Health insurance for older retirees?

[cindyt]

Is it possible to buy decent health insurance if you are an expat and over 65? If so, how much might it cost, roughly?

 

[Mahara]

Hi
Welcome to the forum. This and your other question have been covered in great detail, with literally hundreds of posts of these topics. Might I suggest that you devote an evening to checking out the forum and see what has already been posted.
You will probably enjoy reading the posts and also find answers to questions you hadn't even considered.

 

[sergio]

I am paying over $1,000 pesos and I am under 65. I understand that rates jump about 50% or more at 65. My insurance will soon go up 20% due to inflation, so I'll be paying close to $1,300 a month. Add on 50% or more. That should give you an idea. I have a very good plan with one of the best companies but it is far from the best plan they offer.

 

[lunalili]

I have Medicus, one of the best. I am 63. I pay US$191 a month, or so, depending on exchange rate. Everything is included, dentist, vision care, and even glasses. I was in the States and caught a sinus infection, spent over $200 in doctor's and it has been reimbursed. I am not sure what kind of healthcare some of the above have, but it does not get much better than Medicus. If you want any information, pls feel free to contact me at [email protected]

 

[nikad]

The only private health insurance company that will take you if you are over 65 and not already an affiliate is Hospital Italian, which is very good and affordable http://www.hospitalitaliano.org.ar/

 

[Johnny]

I'm 58 and pay about $180US a month for the best policy Swiss Medical offers. I know that if I stay in Argentina for the long term I'll be paying much more. The way I see it, if one can afford to pay for health insurance here as one ages, that's the way to go, even if you will pay more here than in the states. Medications are very likely to be much cheaper and the care you receive here is very likely to be superior than that you will receive in the states with Medicare. The health insurance business in the states is an abominable out of control racket.

 

[gouchobob]

I'm 58 and pay about $180US a month for the best policy Swiss Medical offers. I know that if I stay in Argentina for the long term I'll be paying much more. The way I see it, if one can afford to pay for health insurance here as one ages, that's the way to go, even if you will pay more here than in the states. Medications are very likely to be much cheaper and the care you receive here is very likely to be superior than that you will receive in the states with Medicare. The health insurance business in the states is an abominable out of control racket.

Of course the medical plans in Argentina don't pay for medications you only receive a discount. Medicare has a drug benefit not great but OK. The quality of care is good in Argentina but its also good in the U.S. but too expensive I agree.

If you were 65 today you could probably expect to pay about 3 times what you are paying today. All things being equal you would end up paying considerably more than if you had medicare coverage back in the states.

 

[cindyt]

All things being equal you would end up paying considerably more than if you had medicare coverage back in the states.

I pay for Medicare itself, wich is around US$100/mo. Then I pay another US$175 for a Medicare supplement. Prescription drug coverage is on top of that, as is dental insurance. It all adds up to around US$340/mo. Dental and prescriptions have deductibles and copays, and neither of these is cheap in the States. And they don't pay for any kind of alternative care, which I use extensively.

 

[gouchobob]

I pay for Medicare itself, wich is around US$100/mo. Then I pay another US$175 for a Medicare supplement. Prescription drug coverage is on top of that, as is dental insurance. It all adds up to around US$340/mo. Dental and prescriptions have deductibles and copays, and neither of these is cheap in the States. And they don't pay for any kind of alternative care, which I use extensively.

You'll have copays and payments for prescriptions and other items just like at home. The difference with Medicare is that the government is picking up most of the cost, in Argentina you are paying the whole cost. I am not familiar with the Hospital Italiano plan. My guess is that the coverage is probably less than with other plans as the cost is I believe considerably less, this would only make sense, so its hard to determine what the total actual cost might be. The quality of healthcare is good in B.A. but is probably not up to U.S. standards in the smaller towns and cities in Argentina.

Also if you leave the states you will have to opt out of Medicare. If you decide to return to the states there are restrictions on when you can re-enroll plus you would have to pay a penalty.

 

[nikad]

Most health insurance companies have plans with no copays ( which are in my opinion the best option ) HI has them too and amazingly they are not skimming on services or technology, they actually are better equipped than Medicus, OSDE etc. They have top notch technology for surgery, that it is actually used by the other private insurance companies for complex cases. They are not the five star hotel type, but definitely, top notch in medical terms, which is in the end what matters. I am thinking about switching to them this year.