We have Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan PPO plan and it has and continues to cover us across the US for the 11+ years we have been on the road.  We have used it for minor and major medical issues.  I believe they call it an Advantage plan that also manages Medicare.  All our insurance activity is through BCBS.  We are currently SD residents.      Greg

Greg,

Is your BSBC through your former employer?  And are your primary care physicians still in Michigan?

Bill, you may find it helpful to contact the RVer's Insurance Exchange, an endorsed vendor and one who often supplies healthcare advice to the forums. 

I just received an ad from FMCA for insurance. I dont't know what type.

Edited September 8, 2018 by SWharton

  On 9/7/2018 at 10:46 PM, Bill Howard said:

My wife age 60 and retired has cobra that is about to expire so if anyone can provide any company that will provide coverage Nationwide that would be helpful.

You'll have to domicile in FL for nationwide coverage . . . at least for 2018.

We have Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO.  We never see the same doctor or dentist as we are fulltime.

  On 9/8/2018 at 12:19 PM, rynosback said:

We have Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO.  We never see the same doctor or dentist as we are fulltime.

Which means that you are rolling the dice since you do not have an ongoing relationship to help identify slight changes.  While you can get by with this when younger, as you age you really need to see health care professional on a reoccurring basis.

That is why we are establishing a relationship with doctors at our winter stop. This stip will never change as the Grandkids are in Phoenix. Plus, being Phoenix, there is understanding about snowbirds.

Yes, we’ve been getting calls confirming when we will arrive and our fall appointment times.  Then we see them in March before leaving for the summer.

We get our full check up by our Long time local Dr before we leave for the winter. We do have a back up at our Winter  residence.

  On 9/9/2018 at 1:57 AM, Barbaraok said:

Which means that you are rolling the dice since you do not have an ongoing relationship to help identify slight changes.  While you can get by with this when younger, as you age you really need to see health care professional on a reoccurring basis.

We carry our records with us.  And bring them in when needed.  Do you really think that they remember you?  As they see how many people a day, 5 days a week, 52 weeks a year.  They can look at your records of previous visits.

Edited September 9, 2018 by rynosback

I'm sure my doctor reviews my records before she sees me but I'm also sure she remembers me. She remembers what things I won't do.

Linda Sand

  On 9/9/2018 at 11:40 AM, rynosback said:

We carry our records with us.  And bring them in when needed.  Do you really think that they remember you?

We carried a complete copy of our medical records along for nearly 12 years even though we did return annually to our doctors back in our domicile state to update things and renew prescriptions. If you do not have any maintenance medications, you may not need the annual checkup but as we get older that can become more important. 

In those 12 years we had occasion to visit a doctor from time to time and while pretty much all of them wanted to see a list of current medications, not one time did any doctor even show interest in the medical histories we carried. On the other hand, when you return to the same doctor year after year that doctor will have his/her own records at hand to review and most of them do recognize you as their patient and memory is refreshed by reviewing them. It probably depends on how many years you have been a patient of the same doctor and how frequently you had contact with them. If you have a continuing medical condition I believe that there is great value in returning to the same doctor.

  On 9/9/2018 at 11:40 AM, rynosback said:

We carry our records with us.  And bring them in when needed.  Do you really think that they remember you?  As they see how many people a day, 5 days a week, 52 weeks a year.  They can look at your records of previous visits.

Yes, they do remember if they have good notes - especially if you have established a relationship with them.  And there may be things written in the notes the physician has like "fulltime RVer, only see once a year", or "Check abc level next year" or "schedule for colonoscopy next year", etc.   We now can ask questions of our physician via their patient portal, so when Dave had a question about dosage on a med he sent a note asking about possible change, she asked him to cut dose in half of that med and up dose on another.  That worked and it is on the list of things to discuss this fall when we see her again.