Many people in northern Palm Beach County spend part of the year here and part of it somewhere else, often in the Northeast or the Midwest. The weather is the easy part. The harder part is health care that works in two places at once, without tests being repeated, medicines changing without anyone noticing, or a new symptom falling between two doctors who have never spoken.

This guide covers what tends to go wrong for seasonal residents, and the small habits that keep care steady from one season to the next.

Decide who holds the whole picture

When you have a doctor in each state, it helps to agree on which one keeps the master record: the full problem list, the current medication list, the screening history and the plan. The other doctor still matters, but one person should be able to answer the question “what are we doing about this, and why?”

For some people that is the doctor up north they have seen for twenty years. For others, especially those now in Florida for more of the year, it makes sense to move that role south. There is no single right answer. The mistake is having no answer, so that each doctor assumes the other is keeping track.

Keep one medication list, and carry it

Medication lists drift. A dose changes in March in Florida, a new prescription is added in August up north, and by the next winter neither office has the same list. Pharmacies in two states add another layer, since each may only see the prescriptions it fills.

  • Keep a single written list with every prescription, over-the-counter medicine and supplement, the dose as you actually take it, and who prescribed it.
  • Bring the list, or the bottles themselves, to the first visit of each season.
  • Ask each doctor to send a visit note to the other after any change.
  • Before you travel, check that you have enough of each medicine to cover the trip and the first weeks after you arrive.

If you take medicines that affect the kidneys, blood pressure or blood sugar, an up-to-date list matters even more, because doses often depend on recent lab results.

Move your records before you need them

The most useful time to transfer records is a few weeks before you arrive, not the day you feel unwell. Federal privacy law gives you the right to get copies of your own medical records, and a provider may also send records to another provider for your treatment or with your permission, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Recent lab results, imaging reports, ECGs, specialist letters and a vaccine record are the core. We go through the steps in how to move your medical records to a Florida doctor.

Check how your insurance works in each state

Seasonal residents on Medicare should look closely at how their coverage handles two addresses. Medicare.gov explains that with Original Medicare you can use any doctor or hospital that takes Medicare anywhere in the U.S., while a Medicare Advantage plan may require you to use providers in the plan’s network and service area for non-emergency care (Medicare.gov comparison).

That difference can decide whether a routine visit in Florida is covered at all. Our article on Medicare when you live in two states covers drug plans, pharmacies and enrollment dates as well.

Know what video visits can and cannot do while you are away

Video visits are useful for reviewing lab results, adjusting a plan or checking in after a change in medicine. There is one limit seasonal residents should know about. Under state licensing rules, a clinician generally must be licensed or legally permitted to practice in the state where the patient is located at the time of the visit, as Telehealth.HHS.gov explains.

In practice, that means a Florida doctor may not be able to see you by video while you are in another state. Ask each of your doctors how they handle this before you leave, so you know who to call over the summer for a question, and who to see in person if something new comes up.

How we work with seasonal residents

Legacy Medical is a small Concierge Internal Medicine practice in Palm Beach Gardens led by Dr. Yana Shtern, who is board certified in Internal Medicine and Nephrology. Members can reach the practice by phone around the clock and are seen the same or next business day while they are in town. Labs are drawn in the office, so a season can start with current results rather than a week of waiting.

At your first visit, tell us who your doctors are in your other state, so everyone can work from the same medication list. With your written permission, Dr. Shtern can also keep family members informed. Video visits work for many follow-ups when the rules allow. More detail is on our seasonal residents page.

If you are planning your next season here and want to see whether our way of working fits, the first step is a complimentary meet and greet with Dr. Shtern at the office. Bring your medication list and any questions, and a family member if you like.

This article is general information, not advice for your situation. Members can call the office with questions about their own care.