Home › Forums › Costa Rica Living Forum › Can I really live on $1500 a month in Costa Rica?
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October 19, 2012 at 7:11 pm #168206kmaxineMember
[quote=”costaricafinca”]The available meds[b] may not be covered by CAJA[/b], meaning you will have to purchase them, over the counter.[/quote]
This is true. I am not sure how to find out if they will be covered until I get over there. Do you?October 19, 2012 at 7:13 pm #168207kmaxineMember[quote=”DavidCMurray”][quote=”maravilla”]the review process has no bearing on whether your SSD qualifies you for residency. [/quote]
Social Security DOES, in fact, conduct periodic reviews of all disability insurance recipients’ continuing eligibility. See paragraph 1, line 1:
http://www.ssdrc.com/disabilityquestions4-7.html
An update to Social Security’s previous findings may not translate into a direct impact on one’s Costa Rican [i]pensionado[/i] residency status, but if Costa Rican Immigration is aware that, as the citation above states, the award of a disability claim is not guaranteed for life, they may not recognize that award as being guaranteed for life which, along with the income minimum, is the primary criterion for acceptability.[/quote]
Yes, the review process is indeed a concern of mine. I pray it will not be an issue. I don’t know why they have not made it permanent…October 19, 2012 at 7:15 pm #168208kmaxineMember[quote=”DavidCMurray”][quote=”maravilla”]the review process has no bearing on whether your SSD qualifies you for residency. [/quote]
Social Security DOES, in fact, conduct periodic reviews of all disability insurance recipients’ continuing eligibility. See paragraph 1, line 1:
http://www.ssdrc.com/disabilityquestions4-7.html
An update to Social Security’s previous findings may not translate into a direct impact on one’s Costa Rican [i]pensionado[/i] residency status, but if Costa Rican Immigration is aware that, as the citation above states, the award of a disability claim is not guaranteed for life, they may not recognize that award as being guaranteed for life which, along with the income minimum, is the primary criterion for acceptability.[/quote]
According to other response it will not have a bearing if the embassy does not mention review intheir letter. I am thinking I best pray it is indeed not mentioned. My understanding according to SS is that I may or may not be reviewed in 2017.October 19, 2012 at 7:27 pm #168209costaricafincaParticipantY[b]ou cannot join CAJA until you have the necessary paperwork fr[/b]om [i]migracion[/i], which could take 6 months or up to a year, and until then you will not be covered or get free meds.
I do not trying to dissuade you, but want you to understand that CAJA is good in an emergency situations, I.E. lots of blood…but for ongoing medical care many/most expats tend to use private facilities which they pay for the services required.
The main thing to understand that the [b][i]facilities vary greatly[/i][/b] throughout the countryOctober 19, 2012 at 9:32 pm #168210maravillaMemberto my knowledge, nobody gets on permanent status with SSD. even if they declare you incurable. your big obstacle is going to be if they make you go for an IME to verify that you are still disabled, rather than just filling out the forms that the doctors sign saying you are.
October 24, 2012 at 12:17 am #168211hakespMember[quote=”costaricafinca”]The main thing to understand that the [b][i]facilities vary greatly[/i][/b] throughout the country[/quote]
If you mean that some locales have better CAJA services than others, perhaps you or someone else on the forum could give a hint as to what are the better locales, facilities and/or local clinics. Anyone who has had a good experience, please speak up and be specific. Thanks!October 24, 2012 at 12:07 pm #168212costaricafincaParticipantThat is exactly what I meant. Problem is, that one is only permitted to use the one in their immediate neighborhood, so one doesn’t get to ‘see/use’ other, ‘possibly better – possibly worse’ facilities.
But in each case, one of the consistent concerns is the length of time waiting for an appointment or referral with a specialist, as this would affect them all which could take a year or two.
I had a descent experience after being in an accident, but was taken to a hospital in another area, although when I was discharged the following morning I was not provided with any follow up care or advice, but for general care at our local Ebais, a clinic, it is basic and clean, but not falling apart.
October 24, 2012 at 3:30 pm #168213Doug WardMemberTake a 3 month vacation here and you’ll have your answer.
October 24, 2012 at 4:14 pm #168214DavidCMurrayParticipantDoug, how will a three month vacation in Costa Rica give anyone comparative information about the resources of the CAJA system to which they will not have access? Other than in an emergency situation, no visitor can gain access to any CAJA service much less sample any number of them.
November 3, 2012 at 10:02 am #168215Doug WardMember[quote=”DavidCMurray”]Doug, how will a three month vacation in Costa Rica give anyone comparative information about the resources of the CAJA system to which they will not have access? Other than in an emergency situation, no visitor can gain access to any CAJA service much less sample any number of them.
[/quote]
Pretend.:wink:November 4, 2012 at 3:22 am #168216LisaMarie6987Member[quote=”Doug Ward”][quote=”DavidCMurray”]Doug, how will a three month vacation in Costa Rica give anyone comparative information about the resources of the CAJA system to which they will not have access? Other than in an emergency situation, no visitor can gain access to any CAJA service much less sample any number of them.
[/quote]
Pretend.:wink:[/quote]
You can ask others who are now in the CAJA system for their comments much like you find out about health resources in US. As a nurse that is how the majority of us find out about resourcesNovember 4, 2012 at 2:46 pm #168217DavidCMurrayParticipantLisaMarie, you wrote: “You can ask others who are now in the CAJA system for their comments much like you find out about health resources in US. As a nurse that is how the majority of us find out about resources.”
The problems with this approach are
– that you are unlikely to be able to ask enough people for their comments to get a meaningful sample, and
– that the services of the CAJA vary considerably by location within the country and by the type of service the comments refer to.
You could, for example, ask everyone you meet about the CAJA’s emergency care but probably than fewer than one in ten will have actually used the CAJA’s emergency services in the same location(s) or for the same problems. And once you have that information, it will tell you nothing whatsoever about definitive cardiac care nor about diabetes management nor about cancer care.
What’s more, as a nurse you know that most lay people are not qualified to render judgements about the quality of the care they receive. Satisfaction surveys are notoriously misleading.
November 4, 2012 at 3:20 pm #168218costaricafincaParticipantHow many residents have ‘chimed in’ with the good experiences with CAJA not including emergency services?
How many would choose to use CAJA rather than private facilities?
Hospitals here, do not have volunteers and often patients have to wait until family visit, to be fed if unable to do it by themselves. Also why family ‘choose’ spend a night by the sick-bed and to take the dirty laundry home to wash.
There are many, many more [i]Ticos[/i] using private facilities than there are, expats.
These facilities could not continue to exist with out ‘locals’.
They definitely do not ‘survive’ on medical tourism.
We helped put a young woman through university to get her nursing degrees, finishing a few years ago, and she has only been able to get private ‘in home’ work.November 4, 2012 at 7:24 pm #168219LisaMarie6987Member[quote=”DavidCMurray”]LisaMarie, you wrote: “You can ask others who are now in the CAJA system for their comments much like you find out about health resources in US. As a nurse that is how the majority of us find out about resources.”
The problems with this approach are
– that you are unlikely to be able to ask enough people for their comments to get a meaningful sample, and
– that the services of the CAJA vary considerably by location within the country and by the type of service the comments refer to.
You could, for example, ask everyone you meet about the CAJA’s emergency care but probably than fewer than one in ten will have actually used the CAJA’s emergency services in the same location(s) or for the same problems. And once you have that information, it will tell you nothing whatsoever about definitive cardiac care nor about diabetes management nor about cancer care.
What’s more, as a nurse you know that most lay people are not qualified to render judgements about the quality of the care they receive. Satisfaction surveys are notoriously misleading.
[/quote]Most people armed with the information can make good decisions. They first have to research then are able to manage their care…I’m just saying the man needs to ssk questions there is nothing magic in that either in US or CR
November 4, 2012 at 7:42 pm #168220DavidCMurrayParticipantYes, but what is the source of this information to which you allude? Where does the CAJA publish infection and readmission rates, for example? You’re not suggesting that people can rely on anecdotes, are you?
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