I was going to suggest Humana. My mother had Humana Gold Plus for years, and she was very pleased with it. She had a lot of medical issues, but didn't get many leftover bills after the services were billed. It was great. She needed some second opinions and I used to take her to Shands Hospital for evaluation, and all her tests were covered. We lived in Gulfport down here by St. Pete, and it was about a three hour drive, but it was worth it. Shands is a class act that few can follow. They did "the biggest surgery we do" there, and she pulled through. I cannot recommend them enough. They are like Swiss Watch in their diagnostics and operation. Just glad you got Humana, because they cover so very much. I recommended them to a friend, and she got it, also. She is very pleased with it.
I have Humana Gold insurance also and am very happy with it. You each get $150 every quarter for “over the counter” medicines, which is nice, in addition to a $500 Visa card each year, to use on dental, vision and medical.
I'm sure this has been helpful for a lot of people. As seniors, we need to know our health is covered no matter where we might be. Thanks for sharing. Have a Blessed day.
Happy Birthday! I live in South Georgia. When I retired from the school system, I carried over the state government health insurance, United Healthcare. When both my husband and I reached 65, we went on United Healthcare Medicare Advantage. The state takes the premium out of my retirement check. It’s very affordable. We’ve been very pleased with it.
I have Humana HMO. I've been with them for years and am very pleased. Over-The-Counter (OTC) benefits went up to $100 quarterly this year (2023) so I am able to get all of my vitamins and other things I need, even toothpaste, free through the Humana Pharmacy. I also have Tricare for life as the widow of a retired military man so I never pay anything out-of-pocket for medical care. Tricare works as a supplement. You two should also have the Tricare for Life benefit since Bill is retired military. Enjoy the new property and be blessed.
So glad you got your insurance worked out! We had a terrible time with my mother. They were snow birds on the west coast. To make a long story short because of her not being able to get the care she needed we brought her back home. She flew home with my sister. My brother flew down and drove my father home. They sold their home.
Elizabeth looks and sounds so much better, hopefully she feels that way too, I know looks can be deceptive but this move could be the best thing you've done, blessings from the UK xx
My husband has a Plan F and I have G. My brother-in-law has just Medicare, no supplement. I think the Advantage plans - HMO - are most restrictive. The HMO sounds inexpensive, but could end up costing more than a supplemental plan. It is a good idea to have a second primary care doctor in Florida.
I have a plan N, it's a shame that people get duped by insurance companies when they qualify for Medicare. Regular Medicare is the better choice over any Advantage plan because of choice and $$$ paid out as we need more care.
SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) can set happen in the winter as we lose the sun and hibernate. I'll never forget the rush I had when we got on a plane in bitter snow 'n cold in Syracuse, NY in winter and got off in sunny (85°F) Orlando, Florida! Then too it was a vacation....breakfast, beach, pool and the biggest decision of the day was where we'd go for dinner. Oh for the memories. Glad to hear that you're doing well/better in Fla Elizabeth.🙂
We live just south of St. Augustine full time now. Here in Florida we have 2 seasons…big summer and little summer😊 The warm weather, humidity & sea air has done wonders for my lung problems. I hope Elizabeth finds the weather agreeable as well.
I am a social worker in a trauma center so we get people of all ages and insurance types as patients. For older folks, straight Medicare with a supplement is best. If you bust your knee in Kansas, you can still get the same quality of care as you do close to home. When you get to the point you need to use rehab centers after illness you need to plan for the most flexible coverage possible which is straight Medicare with a supplement.
After much research, that is the conclusion I came to as well. I like the freedom of seeing ANY doctor I want, whenever I want. Anywhere. Years ago I had an HMO plan through my employer...what a headache. Needed referrals to see a specialist, had to get the HMO's approval for certain procedures...and they often deny them... The deductibles were so huge, many thousands...people were really afraid of having to go to the hospital, as that deductible had to be met first. No thanks!
Im thankful you talked about this. I never thought about the complexities of insurance from state to state. Obviously im younger but im getting older (41) and its definitely something i should be aware of. Ty.
Absolutely! You guys did great! I too, this past Fall, went through a good health broker and discovered Medicare BCBS PPO. I can travel and be covered. This info your sharing is so vital to this community. Thank you so much for being so up front in this insurance nightmare that has been with so many people. This video you have done is such an inspiration. Blessings, Wayne
I am 75 and my wife is 72.we have had Humana for several years now and they have been great.We live in South Carolina.One thing i like is you don't have to get a referral to get an appointment with a specialist.
I've never been so sick until I was in the healthcare field. I believe in holistic medicine. I'm glad you found something that works for you. God is truly our healer and I've always said no medicine would work without God having a hand in it..
Me too. Holistic medicine is the only approach I trust. Lots of success healing my family members and pets. Glad you are so well taken care of and that you are feeling better Elizabeth ❤
My husband n I contracted Covid around this time last year n were sicker than we've ever been. We found an Integrative doctor D.O. about an hour drive from home n it has been worth our time n money. God is good n leads us in the right direction. A doctor of Osteopathic medicine., is a fully trained and licensed doctor as MD's. A difference between D.O.s and M.D.s is that some doctors of osteopathic use manual medicine as part of treatment, hands-on work on joints and tissues and massage. After medical school, both kinds of doctors must complete training as residents in the specialty they choose. They also must pass the same licensing exam before they can treat people and prescribe medicines. 🌷
Elizabeth you look wonderful!! It sure has been a chilly January here in Florida. I enjoyed all the information you shared about insurance coverage. To be honest I am clueless when it comes to that. My husband has a good plan and also has the VA. But the VA if you travel is impossible. Long story, but it's a nightmare. On a brighter note: I am thrilled that you are enjoying your time here. Excited to see the new home with all the colors you chose to use in each room, Elizabeth. Have a blessed and wonderful day!
This is my first winter in Florida as a snowbird! I love it. It's not just the great weather, it's the beautiful 😎😎😎. I think that gives us vitamin d and makes us happier 🌞🌞🌞
I live in NY and my husband had major prostate surgery. In Florida. We did our co pay as necessary. He even went into rehab and had therapist at home as well as an aide. Surprisingly we did find good Drs in Florida. We still maintain our NY Drs.
After several moves in the last few years I switched from a HMO Medicare Advantage plan to straight Medicare with Supplemental Medicare. It will cover all my doctor visits anywhere in the country. And I pay a small amount for it but eliminate the daily co-pay for hospitalization and specialists. So it works out to cost me cheaper.
I am happy to see you enjoying Florida and feeling a bit better. Here I have snow for a couple days. I am also on Medicare, but have never used it. Haven't been to a doctor for over 20 years, nothing other than things I can fix from my garden. My helper had trouble helping me without a medical history. I hope it works when I need it.
We have Aetna/Medicare and have been happy with the coverage. I went through breast cancer this past fall and was happy with how it was handles . Hope you have good luck with your new insurance. Take care of yourself.
We have snowbird friends who have doctors here in Florida and back in their state. Their Medicare and supplement works great wherever they are. My husband and I will be looking at this in a couple of years.....confusing when you get into supplements ABCD 🤪 - watching from Lake Wales, Florida
Glad that Elizabeth did her homework and was able to sort out the healthcare dilemma. Having your medical insurance in place will give you both peace of mind and much less stress to enjoy the warm Florida sun and Virginia Dogwood!! 🌞🌳♥
Thank you. We’re not there yet, but our goal is to go to Florida for half the year as well. We homeschool our daughter and are two years away from our 50’s. Health insurance was a concern. Please continue to share information like this. It’s a blessing to hear and gives us the courage to make that leap. Praying for swift healing for you both. ❤
Hi Elizabeth and Bill, I wanted to suggest to Elizabeth that she start praying healing scriptures over her lungs for a healing. I got very sick about 20 years ago. Not gonna get into my sickness too much to type. The doctors treated me but I never got better I got worse even after 2 operations. I got prayed over at church went to healing masses for a healing. Then one day I started reading my Bible and every healing scripture I wrote down on a piece of paper. I started reading these healing scriptures over my body. Example. for they are life to those who find them and health to all their flesh-proverbs 4:22 O Lord my God I cried out to you and you healed me-Psalm 30:2. I will praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made and that my soul knows very well. There's more but you get the Idea. I had a piece of paper taped to my refrigerator with healing scriptures and read them every time I went to the refrigerator. I read healing scriptures in my car. I was going to fight this disease with God's Holy Word. Shortly after this I went to bed I had a vision. I was sitting on a love seat and I felt in the air this intense Holiness I knew God was there. I started shouting Heal me. Then the next thing I knew I was standing in front of Jesus and got healed. I have not been sick since then and I have incredible health. I never thought I could be this healthy but God Holy Word is powerful and never fails. I hope you try this. Yours in Christ. Janice
Hi Elizabeth and Bill. We were snowbirds spending a January thru May in our home in Florida for 6 years. We would schedule all our doctors appointments in our home state before we left for Florida. I have a heart condition and I had to be within 15 minutes of a hospital. We had several good hospitals that met that criteria. Praise God we never had to use them. We had a two days drive to get home but I told my husband if I developed anything I wanted to go home. I found being gone from my grandkids for 5 months was too long. They were teenagers and involved in a lot of activities that I missed. We are planning on doing three weeks when snowbird season is over and doing Airbnb. Just a heads up keep track of all your improvements to the Florida home. If you sell it down the road you will have to pay capital gains unless you live in it full time for two years.
This info you are sharing is ever so helpful!! I am in a position to assist my mom with updating and checking for a good plan for her. Your video was extremely helpful in that now I know to contact an insurance broker to find the best plan for her needs. Thank you so much Bill and Elizabeth!! So glad to see you are both doing so well!!
I’m really happy for you. Being in the military with constant moves is tough. Losing a family business through no fault of your own is tough. And health challenges are tough. So I’m glad that God has restored what the locusts destroyed, so to speak.
MY GOLDEN COUPLE, I really enjoyed this info, I don't have plans to leave CA, before Medicare I was paying 935 a month for blue cross, I kissed my MEDICARE CARD When I finally got it, LOVE these SUPPLEMENT PLANS❤
We pay lots of taxes in Norway, but it's so worth it. Healthcare is basally free here! And if you need a surgery og treatment for cancer, you get the help you need.
We have Aetna too. The only thing that could be better is pharmaceuticals. I'm on some expensive heart and diabetic meds. My heart attack expenses, stent put in, ICU, room, everything, our out of pocket was $250.00. I'm very grateful. Insurance is a nightmare.
When my husband and I first got on Medicare we were with Atnea then after a year they quite covering our area and we went with Humana and have been with them for probably 15 years.
My girlfriend just told me tonight that she and her husband now have the Aetna plan. This is leading into the one world health plan where there will be 10 regions with the US, Canada and New Mexico the first region! Be careful with plans that are free! I first heard of this many years ago from Jack Van Impe Ministries. He talked about a number of times! It does seem good but it is a prelude into the order! Be blessed!🙏🏻❤️
If you are on an Advantage Plan; if you can, get off of it. When you go on an Advantage Plan you have left Medicare and maybe for good. Advantage Plans are private insurance. The government should have never allowed these plans to come out. Insurance companies make massive amounts of money off these Advantage Plans because if you have a major health crisis (and most elderly do at some time) your out of pocket can become astronomical. I have a family member and friend who this happened to. One got cancer, the Advantage Plan would NOT pay for the Chemo therapy she needed for her type cancer. They approved a cheaper drug. To get the treatment she needed she put her house up for collateral. When she died, the house was sold and the drug company got paid. My friend needed two open heart surgeries and many therapies; her out of pocket on an Advantage Plan was and is unbelievable. Once you go on an Advantage Plan, you most likely will NOT be able to back onto a traditional Medicare Plan with a Supplement because you have to get through 'medical questions' to get back on regular Medicare. What does that mean? The Supplement Insurance companies will ask you 'Do you have pre-existing conditions (most elderly do); if you have a pre-existing condition, you will be denied coverage. This means your are stuck on these horrible Advantage Plans the rest of your life. You will not be able to go back to traditional Medicare. Be very careful to what you are agreeing to with insurance. Insurance for the elderly is a nightmare; and, sadly, most do not understand it.
VAFL snowbird here, I thought it was mentioned Bill retired from the National Guard. At 60 you qualify for Tricare. Standard is the best plan if you move from state to state. When you go on Medicare you move to Tricare for Life. As far as specialist My primary is in Va. I also have one in Fl. who has access to my records if there are issues. As far as a GP our primary is in now in Florida and we go to our old Dr. office in Va. if the need arises. Tricare is pretty much accepted everywhere. Your retired military ID card is your insurance card but you need to get setup in the system. You are required to have Part B with Tricare.
@@LiveSimpleLiveFree Once you turn 60 you and your wife both qualify for the regular Tricare plans. Once you get on Medicare you go to Tricare for Life as your supplement. My wife is not on Medicare, so she is still on regular Tricare. They have several plans to choose from. You can't beat the price. We have had no issues with coverage.
I guess we just lucked out when we became snowbirds years ago. The insurance we had (Medicare with a Blue Cross supplement) didn't require us to see drs in network. We could see any dr or specialist. We set up a general practitioner in our winter home town and had an emergency that required specialists when there once and nothing cost us a dime out of pocket, just as if we were in the state of our permanent home. You might even establish a dentist in Florida. We set up appts. for our 6mo cleanings so we could then be an established patient in case of a dental emergency, which happened with a broken tooth situation.
Good to get your insurance all sorted. We just got quotes for emergency medical insurance for the time we'll be in the US yesterday. I was shocked by how much my cost has gone up now that I'm 60! I am very healthy, with only one 'pre-existing' condition which is GERD, which I have been taking a little pill for for the past couple of years. It's what I consider a non-issue, but will still cost me almost $300cdn to be covered for if I had an emergency in the US involving this. What!!?? Am I at risk of having a case of heartburn that needs emergency care? lol! I doubt it. I do have the option to not include that in my coverage, which I will do. My husband, who had a heart attack in 2007, is on multiple meds for blood pressure, GERD, blood thinners, etc, but is 58 and his coverage costs less than mine!! We dread having to insure him once he turns 60!!
I believe Elizabeth is correct in her assumption that the increase in coverage out of state has to do with being in a PPO now versus an HMO. When shopping the combined "Medicare Advantage" type plans & you plan on traveling and/or are part-timing in another state the PPO plans are more comprehensive in coverage.
Talk to your Dr. and provider in Virginia and they can put you in touch with the right Drs' and etc here ! I will be glad to see you get moved into your house ! Nice to be in the bed and breakfast now and relax ! It is so cold out now ! Just cool out and relax and enjoy good food ! Sending Love and prayers !
Medical insurance, especially HMOs, has raised healthcare costs. It has also led providers to be working for the insurance companies and not their patients. I think the Amish is right rejecting it. With that said I only have Medicare. For a brief period of time I had a Christian health share program. I loved it but once I reached 65 I had to go on Medicare and could no longer carry the health share as my primary insurance.
Insurance, medicare, gap insurance - all of that was the biggest stressed when I started getting ready to retire. I had frequent headaches over all of it.
Go regular Medicare with a plan N Medigap plan. I generally have no other out of pocket per year! Any Advantage plan is for profit so you are nickel and dimed all year.
I have AARP United Healthcare PPO as my Medicare Advantage plan. Medical, dental, eye and prescriptions. They supposedly have the largest presence of doctors in the US. Just like yours, you don't need a referral as long as the specialists are within the plan. And if you do want a doctor outside the network, your PCP can give a reference.
Congratulations! You have accomplished a great feat! My husband and I are still working through insurances and once you do figure it out they change it in the new year.
Insurance is a nightmare, good for you for working it out! The prospect of dealing with the darn computer voice robot system gives me a headache just thinking about it.
Oh wow... I never thought about the health insurance side of being a snow bird. How interesting. I was born sick & am now 62 so alot of doctors & hospitals. I have Humana HMO Medicare. It has been a breeze. So glad it worked out for you both. Elizabeth, your breathing sounds wonderful.
We live in NW Florida half the year and AZ half the year, are on Medicare plus Blue Cross Blue Shield. We have doctors In both states. Mt husband had a knee replacement and followup in AZ last year and open heart surgery this year in FL and care in both places has been outstanding in both.
I like my Humana also but the ambulance has a co-pay of $250.00 they don't cover. This is the time of year I get most of my outside work & gardening, brick border etc.....anything you don't want to do outside in the heat. That's our drawback, that couple months of high heat humidity...so you run the ac...no worries:)
I had Humana for awhile its great here in Florida but i switched to United recently and im even more impressed. More benefits. For example Humana has a monthly stipend where you can buy food, its 25 dollars a month thay u can get from grocery store. United does 150 dollars a month in food. I mean, food included in your insurance. I appreciate that. Here in Pensacola the Drs are amazing. I also went to Drs in defuniak and Destin. Great group.
Yes, it was very helpful. I'm like a deer caught in the headlights when it comes to insurance. My husband used to handle things like that but lately he has gotten a little hesitant when it comes to major decisions. We need a supplement this year and will check it out.
PPO is much better at covering you wherever you are in USA. Also, most medical records are electronic, so they can be shared with any medical provider as long as they have the same kind of software. Asking your VA providers what software they use and getting FL providers that use the same. That way, they can know all your medical info past and present. 💯😉
We live right on the border between Washington and Idaho, so Humana PPO was the way to go for me since I may need treatment in Spokane from time to time. I really didn't like the shopping around, but I knew I needed to find a network that would allow me to go across state lines at times.
Brokers take a percentage off your monthly premium. Consider this. You can identify your needs and look online. This can save a considerable amount of money. Just something to think about.
My health insurance pays for Planet Fitness with private instruction for as long as I need it. She is young, and does not push me at all lets me take my time. I will be 80 next month. I go 3 days a week for an hour which is only 1 mile at most from my home.
Good video. I knew some folks that bragged about how 'cheap' their premiums were - over $600 per month. I told them I paid $0 and recommended they go to a new/different insurance broker who could help them find a better plan.
Always a consider with insurance to marry up to Medicare to chose a supplement or an advantage plan as a retired RN my broker Landmark Insurance in Westerville Ohio was amazing the rep was a medical professional also so knowledgeable about my medical needs now and in future. So glad I have a fantastic broker. Your main doctor should do televisits and care easily.
When you have an HMO, you are locked within your state of residence. Humana is the best for both states. Get references from your current dr. for possible recommendations of doctors in Florida so they can share treatment and care. Once you find a provider have your primary doctor send all your records . PPO crosses over all 50 states. You just need to ck on hospitals and urgent cares who contract with Humana. Call the customer service for Humana and they will give you providers and facilities within your zip code in Florida. I've worked for major ins. companies since 1980 and still do.❤. It can be a nightmare not knowing how our health insurance works.
Wow that's a great PSA (Public service announcement)! I never knew how insurance worked with snowbirds. Glad you figured it out and I don't have to. Do you still have your Cavalier and can it handle all the driving you're doing?
You should have chosen Medicare rather than a Medicare Advantage (disadvantage) when you qualify for Medicare. Regular Government Medicare coverage is national with any Doctor or Facility that takes Medicare. You choose any Doctor ANYWHERE! No Networks, you get a medigap plan for a small fee and that covers the 20% that Medicare doesn't. There is a bill in Congress to forbid insurance companies from using Medicare in their name and policies.
Very important topic for all of us! I have UC and that leads to other issues because of nutrition absorption, dehydration, etc....Right now our insurance is here in the VA/MD/DC area to be in network but I only have 2 more years before Medicare and am looking forward for what changes will come. We bought property in NC and am working on houses for us and our son to grow a homestead and retire there, but we have a family farm we share with brothers here also we will keep. My medication can get expensive ($3,000 a month) if I had to pay for it and could be even more if I have to change.
Thanks for the info. I just turned 58yo but have been retired since 55yo. We live in GA near family but are looking in N. FL for a second home for similar breathing issues. Since we don't have Medicare yet, we have medi-share. However I was already on high blood pressure and cholesterol medicine so I wasn't covered for illness related to those conditions for a three year period. I got coverage through CIGNA to cover me in addition to paying for medi-share.. it actually works out to be cheaper to do it this way instead of both of us going with CIGNA through healthcare.gov. I'll have to double up one more year after 2023 and then we can both just use medi-share until we're 65.
If you had straight Medicare (not thru an insurance company) you wouldn't have to worry. I'm on straight nedicare but my husband has a Medicare advantage plan thru United Health Care.
