Cancel medicare ??

[mickisue1]

Originally Posted by cuylers5746

Hi Surfrider;

I've got a different take on rather you should cancel your Part B on Medicare, because you're living in Mexico.

I'd keep it, and have done so myself. Why?

Well after having lived off and on in Florida for over 24 years (the other, although be it past Meca for retirees), I learned a lot about the Medical System there. I feel it applies to Mexico too.

Advice in Florida over many years was; if you get drastically infirm contracting something really complicated, or rare - you're probably going to find the best treatment might be at one of the renouned Medical Centers like "Cleveland Clinic", "Houston Medical Center", or the "Mayo clinic in Minnesota? The Cleveland Clinic now even has good branches in places closer like Tucson and Florida.

Yes, I know they have some excellent hospitals in D.F. and many of those Doctors work in Houston part of the year too, learning the latest procedures, and I have full faith and confifdance in them. BUT, if you have something new, really rare (not Tropical related), your best bet might be to hop a plane to ole USA to the finest Hospitals/Clinics and get the latest best treatment?

For instance, after working at the Cleveland Clinic on a project for TRW and working literally in every one of their 42 buildings for over a year on that Cleveland Campus. I witnessed over 1500 Nurses, Surgeons, Anethesiasts, etc. at shift change in the Surgical Wing. Having been "bunny suited up" and working in Surgery, I saw they had over 8 "theaters" full time constantly doing By-Pass Surgery. They have rooms of back up Surgeons and Nurses in case some one get's too tired or feels ill. I mean it's the "McDonalds" pipeline of Heart Surgery. I've told my wife since then, If I need Heart Surgery, "...just throw me on a plane to Cleveland..".

So, for around $100.00 bucks (currently) extra a month - you leave all your options open.

All the other comments, that I read were really valid also. I just have a different read on it. All my life, I've learned it's better to keep doors open, instead of closing them.

Please understand that I'm approaching this from the jaded POV of a nurse.

But big clinics like the Mayo (in my state and in AZ) and Cleveland Clinic, etc are much more about being more expensive than about being absolutely better than other places.

There are so many excellent places to get medical care, not just in the US or Mexico, but all over the world, that I can't picture myself clinging to the idea of some place or places in the US being "the best."

[Granitebay]

Ok so you are never coming "Home" ? that well be all and good, how ever things change, you change. America is your home, your "Roots" are here,or at least a few branches. So bite the bullet, pay the freight of $104 or so for your Medicare part B and keep on trucking!So that when you do need it, and unless your are financially independent, its not a matter of "if" it is "When you are going to need it....it will be here for you...

[Hound Dog]

Medicare Part B is a terrible ripoff if you are a retiree living in Mexico or anywhere else outside of the United States. If you are foolishly going to subscribe to it you had better sign up and pay for supplemental coverage to cover the cost of medical care not covered under Plan B which constitutes a major deductible you must othewise pay out of pocket.

If you subscribe to Medicare Part B with its attendant costs while residing in Mexico as a retiree, you are an idiot.-

[mickisue1]

Originally Posted by Granitebay

Ok so you are never coming "Home" ? that well be all and good, how ever things change, you change. America is your home, your "Roots" are here,or at least a few branches. So bite the bullet, pay the freight of $104 or so for your Medicare part B and keep on trucking!So that when you do need it, and unless your are financially independent, its not a matter of "if" it is "When you are going to need it....it will be here for you...

You know, I had a follow up appointment for my thyroid about a month ago, and was discussing health insurance with the nurse. My husband's employer carries coverage, but it has, while getting a little more expensive every year, gotten significantly worse in coverage, at the same time.

She commented that I should be well versed in Medicare and the cost of COBRA (continued coverage when the employment ends) in case something would happen to him. I told her that I would move out of the country, if that happened, to a place where they understand that decent healthcare, at a reasonable cost, is a right, not a privilege.

She was shocked, but intrigued. I think we who are still in the US get so set on the bad or worse choices that we are offered, whether as employees or retirees, that we find it hard to understand the freedom from fear of not being able to afford medical care that those in the civilized world enjoy.

Too bad the US has chosen, over and over, not to join that world. A sin and a shame.

Medicare Part B? Once I leave, I'll be back to visit, as I have kids in the US, and I'll have travel insurance. It's less expensive and better coverage than Medicare, anyway.

[Granitebay]

Well thats a "Healthy" observation thar Hound dog. Just make a note that 2 out of three baby boomers over 75 years of age in 10 years will need some kind of inhansed medical care. Perhaps rather that a costly medical care supplement to origional medicare care Part A and B, "Advantage Care" which is where a a private carrier (HMO) takes over medicare parts A and B (hostipal and doctor) from the goverment and provides the health care solution with medical, hospital and drug coverage in one plan. An example would be Kaiser. United Health care, Health net, Blue Shield all HMO's (Health Maintenance Organization) where in many areas in the US based on ones state side zip code the montly premium is ZERO. You just have to maintain medicare care part B to qualifiy. And by the way thar Hound Dog, Learning makes the wise wiser and the idiot more foolish. Bend and ear to "Surf Rider" down below and hedge your bet. $100 bucks a month for part B may be a cheap date in the long run. All's good Dog...

[Hound Dog]

I must admit, Granitebay, that the language I used when referring to those who choose Medicare B was unfortunate. I should have said that one should carefully consider the options available before electing to pay or not pay for Medicare B and choose the path best suited for their circumstances. My apologies for what I, in retrospect, consider to be rude and inappropriate language and also my failure to have taken into consideration the circumstances of other retirees lliving full or part time in Mexico.

I initially paid for Medicare B for several months before cancelling it. My decision was based on the fact that my wife and I are full time residents of Mexico and have no property, address or physician anywhere in the U.S. We also carry major medical insurance with a reputable international insurance company providing us with unlimited coverage for catastrophic illness but with a substantial deductible of $35,000 Pesos which makes our annual premium cost more reasonable. We carry this insurance, which includes emergency coverage when we are out of Mexico up to $50,000USD anywhere in the world. For routine medical care we pay out of pocket up to the $35,000MXN deductible. It is important to note that we have carried these health insurance policies since I was 60 and my wife was 55. We are now 71 and 66 respectively and I doubt we could qualify for this coverage if we tried to sign up initially today at our ages. Clearly, everyone does not qualify for major medical insurance so my blanket statement that Medicare B is a foolish option was out of line. One must consider the circumstances one is experiencing to decide if full Medicare coverage including supplemental insurance makes sense.

I first questioned the efficacy of full Medicare coverage in our circumstances when I read that someone had been financially wiped out just paying the deductible after a major illness because medical costs in the U.S. are so outrageous. That made me consider just what our seeking medical care in the U.S. during an emergency would entail. We would have to identify a physician and hospital somewhere in the U.S. that would take on new Medicare patients, establish a residence in the community in which the physician and hospital do business, arrange expensive transportation to that community from Mexico and transportation while there and join the queue with God knows who else awaiting our turn whenever that might occur.

This was all further brought home to me when I had to have an emergency gall bladder operation in 2008 while we were in residence at our home in the Chiapas Highlands where the hospitals are generally pretty dreadful and physician talent limited. The major medical we carry provides emergency flight evacuation anywhere in Mexico and they offered me emergency flights to a city and hospital of my choice and recommended Mexico City, Guadalajara or Monterrey. I realized then that, as I was in dire condition and in no shape to fly anywhere, I needed to opt for immediate emergency surgery here in San Cristobal in a filthy local hospital with the only gastrointestinal surgeon then available over the Christmas holidays. The surgery was successful fortunately but this incident made me realize the absurdity of my even flying on an emergency basis in Mexico much less, in my condition, identifying a physician and hospital in the U.S. who would take me under Medicare. establishing an address there and flying on my own dime to the U.S. when I could hardly make it across town to the hospital here.

On the other hand, I know someone at Lake Chapala who takes full Medicare coverage and is moving back to the U.S. to treat his long term chronic illness under Medicare as that long term care over years in Mexico paid for out of his own pocket is too expensive over time.

Upon refelection, I realize what is good for us under our circumstances is not good for all and I retract the comment I made in my previous post.,

[RVGRINGO]

With BCBS coverage included in my retirement, I must maintain Part B or lose that coverage, even though Medicare does not pay in Mexico. I have had 8 eye surgeries and, just recently, an emergency colectomy in Guadalahara. Now, I am approaching the limits of my out of country BCBS coverage, which could force me to go to the USA in anything but an emergency situation. Unfortunately, all of these procedures have been emergencies and had to be done in Guadalajara.
My wife has just opted to take Part B, and has no other coverage anywhere. We are too old and cannot afford additional premiums here, or elsewhere.
So, we are being forced to list our home and downsize to a rental, with the prospect of moving north, where I have BCBS and VA coverage, and my wife will have Medicare A&B. As I approach 76, my dream and plan to live in Chapala forever may be untenable, as I am also losing my sight and can no longer drive.
So, what to do next? Another major medical problem could wiipe us out in either country but there is no safety net in Mexico and the one in the USA is dirty and full of holes.

[DennyDaddy]

RV....

Look into Rocky Point! Its close to US ...58 miles and easy drive to VA in Tuscon.

Not like down south, but still can have a life in Mexico.

The red cross here will deliver you to border 24/7 and a paddy wagon will meet the Mex one at border in an energency.

Life is great here for us, even tho its a tourest place. We live way away from that area and its still Mexico for us.

Doc's and dentists are still great prices.

Due to tourest downsize cause of US ecom prices to buy are great now.

Its fits us fine here, have to go to VA at least once a month.

Something to think about,, if someone wants to live in Mexico, good area, cheap doc's, in free zone and 58 miles to US,and a great fish market area on the sea.

DS

[mickisue1]

RV, I'm so sorry!

If the Medicare administrators have any common sense, they'll start to do what some private insurers do, and encourage people to go to other countries for elective, but necessary, surgeries. They'll also look at the cost savings from covering someone like you, who has serious medical issues, but even with that, can get care at a much lower price in the country where they live, i.e., Mexico.

[TundraGreen]

Originally Posted by RVGRINGO

With BCBS coverage included in my retirement, I must maintain Part B or lose that coverage, even though Medicare does not pay in Mexico. I have had 8 eye surgeries and, just recently, an emergency colectomy in Guadalahara. Now, I am approaching the limits of my out of country BCBS coverage, which could force me to go to the USA in anything but an emergency situation. Unfortunately, all of these procedures have been emergencies and had to be done in Guadalajara.
My wife has just opted to take Part B, and has no other coverage anywhere. We are too old and cannot afford additional premiums here, or elsewhere.
So, we are being forced to list our home and downsize to a rental, with the prospect of moving north, where I have BCBS and VA coverage, and my wife will have Medicare A&B. As I approach 76, my dream and plan to live in Chapala forever may be untenable, as I am also losing my sight and can no longer drive.
So, what to do next? Another major medical problem could wiipe us out in either country but there is no safety net in Mexico and the one in the USA is dirty and full of holes.

I am sorry to hear this RV. It is a sad commentary on the state of medicare in the world in general and the US and Mexico in particular.