I've just calculated there are 1,920 patients ahead of me to see one specific average-rated gastroenterologist in Florida. They earliest appointment date available to me was May 21, 2026.

January 19, 2026 | Self

[4Runner]

And I have very expensive Medicare Advantage PPO insurance. Where have all these people clamoring for medical services come from, and why has medical care literally been hijacked in the State of Florida? I couldn't even understand the woman at the specialist's office, her foreign accent was so thick. This appointment was on a referral from my PCP. Where is DeSantis on all of this? Is it the same in other states as well? Why are we allowing foreign hordes to debase the quality of medical care available to US citizens in their own country?

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TOPICS: Business/Economy; Health/Medicine
KEYWORDS: costs; medicare; medicareadv; ppoinsurance; specialist

[Vermont Lt]

I am curious. What do you expect DeSantis to do about this? It’s not like he can wave a magic wand and create Gastro docs. My wife is in a health system’s senior management and even she has to wait to get an appointment with a specialist.

There are a lot of people getting to the age where they need a specialist; and they don’t grow on trees.

[proxy_user]

It’s Medicare Advantage. If you had regular Medicare, you could see any doctor who takes Medicare, which is nearly all the doctors in Florida.

[econjack]

The AMA is partly responsible for the problem. The AMA set the medical licensing exams for the state. It appears that if you are in a “good” retirement state, like FL, they make the exam very hard to discourage retired doctors from practicing. In states like ND, if you can fog a mirror, you can get a license.

[shelterguy]

Here in Minneapolistan it can take months to see certain specialists.

[Whatever Works]

I have Kaiser in Hawaii. It $uck$. My doctor told me I was old. Expect the breakdown (not in so many words, but the non answers, smirk, and see another doctor kinda said it all).

I’m ready to just die at this point. Whatever.

[Pontiac]

Don’t blame DeSantis blame Biden.

Lots of doctors retired early during the COVID lock downs.

[fruser1]

Florida has a high proportion of old folks yes?

Can you check appointment times with other docs and have your primary write a referral to them, or are you saying there is actually only one such doc in the state?

[Hang'emAll]

Living in Florida now, when I moved here they told me 6 months to see a doctor as a new patient but I noticed the waiting room was empty.

I asked why with a 6 month wait was the room not filled like a Chick Fillet drive through.

Since I am living on the west coast the answer was after the last hurricane many of the doctors left town leaving only a few to handle the load.

[PhillyPhreeper]

It’s Medicare Advantage. If you had regular Medicare, you could see any doctor who takes Medicare, which is nearly all the doctors in Florida.

This is true.

[Dartoid]

The new thing in Florida is practices going the boutique model. Easier on the practice and helps eliminate some the insurance headaches for them.

[Eli Kopter]

There are so many colonoscopies and endoscopies being done because our insurance is paying for them. It is a very lucrative practice, for sure. Also, it used to be recommended at age 50 or older as a preventative, and now it has been lowered to 35, which puts pressure on them. I am lucky to see the PA once every six months.

[piasa]

I was uninsured and paid cash for a surgical procedure, I didn’t even have to wait a week.

[V_TWIN]

I have medicare A/B and blue cross. I see my gastroenerologist regularly, live in north east Florida and never had an issue like this ever.

[piasa]

I was uninsured and paid cash for a surgical procedure, I didn’t even have to wait a week...here in FL.
But that was before covid and before ACA.

[Captainpaintball]

Go to another country if you can. You can pay cash for pennies on the dollar

[Tell It Right]

Florida has a high proportion of old folks yes?

Since this is about wait time for a gastroenterologist, perhaps the question that should be asked is if Florida has a high proportion of LGBTQWERTY keeping GI's busy. Gastroenterology healthcare in LGBTQ+ individuals:

Particularly, gastroenterologists are nowadays facing different issues in several fields regarding LGBTQ+ healthcare, such as endoscopy, inflammatory bowel disease, hepatology, and proctology....In terms of endoscopy, authors describe the endoscopic findings related to human papillomavirus (HPV) infection: the esophageal squamous papilloma and cell carcinoma; also highlight the importance of retroflexion maneuver during a routine colonoscopy that allows detection of anal intraepithelial neoplasia lesions that can be anal cancer precursors. Regarding inflammatory bowel disease, some considerations are made about the differential diagnosis with infectious proctitis, and the topic of the risk of anal cancer due to HPV infection, in this specific population, is also addressed. Considering hepatology, the authors review the most important issues related to hepatotropic sexually transmitted infections. The authors also make some comments regarding the possibility of drug-induced liver injury in gender-affirming hormone therapy and pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV prevention. Finally, considering the proctology field, an up-to-date review is performed regarding anal cancer screening, HPV infection and related diseases, and infectious proctitis management.

[SaxxonWoods]

It took me 4.5 months to see a neurologist. By the time I saw him my symptoms had almost disappeared so nothing was done except set another appointment 4 months out. Drugs for this malady are nasty so only given if symptoms are bad. Had the second appointment, same mothing done, now have another appointment in 4 months and will go on “call if problem” status after that. Dr. will have made good Medicare money for 3 appointments, two MRIs and no treatment.

[eastexsteve]

I would imagine that there are so many retirees that moved to Florida that the demand for medical care is very high. So, I wouldn’t consider a medical personnel shortage unusual.

[FamiliarFace]

One of my husband’s doctors calls it Medicare DisAdvantage. We think because he isn’t paid as much, so he only accepts as few of those patients as possible.

We’re not quite there yet, but it’s getting closer.