Comments on: Medicare For Expats, Or A Mess Of Pottage?

By: coni

coni — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 17:18:02 +0000

this is a discussion that i have been having – i am on medicare and have humana supplement – their response to overseas coverage is the following:
“Your Humana plan H1036-065 has International Coverage available for a premium of $29 a month. The countries this plan covers are: the Bahamas, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Mexico, and Panama.

You may complete an Abbreviated Enrollment Form over the phone thru customer service or you may opt to have this prefilled and mailed to you. Thank you for contacting Humana where it is our vision to be the most trusted name in health solutions. If you have further questions, please continue to use the MyCommunications Center or call our Customer Service Department at the number on the back of your ID card. Thank you,

Katrina C. Customer Service Web Specialist 800-457-4708 Humana Insurance Company”
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the following is a reply from someone else – the English is not up to par so…
“…..if he is in a HUMANA MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PLAN (Medicare HMO), they dont need to buy anything extra, the HMO will cover O/S Med Exp.; the catch is that they have o have a U.S. residence at least 6 mo. per year to be in a Medicare HMO.”
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the same person later sent this:
“…MEDICARE ADVANTAGE Plans (HMO’s) have a residency requirement….it s/b in your HUMANA Plan pamphlet

my parents, who live in Miami, have a MEDICARE HMO also, with VISTA, and they cover ALL OVERSEAS medical expenses (their pamphlet indictes “for emergencies only”, buy when I called, they said that they would cover most anything, as long as they are participants in their HMO, which has a CMS indicated residency requirement).

it is preferable for the MEDICARE HMO that their participants have overseas expenses covered, since these will be about 1/3 as much as stateside expenses…..they shouldn’t be charging an EXTRA premium when their claims are going t/b reduced considerably for overseas usage…..VISTA doesn’tcharge any kind of extra premium.”

By: Bob

Bob — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 17:09:14 +0000

I would like to get the straight scoop on Medical insurance in Panama. One book I read said that you can only sign up and get medical insurance up to age 64.

My wife and I are both 66 and are really interested in Panama but the age limit for being able to get insurance concerns me.

Does anyone know if this is true or if there are other options.

By: gene

gene — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 17:00:16 +0000

hi! can i ask what your ex-pat policy is????i’m an american that has (medicare) living in romania,but i want to go to france for the best medical care.can u help?thx

By: Susan Beverley

Susan Beverley — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 14:31:04 +0000

For information on Uruguay I recommend our ebook Buying Real Estate in Uruguay by David Hammond which you will find listed in the index located at http://ebooks.escapeartist.com/index.php

Susan Beverley – Editor

By: mike

mike — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 07:05:27 +0000

After five years residence in France a person has access to the entire French medical system as if a French citizen – only two years to go ! Until then I am working and covered by an expat policy, so that is one option.

A future article might list the residency requirements in various countries to qualify for local medical coverage benefits.

By: Adam Bates

Adam Bates — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 21:11:58 +0000

Wow, that’s excellent coverage and is very inexpensive.

By: Barbara

Barbara — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 20:48:16 +0000

Dear Roger Southwick:

Not sure if my previous comments went thru to you. My new/old husband and I are considering Uruguay for retirement. What is the best time of year to go there to rent for a few months?

Thank you again for your input. We also look forward to cancelling our medicare policies.

Barbara (BarbHicks.CFII@yahoo.com)

By: Barbara

Barbara — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 20:46:28 +0000

Dear Roger Southwick,

Thank you for your input. My new/old husband ( of 4 years now) and I have been considering Uruguay for retirement. Would you share with us where retirees can live inexpensively and safely? I hear it is a beautiful country which “takes one back to the 1950s.” (I look forward to cancelling our medicare policies.)

Barbara (BarbHicks.CFII@yahoo.com)

By: coni

coni — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 19:24:19 +0000

humana medicare supplement offers fair coverage for six countries including panama – unfortnately they are not sure they will offer it next year – stay tuned – it costs $28/mo – they call the program ‘foreign travel coverage’ – it is fairly extensive and not just emergency coverage which is covered

By: Roger Southwick

Roger Southwick — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 13:12:09 +0000

In responce to your article, my wife and I moved to Uruguay several years ago and immediatly got health insurance from a local hospital group. I was over 70 and had to take a medical examination, but my wife who was 69 had only to sign the policy. We have since had excelent medical service. My wife was in the hospital several times. We then decided to cancel the medicare policy. In so doing we saved US$165 per month for each of us. Uruguay provides an excelent solution for Americans seeking to move overseas.
Sincerely, Roger Southwick

By: Doug Rice

Doug Rice — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 05:05:43 +0000

Good thoughts, I am a few months away from Medicare and find it very frustrating trying to find insurance. Something to add on to my Medicare coverage offering me coverage in my part time life in SE Asia.

It looks as though Secure Horizons by United health care offers a Medicare advantage plan that might offer coverage for mu-ti-month stays outside the US. Though, I haven’t got a firm commitment on anything covering anything more than emergency’s. However, all of the Medicare gap coverage programs offer emergency coverage for your first 2 months overseas, after that your on your own. Doug