Health Care System Recommendations (Vancouver, Mill Plain: insurance, university, mall)

[Redbelly]

I recently moved to the area and coincidentally also moved onto Medicare. In Michigan I was a patient at the University of Michigan Health Care System which was great as I had a primary care physician there, as well as access to a full spectrum of specialists and a teaching hospital.

I have elected to stick with traditional Medicare as opposed to Medicare Advantage which would associate me with an HMO like Kaiser Permanante, for example.

Is there a system similar to my old U of M health care system that I should investigate?

Thanks in advance.

[cdelena]

Don't know all the options but my Advantage policy is PPO so it has more flexibility. It is a Health Net Violet plan.

[silibran]

We have AARP United Health Care. Here is a site for comparisons:

https://medigap.com/quotes/medicare-...rrHBoC-r_w_wcB

[Redbelly]

Originally Posted by silibran

We have AARP United Health Care. Here is a site for comparisons:

https://medigap.com/quotes/medicare-...rrHBoC-r_w_wcB

Thanks. I've already settled on insurance. My question is which medical care system should I join to have access to medical services.

The Providence system looks good on paper. Any one have experience with this provider?

[cdelena]

It looks like Providence in this area is primarily in Portland. Using Legacy or PeaceHealth may be more convenient in Vancouver. With my PPO I use a physician at Legacy for primary care but have used specialists outside of Legacy both in-net and out.

[StealthRabbit]

Yes, do consider your location / EZ access...

If SE Vancouver, consider Adventist Medical (if available option) (They have a Clinic on 192nd Ave Vancouver and very complete hospital + rehab near Mall 205)

Friends that work there, and clients I know are very pleased.

after 35 yrs ...I have recently become concerned with Kaiser as they turnover / new DR seem to only have a second to see you, and it will likely be a referral or a drug (if it is on Kaiser's 'approved' list). One of my LT meds rolled off their list, so that created a hassle.

[texasdiver]

Originally Posted by StealthRabbit

Yes, do consider your location / EZ access...

If SE Vancouver, consider Adventist Medical (if available option) (They have a Clinic on 192nd Ave Vancouver and very complete hospital + rehab near Mall 205)

Friends that work there, and clients I know are very pleased.

after 35 yrs ...I have recently become concerned with Kaiser as they turnover / new DR seem to only have a second to see you, and it will likely be a referral or a drug (if it is on Kaiser's 'approved' list). One of my LT meds rolled off their list, so that created a hassle.

Unless you have some kind of expensive concierge medicine I think all the primary care clinics from every different provider use the same 15 minute block scheduling for primary care appointments. That is pretty standard everywhere. Doctors at Legacy or Vancouver Clinic (or wherever) will still be seeing the same number of patients per hour as Kaiser. They are all equally overworked.

[texasdiver]

Originally Posted by cdelena

It looks like Providence in this area is primarily in Portland. Using Legacy or PeaceHealth may be more convenient in Vancouver. With my PPO I use a physician at Legacy for primary care but have used specialists outside of Legacy both in-net and out.

Providence has 3 or 4 primary care clinics in Vancouver. There's one on 192nd and one on Mill Plain and I think one somewhere downtown. The two Providence hospitals are over in Portland and Beaverton. But for most people I don't think that really affects anything, especially if you are using a PPO insurance which has one or both of the two big Vancouver hospitals in network.