Buenos Aires in or out

[earlyretirement]

I'm sorry if my style of combined reply to the several posts above mischaracterized what you had to say. I think we may agree on many points. Moreover, people of good faith can certainly disagree on these kinds of things.

No worries at all prunes61. Your posts come across as sensible and genuine. And I actually agree with much of the content with them.

I'll be the first to admit as screwed up a place as Argentina is, as crazy restrictions/controls, politicians, corruption, inefficiency, non-functional banking system, red-tape, I'll always love the country and be fascinated with it.

No matter how crazy things get. No matter how expensive things get, I'll still continue to visit it and love it. At times I think of myself as a battered spouse that gets abused by their spouse that they still love no matter what.....but they would keep going back. LOL.

Argentina is a bit like that with me. People might talk bad about my "spouse" that beats me (Argentina) and I may agree about the negative qualities....I'll always remember the good times and the good things.

Argentina will probably always have periods and bouts of crashes and down cycles. I think the key is to stay prepared and not let yourself get crushed during these down cycles.

Everything moves in cycles. Those that do truly well in Argentina are the ones that prepare for these down periods. In fact, these types typically usually even profit on these down cycles.

 

[jeff1234]

No. You can opt out for certain coverages. I didn't enroll in Medicare B (cost of MDs) so I don't pay this $120. Consequently, when I had my knee done in NYC last year (by the team MD of the Mets, though I had my choice of the Nets and Jets, too) I had to pay my surgeon (actually my travel rider of my international policy paid, THANK GOD), but my hospital expense was nevertheless covered by Medicare A. It's confusing.
I admit total ignorance about the availability and cost of health ins especially for seniors in BA, but confess surprise at your opinion that a 6800 premium cost with a 5000 deductible is cheap even for the full coverage my policy affords while in So Am.

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I was quoted $600 for Swiss Med health insurance here, that seems like a good price for medical coverage given that I'm (a healthy) 70 year old.

Medicare and Humana also cover emergencies outside the US but I need to learn more about exactly what this means.

 

[prunes61]

I was quoted $600 for Swiss Med health insurance here, that seems like a good price for medical coverage given that I'm (a healthy) 70 year old.

Medicare and Humana also cover emergencies outside the US but I need to learn more about exactly what this means.

US$ 600 per month strikes me as very reasonable for a 70 year old IF there is not much of a deductible (self retention) and the coverage pays for all hosp and MD up to a pretty high amount.
Not sure, but for coverage while traveling to the US or outside AR, you may be able to purchase a travel rider to your main policy, otherwise purchase travel policies as needed for modest cost. A travel rider will only pay for conditions that first arise while traveling (or for which you have not sought treatment within 6 months of the travel) - i.e. emergency type stuff.

 

[LAtoBA]

It's hard to analyze Argentina's situation without looking at the entire global economy. While things have slowed down a bit here, Argentina is hardly alone. The World Bank has said that Argentina might even grow more than Brazil this year. We shall see. What's really scary economically right now isn't Argentina or Latin America, though.

It's the on-going debt crises in the U.S. and Europe.

Well I would say economic growth is only one part of the equation. Also, growing from 8-9% in one year and decreasing to 1-3% the next is an extremely sharp contraction. In addition, the same thing that has spurred analysts to cut Brazil's growth forecasts will equally effect Argentina--demand for commodity exports, which in the global downturn continues to decrease.

One major thing that Brazil has going for it is tempered inflation. The inflation seen in Argentina only serves to devalue the currency more, making it harder for the country to pay off it's debt to other countries. Also Brazil's creditworthiness is viewed as vastly superior/stable to Argentine bonds. One of the reasons that the US is still doing okay in the face of unsustainable debt is the existence of a market to buy US bonds on the international market. In other words people are still willing to buy US debt. And in the case of investors looking at emerging markets, Brazilian bonds are by far considered a more stable investment. So despite tepid growth in Brazil, the country's financial/economic profile is far less volatile.

Europe's current situation is far scarier than anything going on in the US right now. Though the US will eventually have to face its monumental debt, the world is still willing to buy US dollars. And in the face of what's increasingly looking more and more like a Euro breakup, and weakness in China, the US dollar and gold will only become that much more attractive.

It's undeniable that American's current debt load is unsustainable but I think globalization has left emerging/peripheral economies just as vulnerable to a possible "meltdown" in Europe. Personally, I don't see that meltdown happening. A more likely scenario is the breakup of the euro zone coupled with recession in Europe and tepid growth in the US.

I'm rooting for Argentina but history proves that despite Argentina's "cultural superiority" it has never evolved enough or wanted to evolve enough to ameliorate the boom and bust cycle of economic growth in the country. Even in "exotic" and "backwards" Brazil, Lula was able to do just that.

At the end of the day I'm just trying to tell it like it is from an economic perspective. I really have no dog in this fight.

 

[steveinbsas]

US$ 600 per month strikes me as very reasonable for a 70 year old IF there is not much of a deductible (self retention) and the coverage pays for all hosp and MD up to a pretty high amount.
Not sure, but for coverage while traveling to the US or outside AR, you may be able to purchase a travel rider to your main policy, otherwise purchase travel policies as needed for modest cost. A travel rider will only pay for conditions that first arise while traveling (or for which you have not sought treatment within 6 months of the travel) - i.e. emergency type stuff.

Actually, the price quoted should be in pesos...not dollars. I had coverage in 2008 with Swiss Medical in 2008 for a few months. At age 58 I was paying $600 pesos per month for full coverage. I switched to Medicus in late 2008 to get a group discount and the premium was $350 per month for the plan azul (the best). The premium is now $700 and will increase by 15% next month and another 10% in December. Everyone pays the same rate to age 70 but the cutoff date for joining is 68 and one half years. I don't know how much the premiums increase at age 70, but if you have been a member for ten years they may continue to charge the lower rate. By the time I'm 70 that may change. There was talk of a new law to stop the premium increase at age 70 earlier this year, but I don't think the law was passed.

Even with the new increase, the premium is less than $200 USD per month for full coverage (no deductible and a 40% discount on prescription drugs). Medicus has their own clinics in Capital Federal, and Zona Norte and if you only use those facilities you can get a lower cost plan. The plan azul includes coverage at the British, Italian, and German hospitals in CF as well as access to many private physicians, dentists, therapists, etc.

The Medicus plan also includes travel insurance that covers emergencies. They gave me an "Assist Card" and I believe it is the same type of coverage that is sold at EZE.

 

[citygirl]

I'm not sure if that discount plan is still available through Medicus? Someone posted earlier it wasn't.

Regular insurers are far more expensive. I was paying around 1500 (pesos) a month for OSDE 310 at age 37.

 

[steveinbsas]

I'm not sure if that discount plan is still available through Medicus? Someone posted earlier it wasn't.

Regular insurers are far more expensive. I was paying around 1500 (pesos) a month for OSDE 310 at age 37.

The Medicus group plan for expats is still availabe, but it's actually Medicus coverage that is available though another expat group. There is a signup fee. PM me for details. I am only an individual who is very happy with the services provided by Medicus. I am not paid to refer others to enroll.

 

[jeff1234]

Actually, the price quoted should be in pesos...not dollars. EZE.

No, Steve, its dollars, $624 per month. I'm 69 years + 9 months. If you know where I can get med insurance for $600pesos/month, please let me know.
Here's and excerpt from the price quote I got:
PLAN SENIOR FOR INDIVIDUAL of 69 years old
This plan requires a medical exam( with charge) previous to admission.
MONTHLY PREMIUM in pesos: 2809
APPROX. DOLLARS: 624
If I use blue pesos it would probably cost me about $450 which is a very good deal.

 

[steveinbsas]

Jeff, Im sorrry you ae just 15 months past the elligibility date for enrollment with Medicus. If you had enrolled prior to age 68 and one half years the cost last month would have been $698 pesos which is what I paid (age 62). Your pemium would probably increase by a geat deal at age 70, but I don't know by how much or if it would have been anywhere near $3000 pesos. As I said in my pevious post, I paid $600 pesos per month when I was briefly covered by Swiss Medical at age 58.

Unfortunatley I don't have any information about plans or rates for individualos close to or over the age of 70. I thought you were refering to pesos when you wrote $600. It is customary here to use U$D when refering to dollars. When only the "$" sign is used it usually means pesos.

 

[jeff1234]

Jeff, Im sorrry you ae just 15 months past the elligibility date for enrollment with Medicus. If you had enrolled prior to age 68 and one half years the cost last month would have been $698 pesos which is what I paid (age 62). Your pemium would probably increase by a geat deal at age 70, but I don't know by how much or if it would have been anywhere near $3000 pesos. As I said in my pevious post, I paid $600 pesos per month when I was briefly covered by Swiss Medical at age 58.

Unfortunatley I don't have any information about plans or rates for individualos close to or over the age of 70. I thought you were refering to pesos when you wrote $600. It is customary here to use U$D when refering to dollars. When only the "$" sign is used it usually means pesos.

Steve, I appreciate that you thought about this on my behalf and tried to help me.