The Villages Health (TVH) continues to grow our Specialty Care capabilities although there are times when you may have specialty needs that we don't currently provide, or you may prefer to see a specialist outside of TVH. You may be interested in learning about some benefits available with the insurance plans we accept, that extend your access to all physicians and hospitals that participate in the Medicare program.
One of the concerns we hear from patients when they're considering switching from a Medicare Supplemental plan to a Medicare Advantage plan is where they can receive care if they require hospitalization. We believe a majority of health care services should be available and performed within the community where patients reside to allow them to receive ongoing support from family and friends.
Because being able to receive excellent care in the community where you live in is so important, we provide TVH Hospitalists and Nurse Navigators to all TVH patients who are hospitalized at The Villages Regional Hospital. However, occasionally patients may need to go outside our community for care, generally for hospital services. We want our patients with Medicare Advantage to be aware of their options if they need to leave the community.
Many nationally ranked hospitals and specialists accept Medicare Advantage plans. Tampa General is a major teaching hospital approximately 90 minutes away, and is ranked #2 overall in the state by U.S. News & World Report. The hospital also ranks nationally in six specialty areas and is ranked as a high-performer in three others.
Orlando Regional, another hospital nearby The Villages, ranks #4 overall in the state. Cleveland Clinic in Weston, FL, ranked #8 in the state and is ranked nationally in two specialty areas. For more hospital rankings, please visit https://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals.
The Villages Health recommends you take the time to educate yourself on the options each insurance plan you may be considering offers you.
Nationally, more than half of the top 20 cancer centers ranked by U.S. News & World Report accept Medicare Advantage**. These include Johns Hopkins Hospital (#6), Cleveland Clinic (#7), Massachusetts General (#12) and New York-Presbyterian (#22). Florida Cancer Specialists is a local option for patients with Medicare Advantage.**
We continue to expand the specialties and programs available to our patients. After all, coordination between specialists and primary care physicians is a key component in our delivery of better health outcomes for our patients.
For more information about any hospitals or physicians that participate in the Medicare Advantage plans accepted at The Villages Health, contact the Medicare Resource Center located within your Care Center.
* The information provided in this article includes examples based on the most current information TVH had access to. The Villages Health visited the referenced hospitals' websites and viewed their Accepted Insurance pages to determine accepted insurance. Please be aware hospitals change accepted insurance plans routinely and health care networks change frequently. In order to get the specific information on hospitals and insurance plans, consult a licensed insurance professional.
** These hospitals and health care providers were accepting multiple Medicare Advantage plans as of August 2017.