Keep Medicare

[Margo]

Greetings,

 

My greetings,

My aunt is going into an assisted living /Nursing home in San Antonio in December. I am also moving to the Chapala area.

In general, does it make sense to keep Medicare or Medicare advantage when one is in a nursing home in Mexico? Although the money saved would only be about $100 a month, that would add up and might help to pay for medication or Even treatment if it were necessary.

I am hoping to get a temporary residency. I understand that in order to apply forthe  Government health plan in Mexico, you have to be under 80 years old and you have to be a permanent residence. If that’s the case, it might be better for me to keep my health plan as I certainly would have no problem traveling back-and-forth to the US, aside from the expense and hassle.

I would appreciate your thoughts and experiences regarding this choice.

Thanks so much!

 

 

 

[AngusMactavish]

Dump Part B, Advantage or not. You always have Part A and that is the big buck coverage. Actually you can not qualify for an Advantage plan if you live here unless you tell some stories.

[RickS]

Only you/she can make the decision about Part B. If you/she is SURE she won’t be going back.... too frail or incapacitated.... then drop it. If there is a chance of going back, say within a year, then keep it until you/she is sure. If dropped, one can get back in later by paying a 10% per year penalty.

As Angus has said, one cannot use an Advantage plan out of the ‘home’ area so drop it. If she does go back she can “re-enlist” in another Advantage plan the next year or a Medigap policy.

People of say that they ‘can go back’ to make use of a US policy BUT sometimes a sudden ‘illness’ makes that harder done than said.

Again only you can make those decisions as we know nothing about either of your real conditions.

 

[Yo1]

The medical care is as good or better here than in the US--depending if you can find a good personal physician.  Which can be difficult here.  I never signed up for Part B because I won't be going back to the US for care by over-worked physicians who watch the clock and charge by the minute.

[Bisbee Gal]

 

10 hours ago, AngusMactavish said:

Dump Part B, Advantage or not. You always have Part A and that is the big buck coverage. Actually you can not qualify for an Advantage plan if you live here unless you tell some stories.

When my spouse was approaching the Big 6-5 last year, I called the benefits office of my ex-employer and told them the truth about our owning a home in Mexico and that we would live there 80% of the year and would eventually sell our US home and live in MX 100%  of the time.  They told us our supplemental to Medicare would stay in effect;  they even put that in writing.  In addition to covering medical costs not paid by Medicare A and B (only while in US, obviously), the plan also pays for emergencies outside the US during the first 60 days of any trip.  It is also our prescription plan (we continue to fill prescriptions when we are in US).

On nomenclature: throughout the 40 page Supplemental insurance  package from my ex-employer, the insurance plan is referred to as a Supplemental plan to Medicare.  No where in the literature is it called an Advantage plan.  

My advice is check with your plan's administrator to find out what sort of plan you have, and whether it makes sense to keep it if you are allowed to.

[AngusMactavish]

1 hour ago, Bisbee Gal said:

On nomenclature: throughout the 40 page Supplemental insurance  package from my ex-employer, the insurance plan is referred to as a Supplemental plan to Medicare.  No where in the literature is it called an Advantage plan.

The simple reason is that it is not an Advantage plan.

 

[Bisbee Gal]

9 hours ago, AngusMactavish said:

The simple reason is that it is not an Advantage plan.

 

Just want others to know that SOME Medicare supplement plans can be used by persons who do not have a permanent US address.