Thinking About A Move To Prescott (Sun City, Sun City West: legal, health, best)

[Hschlick84]

Any news, or is the hospital going to make a lot of people angry and make them want to sell their homes cause of monopoly hospital?

[jgustav]

Originally Posted by Hschlick84

Any news, or is the hospital going to make a lot of people angry and make them want to sell their homes cause of monopoly hospital?

I am a member of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona and received this form email recently, so the negotiations don't appear to have any impact for 2023 coverage.

Dear Valued Member,

At Blue Cross® Blue Shield® of Arizona, we are standing up for affordable care and asking Arizona hospitals and providers to do the same.

We are currently negotiating the contracts with Yavapai Regional Medical Center (YRMC) and its hospital based professional providers. We’re writing to let you know that our contract negotiation does not apply to you and the health plan you currently have for 2023.

This means that YRMC remains in network for you.

[Ex New Yorker]

Originally Posted by Hschlick84

Any news, or is the hospital going to make a lot of people angry and make them want to sell their homes cause of monopoly hospital?

I'm sure as hell not leaving, I love it here too much to want to pack up and leave. Unlike New York where I couldn't get out of there fast enough. Amongst other things the cost of health care is more expensive out there than in Arizona. I know this as we were paying out of pocket for a bare minimum plan out there and here. That is until my wife landed a pretty good job working from home for a large company with excellent benefits. As such I have medicare but don't have to use it. In fact when I signed up for social security I wanted to refuse it because I was already covered under my wife's plan. But was told that it's automatic and I had to take it regardless if I was already covered under my wife's plan.

These types of negotiations between hospitals and insurers are commonplace no matter where you live. It's all about MONEY, MONEY, MONEY. It's enough to make you sick. But how to solve this problem is the $64,000 question? The cost of medical school, malpractice insurance and the financial incentive for people to enter the medical profession all factor into it. Not too mention the cost to run a hospital and still have the latest technology to diagnose and treat people. It's the same with those big bad pharmaceutical companies. Research costs money too. On the bright side treatments and longevity have benefited from this. Insurance companies and hospitals are out to make a profit otherwise both would close their doors.

Indeed the United States of America has a serious problem with health care affordability. Universal health care will only make the problem worse. Nothing is free somebody, somewhere, somehow will have to pay for it. I for one do not want some government bureaucrat making decisions for me. Not only that but the quality of healthcare will more than likely go down. Especially when you have more and more takers than makers entering the system. Fewer people will want to get into the healthcare profession when the government dictates their salaries and benefits. Those that do will not be the best and the brightest.

I kind of understand the problems and the rising costs of healthcare infuriate me even though my wife and I are fully insured. But I sure as hell do not even know where to begin on how to solve them?

[Hschlick84]

Well, well. According to the Daily Courier. 'As of 5 p.m., Wednesday, a few thousand Yavapai County residents insured through BCBSAZ are no longer in-network at YRMC.'

https://www.dcourier.com/news/2023/f...r6qXoN9nnRfsSg

[OUgrad09]

"Talks between Dignity Health Yavapai Regional Medical Center and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona have broken off and as of now, YRMC is no longer considered in-network for Blue Cross Blue Shield patients. However, Yavapai Regional Medical Group outpatient clinic will remain in-network for patients who are members of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona."

https://gcmaz.com/kaff-news/kaff_new...work-coverage/

[jgustav]

A better link than the Daily Courier on who could be affected -

https://www.azbluefacts.com/yavapai

[Hschlick84]

Originally Posted by jgustav

A better link than the Daily Courier on who could be affected -

https://www.azbluefacts.com/yavapai

That's the best link to post, thanks. Daily Courier needs to be free online.

[hellzbellz]

The insurance companies need to get rid of these stupid "in network" rules. If you are paying crazy premiums for insurance you should be covered no matter where you seek treatment.

My wife (and me) almost got hit with an insurance bill of over $50,000.00 for her treatment of pancreatitis after her gall bladder gave out. I took her to YRMC and they transferred her down to Phoenix. Some low life doctor was assigned to her and he refused to give her any pain meds because according to him all pancreatitis symptoms are caused by drug and alcohol abuse. She doesn't drink or do drugs, never has. This idiot wasn't in her "network" and was going to charge an arm and a leg along treat her. He was told to take a hike and a real doctor took over.

With Tricare and Medicare the total bill was a couple hundred bucks.

[Ex New Yorker]

Originally Posted by hellzbellz

The insurance companies need to get rid of these stupid "in network" rules. If you are paying crazy premiums for insurance you should be covered no matter where you seek treatment.

My wife (and me) almost got hit with an insurance bill of over $50,000.00 for her treatment of pancreatitis after her gall bladder gave out. I took her to YRMC and they transferred her down to Phoenix. Some low life doctor was assigned to her and he refused to give her any pain meds because according to him all pancreatitis symptoms are caused by drug and alcohol abuse. She doesn't drink or do drugs, never has. This idiot wasn't in her "network" and was going to charge an arm and a leg along treat her. He was told to take a hike and a real doctor took over.

With Tricare and Medicare the total bill was a couple hundred bucks.

[Buckeye77]

Originally Posted by BabyBoomers2

First, we are early Baby Boomers, that being I'm 72 and my wife just turned 74. We have been married for almost 21 years and together for 22. For a number of years, I was a Team Roper "header" and an AQHA member. Did not rodeo full-time; weekends only. Worked for a electronics full-time. We are very, very much into Western stuff, like PRCA rodeo, but I no longer compete. Our apartment is made up of pictures of PRCA World Champions we've met, old Western tv shows I use to watch, Old West people (Anne Oakley, Buffalo Bill Cody and Indian Chiefs).

We moved to Colorado, the first time, in June 2002, and stayed until Oct 2007. We moved to both North Carolina (1 yr.) and then to northeastern Florida (10 1/2 yrs), before returning to Colorado and now living just south of Ft. Collins. After 10 1/2 years, we'd had enough of Florida and REALLY missed the mountains, elk and even winter. People we talked to about returning to Colorado, thought we were nuts!

But, as already stated, we love rodeo, mountains, wildlife, photography, powerboating/fishing and western wear.

I read the Prescott was ranked #2, in the Top 10, for Western towns/cities, in True West Magazine 2022. Where we live, basically speaking, not "western" at all. However, a person can wear a cowboy hat and not be looked at weird, like when we lived in northeastern Florida. I also read that the median age in Prescott is 58, which is rather nice. Tons of young folks live here that look like they just arrived from Los Angeles. Actually, people here in northern Colorado call Denver "Colorado's version of Los Angeles".

Anyway, thoughts? Would Prescott solve our "need Western stuff" problem? There is a big rodeo there. I'm full retired, but my wife isn't. She works for a company from home, but, at 74, it's not easy for her to find basically any job. Neither of us are on a Pension. Only a nice savings and SS, but we make it.

Is that you Cody Fousnaugh?