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average cost of health insurance


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18 hours ago, bmh said:

check up is one thing surgery is another. My friend waited months before she got a couple of surgeries and the surgery was postponed 3 times.. and she was in bad pain and that is not the only person , I know, it happened to.

My wife has had spinal surgery twice. Waited less than a week. Like any govt health systen you need to know how to work the system

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Sounds like IMSS is unreliable ( as most gov't.run health systems.) Appears you could be seen pretty quickly or wait a long time (and everything in between).

It appears that the best approach to all of this would be to take out a health policy with a high deductable ( for anything potentially catastrophic) and pay for doctor visits and meds out of pocket.

Any thoughts about this?

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As long as you are still insurable that might be an excellent idea.

We all become uninsurable at some point in life. My brother-in-law, age 60, thin, non-smoker, non-drinker, vegan, regular exercise dropped dead of a massive coronary occlusion 2 weeks ago. He was insurable up until he dropped. For most of us, that day comes sooner than day of death.

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1 hour ago, pappysmarket said:

As long as you are still insurable that might be an excellent idea.

We all become uninsurable at some point in life. My brother-in-law, age 60, thin, non-smoker, non-drinker, vegan, regular exercise dropped dead of a massive coronary occlusion 2 weeks ago. He was insurable up until he dropped. For most of us, that day comes sooner than day of death.

That begs the question of what happens when you become uninsurable. What is the next step? (assuming you plan to live for a number of years)

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1 minute ago, blankletmusic said:

That begs the question of what happens when you become uninsurable. What is the next step? (assuming you plan to live for a number of years)

Your "plan" has nothing to do with whether you live a few more years, LOL.

You then either rely on a government sponsored health plan, like Obamacare, where you can't be turned down or you depend on your savings or any so-called "charity" care. If you can't buy insurance and you want to live in Mexico nevertheless...go for it but have eyes wide open. If you're still insurable...buy it and come on down.

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You use your savings to cover catastrophic illnesses or surgeries.  If you can't do that you may need to return to the US and use your Medicare (you are 1 year away per your stated age).  Many expats return to the US for health reasons, including having Medicare cover their big ticket items.  

At age 65 you will need to decide whether to obtain Part B or opt out of it.  

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2 hours ago, pappysmarket said:

As long as you are still insurable that might be an excellent idea.

We all become uninsurable at some point in life. My brother-in-law, age 60, thin, non-smoker, non-drinker, vegan, regular exercise dropped dead of a massive coronary occlusion 2 weeks ago. He was insurable up until he dropped. For most of us, that day comes sooner than day of death.

So sorry to hear about your brother-in-law.

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15 hours ago, lakeside7 said:

Easy and now becoming the fall back position for gringo,s at Lakeside....GOFUNDME

Call me old fashioned, but I find it very had to believe that people would actually resort to soliciting contributions (from total strangers no less). I suppose it's much more viable than going through the experience and expense of relocating somewhere in the US where Medicare covers most of your  health needs at age 65+.

So, I digress, I guess it's actually not all that hard to envision after all. Taking the path of the least resistance.....

I suppose if Medicare covered senior expatriates outside of the US the gringo population in Mexico (et al) would be much, much greater than it is now.

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56 minutes ago, blankletmusic said:

Call me old fashioned, but I find it very had to believe that people would actually resort to soliciting contributions (from total strangers no less). I suppose it's much more viable than going through the experience and expense of relocating somewhere in the US where Medicare covers most of your  health needs at age 65+.

So, I digress, I guess it's actually not all that hard to envision after all. Taking the path of the least resistance.....

I suppose if Medicare covered senior expatriates outside of the US the gringo population in Mexico (et al) would be much, much greater than it is now.

In the old days, friends held a "benefit" of some sort for people with large medical expenses not covered by their (lack of) insurance. You actually had to show up and sit through the thing and then leave some money with whoever was collecting. With GOFUNDME it's quicker and easier, send $5 or whatever and your name gets on the coveted list of donors. Much easier and no need to sit through a boring get together.  Yes...my tongue is in my cheek for those of you in Rio Linda.

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2 minutes ago, pappysmarket said:

In the old days, friends held a "benefit" of some sort for people with large medical expenses not covered by their (lack of) insurance. You actually had to show up and sit through the thing and then leave some money with whoever was collecting. With GOFUNDME it's quicker and easier, send $5 or whatever and your name gets on the coveted list of donors. Much easier and no need to sit through a boring get together.  Yes...my tongue is in my cheek for those of you in Rio Linda.

I also remember “rent parties” when I was a kid. Everyone had a great time and left money to help the family from being evicted. I grew up in a community where many of us were first and second generation Americans. It was not unusual at all for people to depend upon family, friends, and neighbors. If you had some extra you shared because another time it might be you. My family eventually moved up and out. No rent or mortgage parties in the new neighborhood.

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That sounds a little more genuine need since I've never heard of rent insurance. The young boy across the street from our BnB was diagnosed with leukemia. It was one of our maids grandson. The family had IMSS but as most of us know, oftentimes they don't have the medicine or chemo drugs. The patient must buy and pay for them. Obviously the parents had not been remiss in any way but they couldn't afford them. We closed off the street and invited friends, neighbors and all the guests who were then staying with us. Food, drink music everyone had a great time except the bus drivers who had to route around Zaragoza in Ajijic. We raised mucho dinero and my wife kept it and always insisted the mother provide a receipt and then she would reimburse her. Several people gave $100 bills. Jose made a complete recovery, that was around 13 years ago and he is happy and healthy. Much different than gringos who choose to spend their money on something else or move to Mexico without insurance or savings. We're all in for that type of charity.

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57 minutes ago, pappysmarket said:

In the old days, friends held a "benefit" of some sort for people with large medical expenses not covered by their (lack of) insurance. You actually had to show up and sit through the thing and then leave some money with whoever was collecting. With GOFUNDME it's quicker and easier, send $5 or whatever and your name gets on the coveted list of donors. Much easier and no need to sit through a boring get together.  Yes...my tongue is in my cheek for those of you in Rio Linda.

Thou speakith the truth pappy...plus you went "on the parish" in other countries

Not sure I have a good answer for those who should have could have planned for medical eventualities, but spent their monies on other things....

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There is a very wide range of very affordable medical facilities and hospitals ( in Guadalajara ) between the 4/5 star ones and hospital civil/IMSS.  It doesnt have to be one or the other.

I am working on a list.

Rony

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We have donated to families of Mexicans with low paying jobs to offset medical bills.  We regularly support local charities who help children with disabilities of all sorts and/or are orphaned/abandoned.  

Have seen a few expat Go Fund Me pages for people who appeared publicly to be quite well-heeled (better homes than most, pictures/names in the local gringo paper/magazine at various social events of the seasons).  

Contribute to an expat Go Fund Me page?  No way Jose'.  

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1 hour ago, pappysmarket said:

That sounds a little more genuine need since I've never heard of rent insurance. The young boy across the street from our BnB was diagnosed with leukemia. It was one of our maids grandson. The family had IMSS but as most of us know, oftentimes they don't have the medicine or chemo drugs. The patient must buy and pay for them. Obviously the parents had not been remiss in any way but they couldn't afford them. We closed off the street and invited friends, neighbors and all the guests who were then staying with us. Food, drink music everyone had a great time....

AKA ...Kermes.  San Juan Cosala had one last month to benefit 14 of the sick ancianos and raised over 400,000 pesos.  On a side bar, good thing your maids grandson did not live in Veracruz.

https://elpais.com/elpais/2017/01/18/inenglish/1484740910_263904.html

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1 minute ago, Kiko said:

AKA ...Kermes.  San Juan Cosala had one last month to benefit 14 of the sick ancianos and raised over 400,000 pesos.  On a side bar, good thing your maids grandson did not live in Veracruz.

https://elpais.com/elpais/2017/01/18/inenglish/1484740910_263904.html

Terrible!  We visited Jose in the Hospital Civil in Guadalajara. We were blown away with the protocol to visit there. Much more stringent than most US hospitals. Wash twice in a sterile room, then gown up with shoe protectors. Not just for cancer patients, for anyone in there. The ward had maybe 12 beds but every kid seemed happy and they had a TV to share. We were very impressed.

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16 hours ago, Rony said:

There is a very wide range of very affordable medical facilities and hospitals ( in Guadalajara ) between the 4/5 star ones and hospital civil/IMSS.  It doesnt have to be one or the other.

I am working on a list.

Rony

Thank you, Rony. Your efforts on our behalf are much appreciated!

See you soon.

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Many, many years ago, when I was a poor single mom with 3 kids to support, our cat had already had 2 litters and I wanted to get her spayed, but couldn't afford it. The procedure cost what I spent on food for the family each week. (One might ask why we had an animal we couldn't afford to care for, but it had been gifted to my daughter as a stray kitten a friend found) I put a jar in our kitchen with "Cat spay contributions" on it, and all my friends and my kid's friends dropped change into it until in a couple of months, it was enough.

I never mind helping people out who really need it, but if they need it because they decided to spend their money on a new car and then found they couldn't pay their other bills, that's just too bad. There was a woman where I live here who ignored her doctor's advice to get something taken care of for years, resulting in a medical crisis that she couldn't pay for, and people donated money. A week after she was well again, she was posting photos on social media of the great new haircut she'd just gotten (at the most expensive salon in town) yet never contacted any of the people who'd donated, thanking them, or asking if they'd like her to try to repay what they'd donated. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

I'm 58, medical history includes: hysterectomy 10 years ago, gall bladder surgery 6 months ago, and occasional things like strep throat, food poisoning (on IV for 36 hours) and I had a mild case of walking pneumonia last year, caught it flying back to Mexico from Europe.

I've been quoted by Cigna, Aetna, and others for global insurance coverage, excluding USA, around $350 -400 month. That comes with a $2000 annual deductible. If I add the US in there it goes up to $900- a month.

My husband is 72 and as healthy as an ox, low BP, everything looks great, and he was quoted over $600 a month with $5000- deductible.  He has Medicare in the US so we decided to skip health insurance for him and either use Seguro Popular for emergencies, or private pay here. 600x12=7200, plus 5= $12,200 a year, before even getting anything back? No thanks.

The money we thought we would save by moving to Mexico isn't as great as we thought, as costs here are going up, so we are contemplating going back to the US. It will cost me more but him less, so we break even. Other things in the US certainly cost more, but when I start paying 200% markup on vitamins and clothing coming through amazon.com.mx, I realize the savings get eaten up in another way. 

Hope that info kinda helps. 

 

 

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In Morelia, where I live, a recently-opened state-of-the-art hospital has a program one can buy into that provides free medical appointments at the hospital (for checkups and for illnesses), free lab and other testing, free ambulance service if needed from one's home or anywhere else in the area to that hospital, first night free room if you have to be hospitalized, and a long list of other attractive benefits.  Not free prescription meds, though, and if one needs a specialist, one pays, but at a reduced rate. 

There was no medical exam, no questionnaire about any illnesses either current or prior, no requirement to give a list of meds you take.  Just sign the paper and they give you a membership card. 

I recently signed up and paid the one-payment annual cost.  How much was it?  2800 pesos.  Yes, 2800 pesos.  

Some of you should talk with the new San Antonio hospital about doing something similar.

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8 hours ago, More Liana said:

In Morelia, where I live, a recently-opened state-of-the-art hospital has a program one can buy into that provides free medical appointments at the hospital (for checkups and for illnesses), free lab and other testing, free ambulance service if needed from one's home or anywhere else in the area to that hospital, first night free room if you have to be hospitalized, and a long list of other attractive benefits.  Not free prescription meds, though, and if one needs a specialist, one pays, but at a reduced rate. 

There was no medical exam, no questionnaire about any illnesses either current or prior, no requirement to give a list of meds you take.  Just sign the paper and they give you a membership card. 

I recently signed up and paid the one-payment annual cost.  How much was it?  2800 pesos.  Yes, 2800 pesos.  

Some of you should talk with the new San Antonio hospital about doing something similar.

At the SAT Hospital website there is tab regarding membership, here's link to it  http://www.hospitalsanantonio.com.mx/en/patient-and-visitors.php   

However, it offers no info about what the membership is in terms of cost or discounts.  The application page requires your name and phone number to start the process so I didn't pursue. 

Has anyone become a "member" at SAT Hospital....if so, what does this membership cost and what discounts are offered? 

 

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