The license plates are already changing. Minnesota, Alberta, Washington, Iowa. By the end of October the RV resorts along Main Street in Mesa start filling up, and the 55+ communities from Tempe out to Apache Junction get busy again.
A lot of winter visitors book their checkups and procedures during the months they’re here. Some of that is timing, some is just that the weather makes recovery easier. It also means the first week or two back in town is a good time to sort out how you’ll get to those appointments, before a knee replacement or a cataract surgery is on the calendar.
Check your coverage for Arizona
If you’re on a Medicare Advantage plan from your home state, confirm it covers care in Arizona. Some plans only cover emergencies outside their service area. Medicare itself recommends checking this if you live in more than one state during the year, and Open Enrollment (October 15 to December 7) is the time to make a change if you need one.
The same goes for any transportation benefit your plan includes. A ride benefit that works in Des Moines may not have a single vendor in Mesa. Saguaro is private pay and doesn’t bill any insurance, so your home-state plan has no effect on whether you can ride with us.
Get your records to your Valley doctors early
Ask your home doctor’s office to send recent notes, imaging and medication lists to any specialist you’ll see here. Offices can take a week or more to process record requests. It’s easier to handle this in October than the day before an appointment.
Write down the details a driver will need
Seasonal communities are great to live in and tricky to find your way around. When you book a ride, it helps to have this ready:
- Your full address, including space or lot number. RV resorts and park model communities can have hundreds of sites, and GPS usually drops you at the front office.
- Gate codes or guard gate instructions. If your community has a guard, let them know you’re expecting a medical transport.
- Where the vehicle should stop. Some streets inside resorts are narrow or one way. Tell us if there’s a better spot for a wheelchair van to pull in.
- Steps or a ramp. Many park models and manufactured homes have a few steps at the entry. If you use a wheelchair or walker, let us know how you get in and out.
Our drivers work in these communities all winter, but every one is laid out a little differently. A two-minute heads-up on the phone saves a lot of circling.
Plan the ride home from surgery first
If you’re having an outpatient procedure while you’re here, the surgery center will almost always require someone to take you home. If your spouse can’t drive, or you’d rather they not have to manage a wheelchair and a car on the same day, book that return ride when you schedule the procedure.
We covered what to expect in more detail in our post on same-day surgery transportation. The short version: know your check-in time, bring your discharge instructions to the vehicle, and tell us if you’ll need help getting from the car into the house.
Set up recurring rides if you’ll need them
Physical therapy after a joint replacement usually means several visits a week for a while. Dialysis is three times a week, every week. If you know you’ll have a standing schedule this winter, we can set up recurring rides so you’re not calling to rebook each time.
Heading home in spring
Some winter visitors need help getting home at the end of the season, especially after a hospital stay or a surgery that makes a long car ride or a flight difficult. Saguaro offers long-distance transportation out of Phoenix. If that might be you, give us a call a few weeks ahead so we can talk through the trip.
Welcome back
We’re glad to see the Valley filling up again. Save our number, (480) 857-5906, somewhere easy to find, or book a ride online whenever you need one. We serve Phoenix, Tempe, Mesa, Gilbert, Chandler and the rest of the East Valley.
