An overwhelming majority of The Villages Health patients and others surveyed by a national organization of retirees said they would find a new doctor instead of switching to The Villages Medicare Advantage plans offered through United Health Care (UHC).
The National Retiree Legislative Network (NRLN) sent a survey to its members about a decision last month of The Villages Health to stop providing service effective Jan. 1 to patients who have Original Medicare and supplemental policies, also known as Medigap.
To continue treatment at the six Villages Health clinics, patients must have coverage through The Villages Medicare Advantage plans.
An estimated 15,000 of about 40,000 Villages Health patients could be affected by the decision because they have Original Medicare or an employer plan.
More than 93 percent of 2,769 survey respondents said they would not switch from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage plan this fall. More than 86 percent of 2,562 survey respondents said they would leave and change doctors, if their doctor was in The Villages Health.
More than 93 percent of 2,958 survey respondents said they believed The Villages Health decision to drop Original Medicare was unfair.
More than 3,000 people responded to the survey, according to NRLN president Bill Kadereit. All respondents did not answer every question. More than 80 percent of 2,985 respondents said they currently are Villages Health patients.
“To say respondents felt (the) decision was unfair is a gross understatement,” Kadereit said. “There were lots of emotional comments about being betrayed, about ethics and integrity of (The Villages Health), UHC and The Villages management.”
He said NRLN has scheduled meetings during the last week of August in Washington, D.C., with members of Congress and federal agencies, including a Department of Health and Human Services official, to discuss the Villages Health decision.
In late September, the organization will host its annual fly-in of association and chapter leaders, when Medicare, Medicare Advantage plans, pensions and prescription drug price competition will be highlighted.
“We will include The Villages situation and make a plea for relief,” Kadereit said.
NRLN is a 10-year-old advocacy organization that lobbies Congress on behalf of retirees from more than 200 corporations, representing more than 1.5 million retirees in groups such as the American Airlines Retirees Committee and Ekra-Kodak Retirees. The organization has supporters in 75 percent of the nation’s congressional districts.
