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I've been lurking here in the Idaho forum reading and posting a few Questions.
I am planning to move back to the PNW. In about 4 years when i retire here at the Ship Yard in Hawaii.
I am originally from the Seattle Area born in Renton WA also lived in Kent. Moved to Los Angeles area at age 13 due to my father’s company transfer.
I was stationed in Everett WA. For 2.5 years in the Navy 1998-2000, transferred from Hawaii, to Everett. I did not have any issues with the winter weather or the climate.
After researching this past year in the PNW
I’m planning to move to Idaho due to the High cost in Washington.
I do have Military Retirement (US Navy) coming in now and will have retirement from the Ship yard also. My Medical insurance is also from the navy the same I had on active duty; just this is the retirement side that i pay into every year now. Tri care is my insurance and I verify with the doctors if they accept my insurance the same with my dental coverage. I just have to contact them when I move and they will transfer my medical coverage to my new home of record.
I've been research a lot about Idaho, and would like your inputs if you choose to answer?
I've found two areas i like in SE Idaho:
Salmon Idaho area Central Idaho. Really like Salmon from what I've researched, and they have a top rated medical center there Steels Memorial. I did call up Steels Memorial clinic & also Hospital in Salmon and they do accept my retired Tricare-medical insurance. So that is good news. I understand that the Salmon mountain valley they get inversions that last for weeks in the winter, trapping foggy, hazy, smoky air at the valley floor Inversion in the winter due to the cold weather. I will investigate more on this. I do not have any history of Repertory issues with my health.
Idaho Falls is my second area I like which I am looking further into. Due to more convinces with stores and maybe more medical choices if needed.
The Real Estate prices seem a lot less than Washington. Interested, looking for a small place nothing fancy in the area.
I love the outdoors and the mountains, camping and fishing my Favorite activities. Would like to buy a Truck Camper to use in the outdoors. I do realize there will be a culture shock coming from Hawaii to SE Idaho. But I have been able to adjust in the past and see no issues to change.
I plan on visiting Idaho either in the fall to winter time frame in the future to get an idea on the climate and be able to adjust to the Climate. I do not have any outstanding medical issues relating to High Altitude living.
My guess will have to fly into Idaho Falls to get access to central Idaho, via Billings Mt international Airport.
Any other information will be appreciated.
Sorry about the long winded email. Looking forward to your responses
Thank you,
Scott
I've been lurking here in the Idaho forum reading and posting a few Questions.
I am planning to move back to the PNW. In about 4 years when i retire here at the Ship Yard in Hawaii.
I am originally from the Seattle Area born in Renton WA also lived in Kent. Moved to Los Angeles area at age 13 due to my father’s company transfer.
I was stationed in Everett WA. For 2.5 years in the Navy 1998-2000, transferred from Hawaii, to Everett. I did not have any issues with the winter weather or the climate.
After researching this past year in the PNW
I’m planning to move to Idaho due to the High cost in Washington.
I do have Military Retirement (US Navy) coming in now and will have retirement from the Ship yard also. My Medical insurance is also from the navy the same I had on active duty; just this is the retirement side that i pay into every year now. Tri care is my insurance and I verify with the doctors if they accept my insurance the same with my dental coverage. I just have to contact them when I move and they will transfer my medical coverage to my new home of record.
I've been research a lot about Idaho, and would like your inputs if you choose to answer?
I've found two areas i like in SE Idaho:
Salmon Idaho area Central Idaho. Really like Salmon from what I've researched, and they have a top rated medical center there Steels Memorial. I did call up Steels Memorial clinic & also Hospital in Salmon and they do accept my retired Tricare-medical insurance. So that is good news. I understand that the Salmon mountain valley they get inversions that last for weeks in the winter, trapping foggy, hazy, smoky air at the valley floor Inversion in the winter due to the cold weather. I will investigate more on this. I do not have any history of Repertory issues with my health.
Idaho Falls is my second area I like which I am looking further into. Due to more convinces with stores and maybe more medical choices if needed.
The Real Estate prices seem a lot less than Washington. Interested, looking for a small place nothing fancy in the area.
I love the outdoors and the mountains, camping and fishing my Favorite activities. Would like to buy a Truck Camper to use in the outdoors. I do realize there will be a culture shock coming from Hawaii to SE Idaho. But I have been able to adjust in the past and see no issues to change.
I plan on visiting Idaho either in the fall to winter time frame in the future to get an idea on the climate and be able to adjust to the Climate. I do not have any outstanding medical issues relating to High Altitude living.
My guess will have to fly into Idaho Falls to get access to central Idaho, via Billings Mt international Airport.
Any other information will be appreciated.
Sorry about the long winded email. Looking forward to your responses
Thank you,
Scott
Hi again Scott,
You have indeed been reading other threads here, given specifics you mentioned. I'm confused about a couple of things.
It may be the military has set airports they use, IDK. I'm confused how come you'd fly into Billings for a connection or access to Idaho Falls and Central ID. Again, it may be where the military will fly you and if so, I understand. If not, I'm puzzled why you wouldn't fly into Idaho Falls or a closer MT airport.
Eastern ID appreciates the service and sacrifices of our veterans. Tricare can be difficult to find a provider. Who knows how or if it will change with the ACA. But eastern ID is one of the better places to have physicians provide care for veterans and their dependents, if any.
I don't know the number of docs currently in Salmon as Steele Memorial Hospital, a critical access hospital, tends to have some turn over as MD/DO.s usually sign two year contracts and many don't renew their contracts. Yes, they won the Critical Access Hospital award for 2013. That doesn't mean that hospital can provide all services.
I just searched some info about Steele and what I feel comfortable saying is make sure you ask if you needed an air evacuation or specialist to which hospital and state you would be sent. Let's just say it appears some patterns may be changing given what I found. Be sure you know the distance between Salmon and what may be different hospitals Steele is going to work with in the future.
And there will be a lot of telemed. You may be more use to that than some.
I removed some of what I initially wrote as I can see some changes I don't want to comment about. It should be worked out by the time you are there, if you select Salmon.
Idaho Falls has a relatively high number of physicians who were active duty military.
I think you'll enjoy the "culture shock" of space in Idaho. I have a niece in Honolulu and know how crunched they are for space. Otherwise, I'm not sure what you mean by culture shock.
I hope something is helpful. Not exactly what I would have written a few months ago about Salmon, but changes happen. Just be an informed consumer of care.
You have indeed been reading other threads here, given specifics you mentioned. I'm confused about a couple of things.
It may be the military has set airports they use, IDK. I'm confused how come you'd fly into Billings for a connection or access to Idaho Falls and Central ID. Again, it may be where the military will fly you and if so, I understand. If not, I'm puzzled why you wouldn't fly into Idaho Falls or a closer MT airport.
Eastern ID appreciates the service and sacrifices of our veterans. Tricare can be difficult to find a provider. Who knows how or if it will change with the ACA. But eastern ID is one of the better places to have physicians provide care for veterans and their dependents, if any.
I don't know the number of docs currently in Salmon as Steele Memorial Hospital, a critical access hospital, tends to have some turn over as MD/DO.s usually sign two year contracts and many don't renew their contracts. Yes, they won the Critical Access Hospital award for 2013. That doesn't mean that hospital can provide all services.
I just searched some info about Steele and what I feel comfortable saying is make sure you ask if you needed an air evacuation or specialist to which hospital and state you would be sent. Let's just say it appears some patterns may be changing given what I found. Be sure you know the distance between Salmon and what may be different hospitals Steele is going to work with in the future.
And there will be a lot of telemed. You may be more use to that than some.
I removed some of what I initially wrote as I can see some changes I don't want to comment about. It should be worked out by the time you are there, if you select Salmon.
Idaho Falls has a relatively high number of physicians who were active duty military.
I think you'll enjoy the "culture shock" of space in Idaho. I have a niece in Honolulu and know how crunched they are for space. Otherwise, I'm not sure what you mean by culture shock.
I hope something is helpful. Not exactly what I would have written a few months ago about Salmon, but changes happen. Just be an informed consumer of care.
Good luck finding the right place for you.
MSR
Sorry MSR about the confusion in my post. Thank you for the comments.
I'm already Retried from the Navy. I currently work at Pearl Harbor Naval Ship yard repairing Surface ships and have worked on Submarines also, for the last ten years. What i was trying to ask in my Clumsy way about the airport is. When you fly Internationally from Hawaii you usually stop on the west coast somewhere and make connecting flights to you next destination. Is their direct flights from Seattle into Idaho Falls?
I do receive retired Tricare for my medical insurance right now. You are right about who knows how or if it will change with the ACA. I am due to renew in September of 2014, next year so we will see what happens then??
I have Idaho Falls on my list if i decide in need more medical Resources, and keeping a open mind not just Salmon. I may find a surprise somewhere when i visit.
The culture shock question was about the weather change coming from Hawaii to IF. I will try to visit in the winter to insure i can adjust to the weather change from Hawaii.
Yes Honolulu is congested a lot with traffic, and of course the the city is building the Rail system from west Oahu to downtown Honolulu making traffic worse. Thank You for your replies,
Scott
Chances are coming from Hawaii you would fly into San Francisco or Los Angeles, then Salt Lake or Denver and then to Idaho Falls.
Thank you Cleosmom for the flight information. I kinda figured it would be what you have listed. We have flown into San Francisco twice for connecting Flights during work related travel when we (people in our shop) were sent to the East Coast Ships yards to assist with a heavy work schedule.
Thanks again, and Merry Christmas to your family,
Scott
I would not call Steele Memorial top rate hospital, it does a fair job but most people drive to IF or to Hamilton Mt for anything requiring a hospital stay, however it sounds like you are a veteran so you would be able to utilize the VA medical center recently opened there. There is some inversion thru winter there but it did not bother me much the years I lived there but the late summer and early fall fires can be pretty bad and you will see a lot of smoke, a few times we had ash falling in the town. Great community though, wonderful people and a busy little town in the summer and fall, the steelhead fishing in the Salmon river is awesome, lots of whitewater rafting also up the Middle Fork. A very isolated town 160 miles from any metro area IF or Missoula but you get use to it and the beauty is breathtaking there, makes me homesick as North Idaho is nothing like that part of the state. You would grow to love the area immensely, I do!
I would not call Steele Memorial top rate hospital, it does a fair job but most people drive to IF or to Hamilton Mt for anything requiring a hospital stay, however it sounds like you are a veteran so you would be able to utilize the VA medical center recently opened there. There is some inversion thru winter there but it did not bother me much the years I lived there but the late summer and early fall fires can be pretty bad and you will see a lot of smoke, a few times we had ash falling in the town. Great community though, wonderful people and a busy little town in the summer and fall, the steelhead fishing in the Salmon river is awesome, lots of whitewater rafting also up the Middle Fork. A very isolated town 160 miles from any metro area IF or Missoula but you get use to it and the beauty is breathtaking there, makes me homesick as North Idaho is nothing like that part of the state. You would grow to love the area immensely, I do!
The VA clinic in Salmon is extremely limited. Juneau posted about this.
I agree that Steele Memorial is not where I would select to have a surgery; however, as a Critical Access Hospital they did well enough to win the top award in the U.S. for 2013. They are good at getting patients moved, or have been.
Any hospital is only as good as the Medical staff who practice at that hospital. Steele has had tremendous in person and V-Rad support from Idaho Falls radiologists, and other visiting specialists. I started to write about that when I looked up a few things about SMH. It appears alliances with regional medical centers may be changing. I think we'll know more in 2014.
Those in the Salmon area may know more. What could be a new alliance makes zero sense to me for patients. Makes 100 % sense to me in the work of a "frontman" and those behind the scenes.
I would not call Steele Memorial top rate hospital, it does a fair job but most people drive to IF or to Hamilton Mt for anything requiring a hospital stay, however it sounds like you are a veteran so you would be able to utilize the VA medical center recently opened there. There is some inversion thru winter there but it did not bother me much the years I lived there but the late summer and early fall fires can be pretty bad and you will see a lot of smoke, a few times we had ash falling in the town. Great community though, wonderful people and a busy little town in the summer and fall, the steelhead fishing in the Salmon river is awesome, lots of whitewater rafting also up the Middle Fork. A very isolated town 160 miles from any metro area IF or Missoula but you get use to it and the beauty is breathtaking there, makes me homesick as North Idaho is nothing like that part of the state. You would grow to love the area immensely, I do!
Thank you jadbad for the information about Salmon. The VA Hospital would be great. But when i retired from the navy and applied.The letter came back no with no service related injuries and not Qualified. So I use Retired Tri care which allows me use civilian medical services any where i live as long as they accept Tri care.
As of now Steele Memorial accepts tri care.
Fishing and camping is my favorite past time and I've been reading up on the regulations on the Fish & Game web Site. I figured i would have to commute to IF for any item i could not get in Salmon. Will have to work that out when the time comes up.
Appreciate the information Thanks,
Scott
The VA clinic in Salmon is extremely limited. Juneau posted about this.
I agree that Steele Memorial is not where I would select to have a surgery; however, as a Critical Access Hospital they did well enough to win the top award in the U.S. for 2013. They are good at getting patients moved, or have been.
Any hospital is only as good as the Medical staff who practice at that hospital. Steele has had tremendous in person and V-Rad support from Idaho Falls radiologists, and other visiting specialists. I started to write about that when I looked up a few things about SMH. It appears alliances with regional medical centers may be changing. I think we'll know more in 2014.
Those in the Salmon area may know more. What could be a new alliance makes zero sense to me for patients. Makes 100 % sense to me in the work of a "frontman" and those behind the scenes.
I hope I'm wrong!
MSR
Thank you again MSR for your input. I agree with your Assessment of the situation involving the ACA coming into law next week. I will not go into the discussion any further, its a hot topic to get into . As of today I have my Medical Insurance through next year to September. When I renew again, so we will see what happens then?? This will tell me a lot weather I will be able to get my medical where ever I want too, or not. This would put a dampener on my plans to relocate, if it get worse with ACA.
Thanks again MSR for the information you provided,
Scott
[QUOTE =ScottStielo w;32760195] Thank you again MSR for your input. I agree with your Assessment of the situation involving the ACA coming into law next week. I will not go into the discussion any further, its a hot topic to get into . As of today I have my Medical Insurance through next year to September. When I renew again, so we will see what happens then?? This will tell me a lot weather I will be able to get my medical where ever I want too, or not. This would put a dampener on my plans to relocate, if it get worse with ACA.
Thanks again MSR for the information you provided,
Scott[/quote]
Scott,
I wasn't referencing the ACA, for SMH. However, it is possible these seemingly new alliances, are hoe SMH has decided to attempt to deal with it. You may be correct and I might not have connected the dots when I saw the changes I did. I was overwhelmed with how bad that decision would be for patients at Steele needing certain specialized care.
Most in Idaho haven't put together some of the bigger changes, like the cosy relationship all the St. Luke ' s Hospitals acquired or built in the last 3-4 years will now be hospitals Select Health from UT is connected with.
Alliances and economies of scale of more hospitals linking may be exactly what happens in this unknown year ahead.
The medical will work itself out somehow.
When do you plan to visit our area?
MSR
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