Should I Enroll In Usa Health Insurance

[jeff1234]

Hi;

I'm hoping that, once again, the collective wisdom of the BsAs Expat Group can help me with a decision I am facing.

When I moved here last year I intended to keep my Medicare Insurance + Humanas secondary coverage just in case I got really sick and needed to go back to the USA for treatment. (I'm 71 years old and am the type of person that likes to have good insurance coverage). But now I'm questioning whether Humana's secondary coverage is worth the expense.

Also I've found the medical care here to be very good and reasonably priced. My novia is a doctor so the costs are even lower for us.

And I'm in the process of getting my DNI which should enable me to get health insurance here, hopefully in the near future.

Its comforting to have the extra insurance back home but I dont have a home or car in the USA so, even though I dont have insurance here, I dont know how likely I'd be to actually go back for a treatment.

So my question is this: Is it worth USD130/month to have secondary coverage in the USA? I know this is a person decision but I'd appreciate your thoughts on it.

Thanks in advance;

 

[lucha54]

And I'm in the process of getting my DNI which should enable me to get health insurance here, hopefully in the near future.

I don't know what your insurance is like in the states, but with mine, I still had to pay up the wazoo in co-pays on any visits/ prescriptions/ treatments. It's so ridiculous. Yes it maxed out at a $5000 deductible but when would I reach that unless i got in a serious and unlikely accident?

I don't really know how to advise you because I don't know what's best for you (I'm a healthy 20something with ObamaCare in my future) but I wanted to comment on the above and say that you don't need a DNI to get private insurance here. You just need to pay the premium. I have the most basic Swiss Medical coverage and I don't have a DNI, just signed up for it with my passport.

 

[JoeGillis]

Hi;

I'm hoping that, once again, the collective wisdom of the BsAs Expat Group can help me with a decision I am facing.

When I moved here last year I intended to keep my Medicare Insurance + Humanas secondary coverage just in case I got really sick and needed to go back to the USA for treatment. (I'm 71 years old and am the type of person that likes to have good insurance coverage). But now I'm questioning whether Humana's secondary coverage is worth the expense.

Also I've found the medical care here to be very good and reasonably priced. My novia is a doctor so the costs are even lower for us.

And I'm in the process of getting my DNI which should enable me to get health insurance here, hopefully in the near future.

Its comforting to have the extra insurance back home but I dont have a home or car in the USA so, even though I dont have insurance here, I dont know how likely I'd be to actually go back for a treatment.

So my question is this: Is it worth USD130/month to have secondary coverage in the USA? I know this is a person decision but I'd appreciate your thoughts on it.

Thanks in advance;

If you are not planning to return to the US to live, I'd drop the Humana coverage. I was in your situation when I moved here 9 years ago, paying a monthly premium towards retirement medical benefits in the US, which I never used, and my reason was identical to yours - emergency coverage back "home." However, since my first month here, I have had a "plan de salud" with Hospital Italiano, thus I was paying for two health plans. After four years, I dropped the US coverage because of non-use, particularly since I do not plan to return to the US (I'm a permanent resident of Argentina). By the way, I'm 67 years old, so we're in the same age range. As well, I recommend that you check into obtaining a medical plan with Hospital Italiano. I cannot express enough how satisfied I am with the hospital's superb staff and services; they've far exceeded my expectations and take very good care of me!

 

[Gaucho_ec]

Unless you plan to be back in the US for more than 2 months, drop it.
Every decent insurance includes for free a 60-day travel assist (Assit Card, UA, etc depends what health insurance you get). You may want to ask the details of that perk when you hire one in Argentina.

PS: You don't need a DNI to get health insurance in Argentina. Some will ask for it some not. A friend just got it with Swiss Medical showing just the US passport.

 

[Jaredberryman]

Just drop it. There's no need as medical coverage and doctors here are great. You might want to consider using that extra money towards an even better plan in Argentina. If you travel to the USA, you can always purchase short term medical insurance, which is actually not terribly expensive and can give you pretty great coverage, sometimes up to 2 million dollars. There's really no need for the US insurance.

 

[jantango]

I suggest a consultation with OSDE prepaid if you feel better having coverage. I signed up years ago without a DNI (just received it last week), and I'm glad I did. A person on their plan at least ten years before the age of 65 will not get an increase in monthly payments because of age. It's my largest monthly expense at $1580, but at least I can still afford it, whereas in the USA I could not. Medicare is of no use to us here.

The public health system is excellent and free in Argentina. Retired citizens are covered by PAMI.

I heard a piece on NPR recently about a man in the USA who needed a hip replacement. His insurance wouldn't cover it (what else is new?) so he investigated other countries and ended up traveling to Belgium for the operation because it was so much less than any hospital quoted in the USA.

 

[Ceviche]

Though hospitals here are excellent, don't drop yr usa insurance.

For advanced cancer treatment, usa us still no 1 especially if u r covered at MD Anderson Cancer centre in Houston under this program.

 

[sergio]

KEEP your US policy! $130 is not very much for peace of mind! Some types of care are just fine in Argentina but you could have a problem that would be better treated in the US - or whet if you are there and you get sick?

You say that you are GOING to get coverage in Argentina. I know that there are new laws protecting seniors, however have you checked to see if anyone will cover you at age 71? I am a good deal younger and I pay over 2,000 pesos a month for myself only (and not the best plan). I don't know if they would accept me into the plan if I were to apply at age 71. I don't believe that a DNI is necessary tio get a policy, by the way. Check on this.

Anyway, you say that you like good coverage -- how can you even consider dropping a $130 a month plan?

 

[oksanache]

Btw, ypou do not need a DNI for a medical insurance in Argentina. I don´t have one and have had my insurance for 5 years now

 

[Alicia karr]

It seems like you've answered your own question...your life is HERE and you have no roots in the US anymore..if you decide to go back you'll always have Medicare and Obamacare available to you. My Argie credit cards come with free medical insurance when traveling outside of Argentina for up to 60 days.
I have been using OSDE purchased with a passport in my fifties and have been ecstatic with my medical care. Just had a neural stimulator implanted (cost of the device alone 20K) and have had consistently excellent care here. The only increases in my OSDE premiums in the last five years have been the standard ones that correspond to across the board increases. Put your money where your life actually is.