{"id":58005,"date":"2016-09-27T19:36:59","date_gmt":"2016-09-27T19:36:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2016\/09\/27\/factor-in-health-care-when-picking-a-permanent-home\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T10:02:53","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T10:02:53","slug":"factor-in-health-care-when-picking-a-permanent-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/management\/pay-benefits\/military-benefits\/2016\/09\/27\/factor-in-health-care-when-picking-a-permanent-home\/","title":{"rendered":"Factor in health care when picking a permanent home"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

You’ve found your dream house in a beautiful location. You see yourself putting down roots, spending the rest of your life there.But do you picture old age\u00a0\u2014\u00a0needing medical treatment for diseases such as diabetes, heart failure or chronic pain? What would happen if you fell, requiring an ambulance?For most of us, medical services aren’t among the top “must-haves” for a retirement area or permanent home. But they should be, say AARP and physicians who specialize in treating seniors.Because no matter how healthy a person is, everyone still needs a yearly physical and\u00a0medical tests\u00a0and access to doctors if they fall ill.Consider\u00a0quality care<\/strong>“Most people [looking for a retirement area] are thinking more about lifestyle, but it’s important to keep in mind that even though we are living much longer, we face the possibility of many medical issues, either acute or chronic, and we\u00a0need access to medical care,” said Dr. Marc Agronin, a geriatric psychiatrist and author of “How We Age: A Doctor’s Journey Into the Heart of Growing Old.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

While military families, as well as retirees and their dependents,\u00a0have comprehensive health care coverage, they still should consider the quality of care and available\u00a0services, as well as which doctors take\u00a0Tricare, in places they are considering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Transitioning veterans must be even more thorough, weighing their health insurance options, applying for Veterans Affairs health coverage if they are eligible, and determining whether they want to go to a VA hospital or clinic or select a home in an area covered by the\u00a0Veterans Choice program or some other VA community health care program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Be real about your health<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Take stock of your<\/p>\n\n\n\n

c<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n

urrent health and be honest about any risk factors you may have for developing a disease, Agronin said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Family history plays a role, as does a person’s lifestyle, habits and employment. Many former troops, for example, have\u00a0musculoskeletal injuries that may worsen as a body ages, requiring lifelong treatments and\/or pain\u00a0management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Or veterans may have a military-related mental health condition that needs regular therapy or treatment. Agronin said finding quality mental health services is difficult in many parts of the country. Choosing an area that offers the type of care you think you’ll\u00a0need is a wise decision, he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Look for what they advertise in terms of specialty care, and make sure what you need is available where you want to go. It could be diabetes. It could be post-traumatic stress disorder,”\u00a0Agronin said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other specialists to consider:<\/p>\n\n\n\n