A smooth arrival in Naples starts with a little planning at home. When your records, prescriptions, insurance, and vaccines are sorted out before you travel, your care is already in place the day you arrive. A new symptom in January is handled quickly, by a physician who already knows your full history.

This checklist walks you through what to organize in the weeks before heading south, what to pack, and what to do in your first two weeks in Naples. It also covers how to keep your northern physician and your Naples physician connected through the year, so your care feels continuous no matter which home you are in.

Your Snowbird Health Checklist at a Glance

Here is the full plan on one page. Steps marked We handle this are done by Naples Concierge Health on your behalf, so your own list is shorter than it looks. The sections after the checklist explain each step in more detail.

Six to Eight Weeks Out

  • See your northern physician to review your medications and complete any tests that are due.
  • Request your medical records for your Naples physician. We handle this: we request records from every physician you have seen and review them before your first visit.
  • Call your insurance plan to confirm how routine, specialist, and urgent care are covered in Florida.
  • Decide whether you will get your flu vaccine before you leave or after you arrive.
  • Book your first Naples appointment.

Two to Four Weeks Out

  • Fill your prescriptions to cover the trip and your first few weeks in Naples.
  • Ask your pharmacy about transferring prescriptions to a Florida location. Controlled medications may need a new prescription.
  • Arrange any medical equipment, home health, or pharmacy deliveries for your Naples address.
  • Share your Naples address and phone number with both physicians, your pharmacy, and your specialists.
  • Ask your northern physician which tests or visits should happen while you are away, and bring that list with you.

Travel Week

  • Pack your medications in your carry-on, in their original labeled containers, with a few extra days of supply.
  • Carry a printed copy of your medication list, allergies, emergency contacts, insurance cards, and vaccination record.
  • Pack a small travel health kit: first aid supplies, approved pain relievers, allergy medication, a thermometer, and any home monitoring device with spare batteries or test strips.
  • Save your Naples physician's phone number in your phone and in your wallet.

First Two Weeks in Naples

  • See your Naples physician to update your medication list and plan the testing and follow-ups due this season. We handle this: your physician builds the season plan with you at that visit.
  • Complete routine labs early in the season. We handle this: labs are drawn in our office or at a local lab you prefer. We can also arrange a home blood draw through a local partner, though home draws are not part of the standard membership.
  • Transfer your prescriptions to a local pharmacy.
  • Keep an emergency bag with a supply of medications and copies of key medical documents. Hurricane season runs through November 30.
  • Share your emergency contact information with a local neighbor or family member.

Through the Season and Before You Head North

  • Sign records release forms at both practices so visit notes can travel in both directions. We handle this: your Naples physician coordinates with your northern physician throughout the year.
  • Stay in touch between visits. We handle this: you can message your physician directly, and virtual and phone visits continue while you are up north.
  • See your Naples physician before you leave in the spring. We handle this: your physician reviews the season, sends updated records to your northern physician, and plans testing and follow-ups for the months you are away.

Six to Eight Weeks Before You Leave

The most important steps take a little lead time, so it helps to start about two months before your travel date:

  • Schedule a visit with your northern physician. Use it to review your medications, address any open questions, and complete any tests that are due.
  • Request your medical records. Ask for recent visit notes, lab results, imaging reports, and a current problem list to be sent to your Naples physician.
  • Review your insurance coverage. Confirm how your plan works in Florida, especially for routine visits and specialist care.
  • Plan your vaccines. Decide whether you will get your flu vaccine before you leave or after you arrive, so it is not missed during the move.
  • Book your first Naples appointment. Scheduling early secures a time soon after you arrive.

Two to Four Weeks Before You Leave

As your travel date gets closer, the focus shifts to confirming that everything is in motion. Call your Naples physician's office to make sure the records you requested have arrived. Fill your prescriptions early enough to cover the trip and your first few weeks in Naples. Arrange any medical equipment deliveries, home health services, or pharmacy delivery for your Naples address, and share your Naples address and phone number with both physicians, your pharmacy, and any specialists you see.

This is also a good time to ask your northern physician which tests or visits should happen while you are away. Bring that list with you, so your Naples physician can build those items into your plan for the season.

Your Medical Records: The Foundation for a Smooth Season

Your records are the single most useful thing to organize before you travel. A Naples physician who has reviewed your full history before your first visit can make decisions with confidence from the start. The most helpful records are recent visit notes from every physician you saw during the year and lab results from the past one to two years. Imaging and procedure reports, a current medication list, and specialist recommendations round out the set.

At Naples Concierge Health, we request records from every physician you have seen and review them before your first visit, which removes most of this work from your list.

READ: Why a Visit to the Doctor is Essential for Seasonal Naples Residents

Medications and Prescriptions

Medication planning prevents the most common disruption of the season: running out of something important while you are between pharmacies. Start with a complete, current list of every medication and supplement you take, with doses. Ask your prescribing physician whether a longer supply makes sense before you travel.

Next, confirm whether your pharmacy can transfer your prescriptions to a Florida location. Chain pharmacies that share a records system can usually move refills more easily. Controlled medications need a little more planning, since federal rules limit how some controlled prescriptions can be transferred between pharmacies, and these may need a new prescription. When you travel, pack your medications in your carry-on bag, in their original labeled containers, with enough for several extra days in case of delays.

Insurance: Know How Your Coverage Travels

How your insurance works across two states depends on the type of plan you have. Medicare.gov explains that with Original Medicare, you can see any doctor or hospital that takes Medicare, anywhere in the United States. Medicare Advantage plans work differently: in many cases, members can only use doctors who are in the plan's network.

With a Medicare Advantage or employer plan, it is worth calling the plan before you leave to ask how routine, specialist, and urgent care are covered in Florida. The same call is worth making for any supplemental or prescription drug plan.

Vaccines to Plan Before the Season

Fall travel often overlaps with flu vaccine season. The CDC notes that September and October are generally good times to be vaccinated, ideally by the end of October. For adults 65 and older, the CDC preferentially recommends one of three flu vaccines: a high-dose, an adjuvanted, or a recombinant vaccine.

Other vaccines worth reviewing with your physician before you travel include COVID-19, pneumococcal, shingles, RSV for eligible older adults, and a tetanus booster if one is due. Bring your vaccination record with you, so your Naples physician can avoid repeating a dose or missing one.

The Week You Travel

Travel week is busy, and a few simple habits keep the health details from slipping through. Pack your medications in your carry-on, with a few extra days of supply in case of delays. Carry a printed copy of your medication list, allergies, emergency contacts, and insurance cards. On a long drive or flight, stand, stretch, and walk regularly, and stay well hydrated. Keep your Naples physician's phone number in your phone and in your wallet, so it is close at hand from the moment you arrive.

A small travel health kit in your carry-on covers most minor problems along the way. A practical kit includes basic first aid supplies, pain relievers your physician has approved, any allergy medications, a thermometer, and any home monitoring device you use, such as a blood pressure monitor or glucose meter, with spare batteries or test strips.

Preparing Your Naples Home for Health and Safety

A few steps at your Naples home help your season start safely. The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, so early-season arrivals overlap with it. Keep a small supply of medications and copies of key medical documents in an emergency bag. Fall weather in Southwest Florida can still be hot and humid, so plan for good hydration, especially if you take medications that affect fluid balance or blood pressure. Arrange delivery or service for any medical equipment, such as a CPAP machine, before you arrive, and share your emergency contact information with a local neighbor or family member.

Your First Two Weeks in Naples

Your first two weeks are the best time to settle your care for the season. A visit with your Naples physician soon after you arrive lets them review anything that changed while you were away, update your medication list, and plan the testing or follow-ups due during the season. It is also a good time to transfer prescriptions to a local pharmacy, set up any home services, and confirm that your physician has your current contact information.

This visit is a chance to set your goals for the season as well. Some of our members focus on fitness and longevity testing while they have more time in one place. Others focus on managing a specific condition or catching up on screenings. Routine labs can be drawn in our office or at a local lab you prefer through our labs and diagnostics service, so testing is easy to complete early in the season. We can also arrange a home blood draw through a local partner. Home draws are not part of the standard membership.

Keeping Two Physicians Connected

Many seasonal residents have a physician in each home, and your care works best when those two physicians share information throughout the year. A few habits make that easier. Sign records release forms with both practices, ask each office to send visit notes to the other, and keep one master medication list that travels with you.

A concierge physician who coordinates directly with your northern physician turns two separate relationships into one continuous record of care. When you head north again in the spring, our virtual and phone visits keep you connected to your Naples physician, and our travel medicine service supports you if you travel further afield.

Planning Preventive Care Around the Season

Seasonal residents often find it easiest to complete preventive care during their months in Naples. With a few months in one place, there is time to schedule screenings, complete follow-up testing, and see specialists without rushing. A practical approach is to divide preventive care between your two homes on purpose. For example, a colonoscopy might be scheduled in Naples, while an annual eye exam stays with a long-standing northern specialist. Writing this plan down, and sharing it with both physicians, keeps every screening on track and prevents duplicate tests.

Staying Well Through the Season

The Naples season is full of things to enjoy: golf and tennis, walks along the beach, dinners with friends, and visits from family. A few simple habits help you enjoy all of it. Build activity into your days gradually after a quieter summer up north, especially if you are returning to a sport. Protect your skin and stay hydrated outdoors. Keep your sleep schedule steady even when the social calendar fills up. When family visits during the holidays, it is a natural time to share updates about your health plan with the people who would need to know in an emergency. Small routines like these keep the season active and comfortable from November through spring.

Caring for a Parent Who Spends the Season in Naples

Many adult children have a parent who spends the winter in Naples. A few steps make it easier to stay involved from a distance. With your parent's consent, ask the Naples physician's office to include you as a contact, and confirm how updates will be shared. Keep a copy of your parent's medication list and emergency contacts, and make sure a local neighbor, friend, or relative can check in if needed. These small steps give your family peace of mind and keep care connected through the season.

How Naples Concierge Health Supports Seasonal Residents

We care for seasonal residents with this kind of coordination in mind. Physicians Dr. Jonathan Marsh and Dr. Danielle Grossman-Stuart request records from every physician you have seen and coordinate with your northern physicians throughout the year. Same-day and next-day appointments are routine, and you can message your physician directly whether you are in Naples or away. You can read more on our seasonal residents page.

Heading to Naples for the Season?

To arrive with your care already coordinated, book a gap assessment with Naples Concierge Health before you travel. You can also browse everything Naples Concierge Health offers to see the fuller picture first.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should snowbirds do before heading to Florida?

Schedule a visit with your northern physician, request your medical records, review how your insurance works in Florida, plan your medications and vaccines, and book your first appointment with your Naples physician. Starting six to eight weeks ahead leaves time for each step.

Does Medicare cover me in both states?

Original Medicare covers care from any doctor or hospital that takes Medicare anywhere in the United States. Medicare Advantage plans often use local networks, so call your plan to confirm how care in Florida is covered.

Should I get my flu shot before I leave or after I arrive?

Either works, as long as it happens. The CDC recommends vaccination ideally by the end of October, and adults 65 and older are preferentially recommended a high-dose, adjuvanted, or recombinant flu vaccine.

How do I transfer prescriptions to a Florida pharmacy?

Ask your current pharmacy whether it can transfer your prescriptions to a Florida location. Chain pharmacies that share a records system can usually do this easily. Some controlled medications have stricter transfer rules and may need a new prescription.

Which medical records should I bring to Naples?

Recent visit notes, lab results from the past one to two years, imaging and procedure reports, a current medication list, and specialist recommendations. At Naples Concierge Health, we request these from every physician you have seen.

Can my Naples physician and my northern physician share information?

Yes, with your written consent. Signing a records release at both practices allows each physician to send visit notes and results to the other, which keeps your care continuous through the year.

Should I see my physician before leaving Naples in the spring, too?

Yes. A visit before you head north lets your Naples physician review the season, send updated records to your northern physician, and plan any testing or follow-ups for the months you are away.

What should I do in my first two weeks in Naples?

Schedule a visit with your Naples physician, transfer prescriptions to a local pharmacy, set up any home services, and confirm that both physicians have your current contact information. That first visit is a good time to plan the season's testing and follow-ups.

What should go in a travel health kit?

A few days of every prescription medication, a printed medication list, basic first aid supplies, approved pain relievers, allergy medications, a thermometer, and copies of your insurance cards. Add any home monitoring devices you use, with spare batteries or test strips.

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