Seeing a Doctor, What Would You Do?

Bit of a trivial issue.
I am in Florida from end November to end of March every year, plus a couple of trips down in between for a week, or two, or three, at a time. My primary residence, and all of my doctors, are in NY.
I asked my PCP if i should have a doctor relationship in Florida, he said yes, Primary Care, not uro or Cardiologist. (i do have coronary artery disease but i am fine after 2 stents inserted) Said he might have someone to refer me to, asked me to text him which i did. He responded that he doesnt have anyone he is confident enough with, to recommend.

I can get someone through friends who live here full time. But i wonder....do i really need someone down here?
I had an ear infection last week, i went to an urgent care facility, it was easy. Got prescription and done.
Curious to know others opinions....what reason should i go to a Dr down here to establish a relationship, just in case. I feel fine, i dont want to go to a Doctor for no reason.

Thoughts appreciated.

Pratoman -

I'm going to weigh in since I live here in Florida (Gainesville) although your questions (and likely the answers to them) would probably be the same if you were in another state.

Where in Florida do you reside when you are here, if I may ask? If it's in the Gainesville area, I can certainly recommend my own family practice guy here, as he is a very good one. But if it's elsewhere in the state you did say you have friends who can help you find someone, if you decide to do that.

Another thing that jumps to mind, and it's so obvious that I almost decided to dismiss bringing it up, but I will anyway, is that you of course want any physician you choose, if you do choose one, to be in-network for the insurance plan you have. Or do you have Medicare? (But you would still want to confirm eligibility issues, etc).

I don't think there's a right or wrong choice here. If it were me, I think I would flow-chart it something like this: if accident or sudden and serious onset of something, go to ER, preferably in-network; if serious but not urgent, have physician's name already available (from friends or insurance roster), call and make ASAP appointment; and as backup be familiar with any urgent care facilities (passing muster with your insurance) in your area. And I think I would leave it at that.

In the final analysis, I think just going with your gut instinct is as good a choice-maker in this as any.

Thanks guys for the responses.
81gyguy, I’m in Lake Worth, palm Beach County. I’m on medicare and everyone down here takes it.

Two years ago I was down here for two weeks, and got sick wife took me to the emergency room they checked me and kept me overnight, told me it was pneumonia, I doubt it them, I’m pretty sure it was food poisoning. They told me to follow up with my primary care doc, which I did when I got home and he confirmed it was not pneumonia.
But that was a different situation I was only down here for two weeks

Mambo you bring up a good point would be complicated keeping someone up to date on my medical records. I sort of thought if my primary care doctor had someone down here it would be easy because they would be able to exchange information, but apparently he doesn’t. Got to think this through my gut tells me to just let it go but I’ve got to give it some thought
Thanks again for the responses I appreciate all.

Does your primary in NY do telehealth consults? A growing number of docs do nowadays. I like seeing my doc the old fashioned way - in person. But I guess if push came to shove I'd settle for an on-line consult. But it might present a problem if your NY doc wanted to write a script. Would it be honored in Florida? Probably not unless he's licensed to practice there too. I'm not sure how that works.

Otherwise I don't think it's that big a deal to need a PCP in Florida. Urgent care can handle all the routine coughs and colds. If something unforeseen arises you can always fly back to NY. In emergencies no doubt your insurance covers hospitalization in Florida. You can schedule your routine appointments with your NY primary when you're back in town.

If I trekked away from home for the winter my biggest concern would be to find a pizza joint that made Greek style pizzas like the one I frequent here.

I don't doubt your PCP had no one to recommend...He aint stupid...….Yea...but my doctor at home said...then off to the races...not cynical...realistic....not the same when a friend or acqaintence ...such as 81gy recommends some one...

TJ123 said...
Does your primary in NY do telehealth consults? A growing number of docs do nowadays. I like seeing my doc the old fashioned way - in person. But I guess if push came to shove I'd settle for an on-line consult. But it might present a problem if your NY doc wanted to write a script. Would it be honored in Florida? Probably not unless he's licensed to practice there too. I'm not sure how that works.

Otherwise I don't think it's that big a deal to need a PCP in Florida. Urgent care can handle all the routine coughs and colds. If something unforeseen arises you can always fly back to NY. In emergencies no doubt your insurance covers hospitalization in Florida. You can schedule your routine appointments with your NY primary when you're back in town.

If I trekked away from home for the winter my biggest concern would be to find a pizza joint that made Greek style pizzas like the one I frequent here.

Thanks TJ, my PCP doesnt do phone consults, he is so darn busy all the time, and has kept with the traditional delivery model. He just made a change, affiliated with a major hospital. I have had thoughts of leaving him because he is so busy, but i do like him, he cares, and it wouldn't be different anywhere else IMO. He can write prescriptions in Florida we've done it before. In fact i just had my refill transferred from my NY PharmacY TO Florida.
My gut is telling me that what you said is the best approach. Use urgent care when needed, hospital in case of emergency, and go back to NY if i need to . I think my bigger concern is a cardiologist, but even that, if i am not here for more than 4 months at a time, i should be ok with my current Cardiologist in NY only (same Dr as my PCP)

As far as Pizza, there's good pizza down here. LOL

Prato, I did the snow bird thing for several years and simply kept my doctors in the north and used urgent care for the minor things here and there. Fortunately we didn't have any major illnesses to deal with but even if you do...most of the hospitals in Florida use "hosptalists" rather than have the PCP come into the hospital anyway. That's a long winded way of saying that having a separate PCP in Florida may not be necessary.

On the tax thing I get your concerns about the cap gain but you obviously need to compare that with the NY State income taxes you are paying and whether or not you would need to pay those if Florida was your residence. I was collecting deferred compensation from my former NY employer after I retired and was still a NY resident. Once I moved to Florida with no state income taxes that was a significant boost for me since no NY State income tax was due. Maybe it's different with your owned NY Corporation (?). Also, with Florida residency you get a homestead exemption that cuts current property taxes but more importantly restricts the amount property taxes can be increased in the future.

BTW, declaring Florida residency is not that big of a paperwork deal. The key thing is that you spend 6 months plus one day here rather than in NY and that you CAN PROVE IT if you get audited. I never got audited by NY but had all of my ducks in a row with bank accounts, declared FL residency, drivers license, brokerage accounts, etc. having the FL address. It was all legit but I was anal about making sure I did it right to stay away from the big, bad NY auditors...

Jim

Yes Tud, I’m aware of the homestead rxemption. I THATS a plus..
I’ve run the numbers I’m better off, for now at least remaining a ny resident. At some point that will change. NY does not tax, soc security, nor do they tax my wife’s teachers pension, and they don’t tax the first 20k of IRA Required minimum distributions. My cap gain is approx 700k on my home. So I’m def better off remaining a ny resident.

Re having a Dr here, yes, I’m definitely coming around to thinking I don’t need a Dr down here, it would just complicate things. Urgent care works.

Exactly Mumbo, life is not quite that simple. But if I did sell, I’d just move to Florida full time. I’m guessing that might happen some years down the road, when wife and I are too old to fly back and forth regularly. Hopefully , pray to God, we will both live that long.