Medicare

[rebetzen]

Do those of you who had Medicare in the U.S., drop it when you move to Costa Rica?

[DavidCMurray]

This is sort of an answer to the question you didn’t ask (sorry) . . .

We live in Costa Rica already and when we turn 65 we’ll enroll in Medicare Part B. Should we need major health care which we’d otherwise have to pay for here, we’ll at least have the option of returning to the U.S. for it.

Two things we don’t usually discuss when we talk about Medicare: First, if you don’t enroll at age 65, the monthly premium goes up the longer you wait. Second, there’s about a six-month waiting period before Medicare coverage becomes effective, so you can’t wait to enroll ’til you fracture that hip.

[waggoner41]

[b]Dropped it like a rock. All of it, parts A, B, C & D.[/b]

I am 69 and Donna is 61 and medically retired for 5 years.

At best Medicare only pays 80% and not even considering the cost of going back to the States the cost is totally unreasonable when compared to the cost of [b]Caja (national health care system)[/b].

Caja costs us 46,375 colones per month, at today’s rate that is under $90 per month.

We get total medical care through the Caja system. That includes preventive medicine, surgery, aftercare, clinic visits and medications.

My wife, aside from type 2 diabetes, fibromyalgia and uncontrollable triglycerides, was diagnosed with stage one breast cancer in January 2009.

Within 4 weeks after diagnosis she was admitted into the hospital for surgery. I consider this a reasonable time frame and now, one year out she is cancer free.

The doctors here are as good as any in the States and, while the University of Costa Rica has an excellent medical school, many are educated and do their internships in the States.

Total cost was zero beyond our monthly Caja payments.

There are “inconveniences” such as supplying all of your personal needs down to toilet paper during hospitalization.

This is a socialized health care system and compared to the health care system in the U.S. is 10 times better.

Costa Rica also has a huge medical tourism business catering to those wanting plastic surgery.

[guru]

My partner here in the U.S. is 69 and has a supplemental policy that in effect takes over your Medicade. She has a series of drugs she takes that cost her nothing through the system and are sent to her by mail (this COULD be sent to a forwarder – one of those Miami mail boxes).

I recently had some issues that I paid for CASH and would have probably done so in Costa Rica even if on the Caja. I had an infection that needed immediate attention (not tomorrow or the next day). But 3 visits to the doctor, the minor “surgery” (lancing the infection), the lab work and consultation cost about $800 US, which is more than annual Caja payments. But this would have cost MUCH less in CR at a private practice. And you always have that choice.

OBTW – The places that took CASH payments in the US, gave a 20% discount. This is their known cost of doing business with the insurance companies. . .

[Author]

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