Biggest Benefit to Being Expat

[handdrummer]

404, at my age it would cost more than a couple of thousand u.s. dollars, that is if I could get insurance which I can't due to my age. so I just take my chances. in the u.s. medicare would could about $125 a month plus about $40 per visit. The surgery I had here would cost about the same in the u.s. + the fare home etc.

[handdrummer]

RCer, I forgot about the primary definition, thanks. basically, I refuse to be put in a box and labeled.

[404cameljockey]

404, at my age it would cost more than a couple of thousand u.s. dollars, that is if I could get insurance which I can't due to my age. so I just take my chances. in the u.s. medicare would could about $125 a month plus about $40 per visit. The surgery I had here would cost about the same in the u.s. + the fare home etc.

Got you, thanks for explaining.

[RCer]

404, at my age it would cost more than a couple of thousand u.s. dollars, that is if I could get insurance which I can't due to my age. so I just take my chances. in the u.s. medicare would could about $125 a month plus about $40 per visit. The surgery I had here would cost about the same in the u.s. + the fare home etc.

Interesting you mention Medicare. It does not cover people outside the US. However, if you're retired military you can use Tricare on a 75% cost reimbursement basis. But, you must pay for medicare in order to have it.

[laphanphon]

I think you can live without a lot of stuff, but medical insurance is a must for expats. Agreed?

NO
Never had or ever will have a private coverage medical insurance. Only one job provided (13 yrs), and I used once for broken clavicle.

Depends if you're accident prone and or good gene pool. But 40+ yrs of insurance payments I didn't pay will finance anything that could possibly go wrong now. 62 and either too old for insurance, or silly priced premiums, for crap coverage, I may never use.

Not for me.

[StevePIraq]

I think you can live without a lot of stuff, but medical insurance is a must for expats. Agreed?

NO
Never had or ever will have a private coverage medical insurance. Only one job provided (13 yrs), and I used once for broken clavicle.

Depends if you're accident prone and or good gene pool. But 40+ yrs of insurance payments I didn't pay will finance anything that could possibly go wrong now. 62 and either too old for insurance, or silly priced premiums, for crap coverage, I may never use.

Not for me.

That's all well and good if you saved those 40+ years of premiums into a separate account ready for the day it will be needed, if you haven't and you end up in ICU be prepared to go bankrupt.

[laphanphon]

If one doesn't have a cash reserve for any oops, then you're an idiot not to have at least some sort of health insurance.

If not, then again, you're an idiot for retiring in a foreign country with no security net. Just another 'fund my stupidity' waiting to happen.

[laphanphon]

Also get that 'full' medical check up every year or so, to catch anything in the early, treatable stage. Much better than any insurance premium payment as actually get something for it. Less than 10k baht every 12 to 18 months to make sure all is good. Just had it done, me 6k and wife 9k, I think.

It's not rocket science.

[404cameljockey]

Also get that 'full' medical check up every year or so, to catch anything in the early, treatable stage. Much better than any insurance premium payment as actually get something for it. Less than 10k baht every 12 to 18 months to make sure all is good. Just had it done, me 6k and wife 9k, I think.

It's not rocket science.

I guess women cost more because of the plumbing. Tricky beasts!

A good insurance will cover 'most' of the cost of a full medical at a good hospital anyway. I'd hate to live without insurance here because you have no idea what can come out of the blue. My daughter at 26 has been diagnosed with breast cancer in the UAE. Thank god for her insurance, the cost of the most effective drugs can be astronomical. Without the insurance her life with her partner in UAE would have collapsed, leave job, go back to UK, try to get registered. It would be a complete cold reset to a life finally nicely underway.

Medical insurance to me seems essential no matter what age.

[handdrummer]

I already have an untreatable terminal illness so insurance, even it available, would be pointless. no flowers please, I feel ok and have no symptoms.

[404cameljockey]

I already have an untreatable terminal illness so insurance, even it available, would be pointless. no flowers please, I feel ok and have no symptoms.

I've seen recently that coming to terms with major illness is herd but so important. I wish you the best life possible mate. God bless (even though I'm atheist!).

[404cameljockey]

I already have an untreatable terminal illness so insurance, even it available, would be pointless. no flowers please, I feel ok and have no symptoms.

I've seen recently that coming to terms with major illness is hard but so important. I wish you the best life possible mate. God bless (even though I'm atheist!).

[RCer]

I already have an untreatable terminal illness so insurance, even it available, would be pointless. no flowers please, I feel ok and have no symptoms.

I think we all have that illness. Its called life. Good luck and I hope if you get to a point where it becomes painful, you'll have access to something useful vs what's available here currently.

[handdrummer]

cameljockey and RCer, thank you.

[laphanphon]

I guess women cost more because of the plumbing. Tricky beasts!

Besides the plumbing inspection vs PSA, the added cost for wife was the mammogram.