have to use Medicare Advantage. If you use them as your doctor send me a pm, and I can help you find a new plan.

[chopchop0]

Originally Posted by RedneckRebel

I work with people on Medicare for a living. Generally speaking, if you have a medicare supplement, you will be fine as far as finding a doctor. This is a retirement state, so any doctor that doesn't accept medicare doesn't want to be in business.

That being said, The Villages Health, starting January 1, 2017 will not accept Medicare as a form of payment, you will have to use Medicare Advantage. If you use them as your doctor send me a pm, and I can help you find a new plan.

Wow, crazy, usually I've seen systems refuse other Medicare advantage plans besides their own, but never straight Medicare

[RedneckRebel]

Originally Posted by chopchop0

Wow, crazy, usually I've seen systems refuse other Medicare advantage plans besides their own, but never straight Medicare

It is my opinion that Medicare Advantage is the future of Medicare, and that Original Medicare will be all but phased out.

[chopchop0]

Originally Posted by RedneckRebel

It is my opinion that Medicare Advantage is the future of Medicare, and that Original Medicare will be all but phased out.

Supposedly it's more expensive than traditional Medicare to the government, but does provide other benefits in some cases, we shall see.

In traditional Medicare, you don't have the narrow networks and authorization hassles to deal with