Forced to buy US insurance?

[Intercasa]

With passage of the healthcare bill, my question is if we will be forced to buy health insurance in the US even if we don't live there anymore. I carry a policy but feel that within 2 to 3 years I'll be in Mexico 100% and won't need coverage in the US. Anybody have any answers?

Found the answer:

‘‘(3) INDIVIDUALS RESIDING OUTSIDE UNITED

STATES.—Any qualified individual (as defined in

section 911(d)) (and any qualifying child residing

with such individual) shall be treated for purposes of

this section as covered by acceptable coverage during

the period described in subparagraph (A) or (B ) of

section 911(d)(1), whichever is applicable.

[jimmiller]

With passage of the healthcare bill, my question is if we will be forced to buy health insurance in the US even if we don't live there anymore. I carry a policy but feel that within 2 to 3 years I'll be in Mexico 100% and won't need coverage in the US. Anybody have any answers?

Found the answer:

‘‘(3) INDIVIDUALS RESIDING OUTSIDE UNITED

STATES.—Any qualified individual (as defined in

section 911(d)) (and any qualifying child residing

with such individual) shall be treated for purposes of

this section as covered by acceptable coverage during

the period described in subparagraph (A) or ( of

section 911(d)(1), whichever is applicable.

I was wondering the same thing. But I think it's probably a bit early to worry about it. The bill will undoubtedly go through some changes in Conference and elsewhere before Obama signs it. And I would imagine there will be a transition period,maybe several years.

[Victorian]

With passage of the healthcare bill, my question is if we will be forced to buy health insurance in the US even if we don't live there anymore. I carry a policy but feel that within 2 to 3 years I'll be in Mexico 100% and won't need coverage in the US. Anybody have any answers?

Found the answer:

‘‘(3) INDIVIDUALS RESIDING OUTSIDE UNITED

STATES.—Any qualified individual (as defined in

section 911(d)) (and any qualifying child residing

with such individual) shall be treated for purposes of

this section as covered by acceptable coverage during

the period described in subparagraph (A) or ( of

section 911(d)(1), whichever is applicable.

As a Canadian, with government controlled health care, I suspect you might see the same as here. If you live in Mexico full time, you won't have to pay the insurance premiums. If you decide to go back to the US, you will start paying premiums upon your return, but there will be a waiting period before you can start collecting the benefits (a few months).

[papirex]

I was wondering the same thing. But I think it's probably a bit early to worry about it. The bill will undoubtedly go through some changes in Conference and elsewhere before Obama signs it. And I would imagine there will be a transition period,maybe several years.

I think we will need to wait to see the final bill passed by both the House of Representatives and The senate and passed into law by The President to have any definitive answers. I am am a unique situation because I am an enrolled member of an American Indian tribe and I am eligible to use The Indian Health Service. I am a resident of México now, but I haven't needed to pay a Doctor or dental bill in The US in several decades. That should (but maybe won't) exempt me from buying any unnecessary health insurance even if I return someday to The US.

The Indian Health Service has been my ace in the hole. I presently am in good health and I don't need to take any medications on a regular schedule (knock on wood). In case of a serious, but treatable illness, I would return the The US for treatment at an Indian Health Service hospital in a heartbeat. I am perfectly willing to let other taxpayers (you) pay for my medical expenses.

When the final version of the new health care bill becomes law, I will ask one of my daughters how we will be affected. She is the supervisor of the Napa office of the public health care nursing service in California. If anyone will know the accurate answers, she will.

Rex

[tobyjug]

I think we will need to wait to see the final bill passed by both the House of Representatives and The senate and passed into law by The President to have any definitive answers. I am am a unique situation because I am an enrolled member of an American Indian tribe and I am eligible to use The Indian Health Service. I am a resident of México now, but I haven't needed to pay a Doctor or dental bill in The US in several decades. That should (but maybe won't) exempt me from buying any unnecessary health insurance even if I return someday to The US.

The Indian Health Service has been my ace in the hole. I presently am in good health and I don't need to take any medications on a regular schedule (knock on wood). In case of a serious, but treatable illness, I would return the The US for treatment at an Indian Health Service hospital in a heartbeat. I am perfectly willing to let other taxpayers (you) pay for my medical expenses.

When the final version of the new health care bill becomes law, I will ask one of my daughters how we will be affected. She is the supervisor of the Napa office of the public health care nursing service in California. If anyone will know the accurate answers, she will.

Rex

As a matter of interest, can any tribe visit any reservation health clinic..can non Indian persons be treated on the reservations..major medical problems treated are diabetes and substance abuse...I think the Medical care is contracted to the Navy arm of the US forces

[franco]

When we lived in Guadalajara and Guaymas some years ago, our experience was that paying for medical care in Mexico, whether minor or major, without either private insurance or IMSS, was actually less expensive than it is in the US with either private insurance (in the case of my wife) or Medicare (in my case) factoring in only the 20% copays and not even factoring in insurance premiums or deductibles, including, surprisingly in my case, Medicare Part B premiums and Part A and Part B deductibles. Anyone have any similar experience? Way things seem to be going with the so-called health care reform in the US, we're thinking of moving back to Mexico, probably Lakeside. Any comments, anyone?

[papirex]

As a matter of interest, can any tribe visit any reservation health clinic..can non Indian persons be treated on the reservations..major medical problems treated are diabetes and substance abuse...I think the Medical care is contracted to the Navy arm of the US forces

Tobyjug, to answer your questions in general: You must be a tribal member to use The Indian Health Service. Spouses of tribal members used to be eligible, but President Reagan stopped that practice by presidential order in the early 1980s. There are off reservation private clinics that will treat Indian Health Service patients, but there is almost always an income qualification that must be met, and a co-pay fee, much like a private insurance plan. As to on reservation hospitals, they all have their own policies whether or not to treat members of other tribes.

I have never lived on a reservation. My maternal grandmother was a full blooded member of our tribe. That makes me 1/4th Indian. That is the lowest percentage of Indian blood to be eligible for membership in my tribe, although my children and grandchildren are not eligible for tribal membership, they remain eligible for the Indian Health service. When I lived in Alaska, The Alaska Native Health service is authorized to treat people that are eligible for The Indian Health Service as a subcontractor. All illnesses are covered, but no prosthetics and some very high cost medications will not be provided, but all prep work will be done at no cost to the patient.

I used to have my eye examinations done by a Ophthalmologist at the Native hospital, but I would then need to go to a private optician with my prescription to buy my own glasses. Once one of my teeth broke off, the dentists at the Native hospital did all the prep work, but I had to then go to an approved dentist and use my union insurance to have the root canal finished and a new tooth made.

The word Native is always capitalized when referring to the indigenous people of Alaska as there are three different groups of them, Indians, Aleuts, and what most people refer to as Eskimos. A person of any other race that is born in Alaska is not considered a Native and will never refer to themselves as a native, but will usually just say “I was born in Alaska.” I have grandchildren and great-grandchildren that were born and live up there, they are never referred to as natives of Alaska. It is a different world up there.

The Doctors and other health care professionals at any Indian health service facility are not in The US Navy, they are members of The US Public Health service, they are not a part of the US military services, but they are in what is called “The uniformed services.” Their uniforms look very much like naval officers uniforms. Many uninformed people have complained in the past that The US Surgeon General wears an Admirals uniform, that is not true.

Rex

[Guest RevImmigrant]

In response to Franco's query, many years ago my late husband had to have a coronary angiogram. He was on disability and had Medicare coverage. I did a cost analysis of what it would cost to fly to Houston and have it done there using Medicare and what it would cost to have it done in Guadalajara with Dr. Ramon Garcia Garcia. With the cost of the R/T airfare for 2 people, a hotel for me, meals, transportation to and from the airport and the Medicare deductible and co-payment, it was actually less expensive to stay in Guadalajara for the procedure and pay cash for everything, so this is what we did. Dr. Garcia is excellent and overall it was a good experience for a procedure that can be very painful.

Does anyone know if this legislation will exempt disabled veterans with 100% service-connected disabilty from buying other health coverage since full care is available at the VA at no cost? As long as individuals who don't live in the US are exempt from buying coverage, I will be exempt anyway based on foreign residence, but what about someone who lives part-time in the US and part-time elsewhere?

[terry]

Spencer, the answer to your question is no. Americans who live full-time outside of the States are under no obligation to buy health insurance. And thanks for your help on my little issue. Did not know you were in CA. Terry

[tobyjug]

In response to Franco's query, many years ago my late husband had to have a coronary angiogram. He was on disability and had Medicare coverage. I did a cost analysis of what it would cost to fly to Houston and have it done there using Medicare and what it would cost to have it done in Guadalajara with Dr. Ramon Garcia Garcia. With the cost of the R/T airfare for 2 people, a hotel for me, meals, transportation to and from the airport and the Medicare deductible and co-payment, it was actually less expensive to stay in Guadalajara for the procedure and pay cash for everything, so this is what we did. Dr. Garcia is excellent and overall it was a good experience for a procedure that can be very painful.

Does anyone know if this legislation will exempt disabled veterans with 100% service-connected disabilty from buying other health coverage since full care is available at the VA at no cost? As long as individuals who don't live in the US are exempt from buying coverage, I will be exempt anyway based on foreign residence, but what about someone who lives part-time in the US and part-time elsewhere?

It would be interesting to compare cost then and how much Garcia Garcia and same hospital would cost now..give us the price then and I will ask how much now..my bet will be close to double!

[jrm30655]

It would be interesting to compare cost then and how much Garcia Garcia and same hospital would cost now..give us the price then and I will ask how much now..my bet will be close to double!

I had it done about a year ago. Total for everything and a 3 day stay at the hospital (had a bypass close up) was about $6500. In ABQ, my share with a $5000 deductable was $7500. I don't know what a simple coronory angiogram would have cost because there is generally no hospital stay.

Since I've had a few over the past decade (6 I think), I feel qualified to say that the difference in care was small. The room was a bit bare but the service was very good. By the way, my Spanish is very limited and I had almost no problem. However, if I do check in again, I'm going to take a dictionary and a cell phone.

[saxet]

Just as a general statement "it's NEVER too early to start worrying" - because that's exactly what got us to this point, when we the people stop worrying (translate: paying attention) the lobbyists and our elected fools in DC go into overdrive and by the time we notice the disaster we're past the exit ramp.

I live here full time, my address for SSI etc. is MX, when I turned 65 they automatically "enrolled" me in Medicare (translate: deduct $96.50 a month from my check). I called to attempt to terminate, the young man asked if I wanted to "disenroll" - and I asked "is that a real word" and was greeted with silence. I finally gave up and said YES and of course I had to fill out a form, I said well, I didn't fill one out to enroll - again silence.

Of course I explained I'm 700 miles from the nearest Medicare help and was immediately, and bruskly, informed that if I didn't take it, and wanted to join in the future I'd pay a 10% premium for each year I didn't suckle at the government sow and even then I'd have to jump through hoops for NOT taking government money etc. I said SEND THE FORM.

I filled it in, sent it in, nothing changed, I called 3 times and finally gave up, what the heck, it's only $1158USD a year that translates to roughly $15,000MXD a year which would buy a whole lot of chicken cerveza or a months rent.

It's NEVER EVER too early to worry and you can bet we'll be the ones in the squeezers, they'll charge us and then when we need it, it will be on a rationed basis. I have Canadian friends, I regularly hear the horror stories - count me as "full time worried".

[Guest Gringal]

To the worrier: Medicare Part A comes with the Social Security package at no extra charge to you. You've got it. Unfortunately, you have to be in the States to use it.

Medicare Part B is optional. If you don't want it and fill out the form to "dis-enroll", it takes a few months to take effect. The wheels turn s l o w l y. Yes, it'll cost you a bunch if your go back to the States and want to re-enroll.

In effect, "you pays your money and you takes your choice." Nobody is forcing you to pay for Part B. It's a matter of just how risk-averse you are and what you deem your chances of going back to live in the U.S. are.

As far as the health care bill rolling around in Congress goes, it's going to be so emasculated by the time it gets through that I doubt very much it will have much effect on anyone. The best I hope for it is that the insurance companies (several years down the line) will have to stop excluding any condition you might have that would cause them to actually let you USE their policy to pay for medical care. Thieves and brigands.

[saxet]

to "dis-enroll", it takes a few months to take effect. The wheels turn s l o w l y.

My last call to them was in May of the year 2007 - shall I continue to sit by the phone and check the mail daily?

PS: I should have added, they did recently send me a letter saying they still loved me and they'd send whatever was left over after they deduct the Medicare, so life-B-good.

[Guest Gringal]

My last call to them was in May of the year 2007 - shall I continue to sit by the phone and check the mail daily?

PS: I should have added, they did recently send me a letter saying they still loved me and they'd send whatever was left over after they deduct the Medicare, so life-B-good.

I think you need to be way more persistent. Even be a PITA. I called them, was told they needed a signed letter from me requesting dis-enrollment; was told that it would take about two or three months before the deductions would stop. And so they did. Carry on!