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Scott,
You are correct about not making health care the primary reason for coming here. Most people from the USA do not understand social medicine. We think it is just really great and some things about it are great. We do have a social medical system of sorts in the US it is called medicade.
That is a government sponsored medical assistance program for lower income people but it seems different.
Scott for most people like myself from the US that program means your begging and it means you are lower income. In Costa Rica it does not seem to have that stigma, but from what I understand from my employees, they feel that way about the CAJA. All of my employees have additional insurance coverage.
In the USA there are a lot of programs for people based on income. You can even get free medicine in the US based on your income. Each State has a different income level for benefits. In Alabama it is about $600.00 per month per person and in Washington State it is $1400.00 per month per person. That is weird because the cost of medicine is the same whether in Washington State or Alabama.
Government housing grants for the elderly, property tax exemptions and many more things.
One couple came here with extensive medical problems and they had an income of about $2,000. per month. They wanted to keep taking the same medicine they were getting in the US but some of it was not available here and then some that was available was not as expensive but it was not cheap.
They stayed for 3 months then returned home because in the US with their income, they were allowed Housing Assistance and some assistance through medicad.
People that are actually getting less then $1500 per month can live very well in the USA with all the supplemental programs and grant funded neighborhood clinics.
It is the people whose income is above that amount. More than $1500 but less than $3,000 per month they are stuck in the middle. In some states if your income for a couple is less then $2600 per month you are eligible for assistance.
Most of us do not know about the benefits in the USA when your income is cut by retirement.
There is a stigma connected with getting government assistance. Maybe my thinking is not correct, but is’nt the CAJA a government assisted program?
Some of us are so afraid of dying, Scott until we gear our entire exsistance on medicine. That is where they have us by the……tail.
We are moving so we can get medicine or medical attention.
We are so hyped up on being sick. Costa Rica is a wonderful country and most of us coming here have valuable experiences and learning that we can share. We can be an added value to this country and the people.
To me Costa Rica offers and exciting opportunity. It offered me the opportunity to hire people and to be a part of their success. It is adding meaning to my life, even though I can not get a telephone(smile). By no means am I alone in this, many people are coming here for the opportunity to serve. They are building libraries, woking in nursing homes, helping in schools.
Costa Rica does have some great Doctors, it does not cost much for a visit. Minor medical expenses for xrays, cold, headaches, blood test, just those minor things are very affordable. Some insurances are available that will offset cost of major medical expenses. If you purchase insurance and just purchase it with a major medical coverage, that is the way to go here in Costa Rica.
The Costa Ricans that can afford it purchase a private insurance policy. They will even tell you that the CAJA is not the way to go.
Most of us from the US have never been in a hospital room big enough for 4 people that had 8 people in it. We have no clue as to what CAJA means.
If we were told in the US that we had cancer and we needed an operation but we had to go on a waiting list. We would classify that as being more cruel then not having insurance. At least you can not hope in what you dont have, but false hope in thinking you have and you dont have that is difficult.
To know you have cancer and you need an operation but, it is impossible because you have to wait until your name comes up on the list.
Come to Costa Rica to add meaning to your life, if you do that you will stay.
Someone asked me about insurance and this is the information.
Thanks Gringo
Hope you dont mind I cut your name a little short. What you said is diffinetly looking at the situation in a different prospective.
The only thing about paying you have to keep on paying. That is not a good solution and if it cost you a thousand then what would the cost be know.
If we were just going to recieve a few calls from the US there would be no problem, I need telephones for my business. It is just amazing to be in a country that seems as if they do not care whether they make money or not. We have been in a lot of countries but this is the first country that we have ever lived in that seemed as if they did not care if it was prosperous.
How can you expect for businesses to come when they can not get a telephone. People that are going into business here do not even consider the fact that they may not be able to get a telephone. Holding that cell telephone up to my ear with all that radiation is not the answer for us. Plus there is a privacy issue with cell telephones.
We stayed in Costa Rica for the wonderful life style it offers but we never even considered that we would not be able to get a telephone.
That is the one adjusting factor that is difficult. For us a telephone is a necessary item, fax machines, computers, dishwasher, washer, dryer, hot water. They all go together dont they?
When we discuss Costa Rica we should be fair and let people know that there are challenges but as you say there is compensating factors as well. Arias is on the top of my prayer list.
Hello,
If you went to the Embassy website and found jobs contact the State Department Human Resources. Or look up Foreign Service officers. I would advise you to look into it from the USA. My husband and I were in Germany for 10 years. When he tried to be locally hired in Germany they do have a policy of filling positions that are very sensetive with US citizens, other jobs they fill with locals. Since your wife is a Costa Rican you will not need to apply for pensonado status so then you will be eligable for jobs from what I understand.
Check with the State Department in the US they have controll of the Embassy.
Congrats on your retiring from the military. Welcome to the club of retiree. With all of your management experience you may want to contact some of the companies that are doing business here in Costa Rica. Your experience is very valuable, the military has the best leadership and management programs and training.
Capitalize on your many years of experience and people management skills. Get a professional to write a good resume for you, preferrably one who has knowledge about putting together resumes for people with military experience.
God Bless you and thanks for your years of service.
In our community in Grecia we have many families that are from the US living here with children. The adjustment of a child here has a lot to do with the age of the child. This is not where you want to bring children that you have taken to participate in football, baseball, soccer and Hockey. It is not for the child who likes to go to the local theatre while you do your shopping, or the child who wants to go skating, bowling and so many other activities.
If you bring a child who is no more then about 7 there will probably not be any problems. Not saying that a child would not do good here but if that child is older it will be more difficult to adjust.
I speak as a traveler with children who were taken all over the world. They started when they were very young and had very little to compare it to and also we were in the military. Traveling in the military they have managed to keep some things familar to our customs. So my children never really had a culture shock.
Why did we move to Costa Rica, just to do something different and we had no one else to consider but US no children to worry about.
If you leave the USA young and you are going into business here then sure, there are opportunities but you do need MONEY. Most of the people that are saying how cheap it is to live do not have children here.
Medical care is good and it is not very costly. Most of us that have come are evaluating based on adult needs. In fact adult needs over 50 years old.
If you and your wife have the determination to accomplish a goal, do I think you can do that with children, sure. Let me ask this question, what is your level of comfort? If you could come here for good then what would it hurt if you took 1 year out of your life and checked out life with children in Costa Rica.
You will only be able to answer the survival question. My grandson came to visit me for four months and he enjoyed being with us but his social life in Costa Rica was not what he was accustomed to.
All Jobs at the Embassy are called Foreign Service Jobs, those that US Citizens fill. You have to contact the State Department in the US and they give a test every six months. If you are accepted in the Foreign Service that means you are subject to go anywhere. Just getting Costa Rica is not possible. Unless you have a real good contact in State Department, like Ms Rica (smile).
I used to assist in preparing the budget for one of the Embassy’s in Geneva. The US Government obligates themselves to hire local people for most of the lower level jobs. So if you are looking for a non skilled or administrative clerical position you would have to be a local hire and that would not be legal according to the agreement the US makes with the countries they are doing business in.
State Department has information on the web about employment. Usually the Consular and his secretary are US Citizens, because of the level of security.
Check the library for some companies that are doing business in Costa Rica. They can hire you from the US and bring you over here. You have a good possibility of gettin employment with one of these companies if you speak Spanish, a lot of them hire even if you do not speak Spanish because they hire only Costa Ricans that can speak English.
Mike and Agnes,
It is wonderful in Costa Rica, you will appreciate the community life. It is tough after you have served most of your life in a community setting to give that up. My husband and I found bonding relationships in RVing for many years. We really never understood that we liked associations and most civilians do not establish those relationships.
We found that type of community fellowship here in Costa Rica. So we not only enjoy the Costa Ricans and their wonderful country, we are enjoying the other community of Expats from all over the world. It is nice, you will enjoy living in Costa Rica.
To know we have medical care that just puts icing on the cake. Before coming here we had no knowledge that TRICARE or VA would cover us.
This is one thing that I want to tell you Mike is that the military uses up your youth and most do not leave it unscared in some way. Make sure before you retire, that you attain records of your duty assignments . My husband got out healthy and then just 2 years later the affects of Agent Orange showed up.
He just got approved for his disablity coverage. So make sure you keep records put them all together and keep them handy just in case you may need them. Document your medical problems, that is very important.
If anyone else is reading this and you think that because of your military service you have developed a condition that may have been caused by where you served, please contact Jim Young and JoElla at Sima Hospital. Diabetes has been associated with Agent Orange used in Vietnam, if you were on a ship docked on the Coast of Vietnam and Agent Orange or some of those other agents were sprayed you may have been affected. All Vets who have served need to contact VA. It does not make a difference how long the condition took to manifest. Contact VA
Scott,
Please contact Jim and Jo Ella Young at Sima Hospital. They have an office in the lobby of the hospital building, just as you come in the front door.
The care is not only TRICARE but it is also care for disabled military Veterans. Some veterans are suffering from thins that were at one time not covered and now they are, so they should check with Jim and Jo Ella. They also have a Veteran volunteer working to help veterans establish claim through the system.
They work very closely with the Embassy to get papers filled out for benefits.
To give you and example that there may be people who are entitled to benefits but they do not know are some veterans who served in Vietnam and were exposed to Agent Orange, yello and white, plus some other chemicals that they now attribute to many medical problems. plus we have the Gulf War Vet, Afaghanastan and Iraqu Some of the problems were not approved for medical coverage that have been and VA offers coverage for those veterans. A lot of them do not know about it.
They can contact Jim and Jo Ella also I will send you a web page that has information about the care. Jeanetta
Maravilla,
You are correct, I went to an eye doctor here in Costa Rica and he did a full eye exam using all of those machines plus 5 visits it cost me a total of $150. Since then if I want to go to the doctor I just go, if he says that xrays are needed. No sweat they only cost about $20.00
Health care is great, most people do not realize that the doctors at home look on a chart and if you need something that your insurance does not cover they dont mention it to you.
Health care in Costa Rica is very affordable, with or with out insurance.
A lot of people here self insure for that very reason. They keep a few thousand in the bank to cover minor problems and insure major problems or use a large deductible.
We were over insured in the US but since coming here we have droped some coverages. If a person wants to keep their health care coverage in the US, because it is included in a retirement package, they should check and to see if they have any international coverage. Im retired from Civil Service and we were under Mail Handlers Insurance. They covered up to 75% of the cost. That covered me internationally, so regardless to where we traveled we were covered. My husband is retired military and the military pays 75% percent under TRICARE.
So for us we did not need the extra protection. Many are going to travel and some people are going to be returning home on a vacation or visiting grandchildren.
My suggestions is that everyone should look at medical coverage based on what they will be doing. If you never plan to leave Costa Rica then the Caja system is okay for you.
How is that for getting back on the subject.
When we were young we moved based on having a good time, quality schools for our children and a good neighborhood. Now since we are older we move based on medical care (smile) what a drastic change.
No one ask much about the social features of Costa Rica. Our major topics are on cheap food, cheap places to stay and medical care. Who is willing to start a walk for life program, what do they call them in Germany. Bridge anyone, what about line dancing. Some good ole country buggy, the only time I get to shout and act crazy is when I go to church. There has got to be something we can get shaking on.
Lets start stimulating and stop medicating. That is affordable health care. A few old age tennis tournaments, some racquette ball.
The best medicine is to move and groove. A little shake a tail feather baby. Am I dating myself.
I am begining to think that age means complaints about how things use to be, the good old days. Sort of like some photos that I have taken over the years. When I took them I complained about how they look but now when I look at those photos they look good. That is the way it is about life. When I was younger many complaints were lodged by me of how things were being done, with each era of life I find that the one I left is better then the one we are in.
Dkt2u
Thanks for getting into the discussion, you have the gall to disagree with me. Why I never, have been agreed with (smile). You are correct and so am I, both views are correct. They just apply in other places. It is a fact that hands that are not working and busy are the grounds for most problems even the drugs. We can actually get rid of drugs.
There are some things about the accessiblity of drugs and alchol.
What took away the crime of liquor after prohibition was not the elimination of the alchol but the legalization of alchol. Do I believe in legalization, sure because prohibition has not worked and our jails are filled with people who could be productive. We have groomed a society of people that want to be spaced out and taking away the ability to do that in one area just creates a desire to do it using something else.
Everything put on this planet was designed for a purpose, it is when that purpose is abused. With out Gods plan man has no direction. Even the right we think is right is wrong.
The thing that we have enjoyed most about living in Costa Rica is that they are in the area of time so much like when I was a child. With progress they too will be plagued with some of our problems. For now, I am enjoying the innocense of this Country. Add another 37 years and my age will be 100. By the time they have highways, no pot holes, dishwasher, hotwater and computers in every house , that sweet chariot will be starting to swing my way. Living here gives you the joys of a simple life.
Crime is every where, you have to leave the planet to get away from it. Who is ready to go, lets see a show of hands. This world has a lot more good people then bad people but the bad people get all the publicity.
Maravilla do you mind if I jump in here.
When I was younger about 50 years ago we thought a hummer was a person who did a lot of humming. Well, things have changed and so many of them not for the better. The solution that I have is that we need more love in our families, more jobs, more supervised activities for kids and more control over our children, plus a lot of self discipline for ourselves.
We are in a time when 30 year old children are returning home and children of those 30 year old children are being raised by their grandparents. That is a problem in the US. We have developed a society of people that are more interested in what we have as possessions then any thing else. Our houses got bigger, we purchased more cars and other toys. Our children got to be of little importance, we buy their love and instead of giving them our time we shove them in front of the tv, the computer or some other toy that occupies them for hours.
Our playgrounds are empty, we have no more youth centers in most States and their are little of no after school programs. Children are driving $30,000. cars, trucks and SUV’s.
The children that need love and show that they need attention we give them medication. What have we come to? Someone mentioned morals what are they. We have changed what our culture accepts as moral. We can no longer discipline our children without the threat of going to jail. If they committ a crime they can be put in jail and beat but you can not discipline your children that is called child abuse.
So where do we go from there, what do we do, who has the answer. Nothing in this world is exempt from moral decay.
It does seem to me that our country of all those we have visited is the only country that has to worry about thousands being poisoned, schools being shot up, children being killed by parents, teachers having sex with students, a 14 year old marrying. Remember Jerry Lee Lewis, he was ruined because of his marriage to his 14 year old cousin.
What is our answer, mine is faith in God and the belief that we need to give a lot more then we recieve. Giving and loving is a cure for everything. We have proved that having stuff does not create a better world. Love for each other and respect for each other. When I say faith in God, that is not talking religion, because religions kill and destroy. I have not found love in religion but there is love in a loving God.
The Love is needed is not the one that says I love you because you love me. Or I love you because you do what I think is good. Love covers a multitude of problems. It does not hide them or try to medicate them, nor does it try to act like they do not exsist.
Real love not that groupy hippy thing, that love child mess. Love that compells you to help your neighbor, love that compells you to care for someone, love that compells you to make a difference in this world.
Hey Marvilla,
Just give me the money that goes with it. Thanks for not calling me an old woman. That would be true, but an insult. Can you think of something else we can disagree on (smile). Marxist now that is a real good one, a black marxist, will my equality extend to the klan.
Was this subject health care?
Let’s add a little positive spice to this Welovecostarica forum.
Lotus,
Thanks for your encouragement. Since living in Costa Rica and nothing seems to be highly spiced, I enjoy a little hot chilli peppers. They stimulate the blood, which is very important.
let’s start another moving and hot subject. Although this one was about medical care, well Im a woman and we are accused many times of changing the subject. (smile)
Hello Marvilla,
You are right about what you are saying but since I am not free white and but over 21 the system in the US has always had me under suspicion, if we made money. They have always monitored our bank accounts, they have always shown great concern if we did things that were not expected of us to do. I can remember when my grandfather went to the bank, to deposit $200.00 in 1954, the banker was called, the teller would not deposit the money until the banker questioned my grandfather about where and how he had gotten all that money.
Welcome to the club, regardless to how they treated us or even treat us you will find given the opportunity we are probably the last people that will leave the US and the first to serve in the military. What you are considering as a loss of freedom is a freedom I have never had, so someone listening to our telephone calls or monitoring our earnings and spending has always been a way of life. If you ask me why I would consider that as freedom, the answer is this, I could have left the country any time I wanted to leave. There are not a lot of countries who have that freedom. There are some things that others had that because we were there we would get. So why would I go where no one had, so sure we are in a terrible situation and I am sorry it has affected you but now you can see what I have always known.
Given all of that the USA is the best country and sure there are problems and sure I am in Costa Rica. It is my priviledge as a US citizen that gives me the right to enjoy the benefits of a blue passport stamped USA.
Sort of like my husband, he has some qualities that get on my nerves but nothing is so bad about him that I want to leave. Sure go on a vacation, have days I enjoy freedoms, but the benefits of being his wife far outweigh the problems
George Bush and no other president is going to every make me give up what belongs to me. People I know have died for what is rightfully mine. Maybe by your loss of freedom we blacks have now attained equality, they still check my bags more then yours. We are all under suspicion, who would have ever known that, that would be the balancing act.
I love my country even though the Russian immigrant has more rights then me. Talking about losses at least you had it so you know what is lost. You can never lose what you never had. So Costa Rica is not my haven from my country, it is just where I want to be at this time in my life. If you said that I could never return home to the USA, then we would purchase a ticket and leave, no matter what we have here in Costa Rica.
Where have you been Lotus, it is good to hear from you. This forum was getting sort of dull, every once in a while we need a forum stimulator.
You are so correct about the conditions and those things you say do make me feel ashamed. From what most of them say it is better then not having. When I was younger (just a couple years ago) the Polish, Italians, Hungarians, Germans and some Russians were coming in and that was the thing we used to joke about when we were kids, they all stayed in the same house. Often times the two bedroom house had two families and only one bathroom.
Many of them became successful, the Vietnames, the Chines, Korean and many others. The ladies from Vietnam took over the nail salon business. Offered a lower rate and caused many US citizen owned nail salons to close. We can talk about the many failures and successes.
It makes me feel sad that in order to get affordable health care we have to look offshore. People who are from one of the wealthiest countries in the world are moving to one of the poorest countries in the world to get quality medical care. That is very ironic dont you agree.
Our greatness in the US is because we have been blessed with so many people from so very many cultures.
We need good quality medical care and we have paid and still have to pay for medicare it should cover us regardless to where we are. Why should it only cover us if we live in the US. You can select not to take medicare but then that means if you go home you will not be covered.
Health care is so very important, that includes dental care. The average US citizen can not afford to go to the dentist. Most Costa Ricans that we have come in contact with can afford to go to a dentist. Something seems very wrong doesnt it.
Anne,
Being in Costa Rica has no comparison, it has to be where you want to be. It is sort of like being married to a man who is not perfect. You have to keep in mind his perfected qualities so when things come up that are frustrating, you can over come.
Everything has it’s challenges, it was the weather here that convinced me to stay. I hate airconditioners and furnaces. The desperate desire to stay away from both, plus the wonderful Costa Rican people have helped me override many of the shortfallings.
Believe me, I almost forgot that while in the ICE office yesterday.
