NE TN Doctors accepting Medicaid? (Johnson City, Kingsport: health insurance, subsidized, pros and cons)

[marmac]

While reading an old NE TN thread last night, I came upon a post warning retirees ;ocating to NE TN that it was nearly impossible to find a doctor who would accept new Medicare/Medicaid patients.

Is this still true in NE TN ? ( I have not heard it being a problem in other areas of the US )

What really shocked me was the regular posters from this area who dismissed it ( not denied it) as being no big deal.

[TN.RidgerunninGal]

I work in the Senior Health Care industry and it has been a problem especially with some specialists in the area who will not accept Tenn Care - Blue Care - Medicaid etc. What I am particularly concerned about is the Medicare HMO's like Humana Gold and United Health Care which offer lower up front premiums yet the poor senior citizens are not getting their full Medicare benefit especially if they have to go into long term care or rehabilitation. It really is a shame. All of the hospitals accept Mecicare - Medicaid with out question. Seniors sometimes do not read all the fine print and ask questions, they accept what is told them by the "Professionals" and that is not always the best. I try to educate the Senior population I work with as to the pros and cons of health insurance regardless of their financial means.

[jon313]

Would you be so kind as to list, or e-mail me, a list of Internists who DO accept NEW patients with Medicare & Blue Cross Select in the Kingsport area.

It is the single issue that keeps my wife and I from moving there. She has preexisting conditions and we are both in our late 60s.

[marmac]

The thread I was referring to was from summer of 2008 entitled--" Kingsport or Erwin"

In it,( 7-5-2008) a poster said they retired to Kingsport and like it, but they can not find a single MD who will accept their medicare despite having no history of illness or disease.

As I said, I was shocked-------not only by that fact but by the responses by the " regulars" who promote NE TN as a great retirement place, yet brushed off that poster's concern.

[mbmouse]

My parents are retired, need specialists and have health issues and now have Medicaid. They have NEVER been turned down by any Dr' or specialist due to the insurance coverage they have and they drive from Rogersville to Kingsport for all their specialists. I don't think the "regulars" as you are calling us, brushed it off, we just said we have not had nor seen that issue personally, but we did not say this poster was not having the issue, just didn't have much else to say about it.
But I am curious as to why you feel the need to re-hash and bring it up again with no other reason than to be controversial?

[marmac]

Originally Posted by marmac

While reading an old NE TN thread last night, I came upon a post warning retirees ;ocating to NE TN that it was nearly impossible to find a doctor who would accept new Medicare/Medicaid patients.

Is this still true in NE TN ? ( I have not heard it being a problem in other areas of the US )

What really shocked me was the regular posters from this area who dismissed it ( not denied it) as being no big deal.

mbmouse......
please read my second paragraph as to why it was brought up-------"Is this still true in NE TN ?"

[snowie]

My sister lives in Johnson City. I remember she reported that doctors accepting medicare in Johnson City were scarce about 10 years ago. It was a real problem. But now she sees a GP and a lot of specialists in Johnson City and hasn't encountered any who would not accept medicare.

[TN.RidgerunninGal]

It is true almost all of the doctors in Northeast Tennessee accept Medicaid, however, there are different kinds of Medicaid such as Cover-Tenn , Blue Care, Ameri-Choice etc. Some specialists do not accept all of these. A neurology group in Johnson City does not participate in Cover-Tenn (which is private insurance for self-employed or those who work in small companies who have no traditional coverage and it is subsidized by state funding) A person with Medicare and then Tn. Care as a supplement can see any doctor with out problem. Same for children on medicaid. The systems has much improved as far as payment to Dr's offices which is why most would not accept for years.