we are thinking about moving to hawaii (Honolulu, Hilo: sale, to rent)

[vrswesley]

we are both disabled , he in a wheelchair. I have 2 cats and a service dog.at this point we live on ssd and ssi, medicare and medicaid.I dont know much about Hawaii but we want to look into it... cost of living, what would it cost to rent or buy... where should we live? getting new docs,

violet

[lauleahere&there]

What kind of environment are you looking for? Assisted living? Urban condo? Country cottage?

I see you're from Michigan, (I was born there. Go Blue!) so I presume you're thinking about warm weather. Have you considered more temperate locations on the Mainland? You might find someplace like the Carolinas or Florida to have a lower cost of living than Hawaii, closer to medical facilities, and without the stress and cost of a trans-continental, trans-Pacific move. I'm not trying to discourage you. These are things I explored before I moved.

For two persons with disabilities and mobility issues, I'd also consider how far away you'll be from any support network you have on the mainland. It's kinda hard to find a new circle of friends right away, and you may find that you feel lonely and isolated.

Finally, if you intend to bring your animals, there is a lengthy, expensive and paperwork-heavy process to get them into Hawaii, which is a rabies-free state. (for example, I brought my golden retriever, and between veterinary procedures, documents, airfares and entry fees, it took about 5 months and $2,500.)

Just some things for you to think about.

[Balad1]

Originally Posted by vrswesley

we are both disabled , he in a wheelchair. I have 2 cats and a service dog.at this point we live on ssd and ssi, medicare and medicaid.I dont know much about Hawaii but we want to look into it... cost of living, what would it cost to rent or buy... where should we live? getting new docs,

violet

Also if your income is only Social Security it won't go far here, sorry.

[hotzcatz]

It is less expensive to live on the outer islands, but the medical system isn't very good on them, either.

On the Big Island there are less and less doctors all the time. I went to a garage sale of a pediatrician who was moving to the mainland for six years. She said about 80% of her clients were on medical programs which only paid twelve cents on the dollar of the invoiced amounts so she couldn't afford to live here and still get enough to retire on. She had her own practice, too. She's off to somewhere near Chicago where she can make enough $$$ in the last six years before she retires that she hopes to be able to move back to Hawaii. So, it's tough living in Hawaii even for professionals.

As far as living on SSD and SSI with Medicare and Medicaid, it would make finding housing as well as doctors more difficult. The outer islands don't have very good public transport systems, you'd have to have a car to get around. Which is another expense, especially with gas at right around $4 a gallon now and likely to go up further.

Ask your doctor which hospitals have the best doctors and medical programs to treat your specific conditions, then look into moving to those cities. I'd pick one where there was plenty of public transport and social services.

[videosmithlaguna]

i am 5 years from a full retirement from the County. I am thinking about the big island because it seems so affordable to CA. I love the beach lifestyle as i live in Laguna Beach but the crowds really ruin it for me and my son is a pro surfer. i should make around 400,000 from the sale of my house and my pension should be around 6,000 a month with 3 percent colas every April. We have almost zero health ins coverage when we retire and I heard if you are a resident for a year they have free health coverage through the state, but I may be wrong. I am looking to spend around 300,000 in cash for a small house and buy a couple of new cars when I get over there. My daughter will have just graduated high school and she will go with us. We dont care about a night life but would like a Costco or Target nearby and at least a community college for my daughter to attend. I know I will have to visit before making a final solution but so far the numbers seem pretty good. Any suggestions of towns to live in with low crime rates, community college and decent shopping in my price range-Thank you

[hotzcatz]

Sorry, no free health care in the state unless you are on welfare. Then you get some sort of health care, although it's not the best. You can't own a house and be on welfare, either, nor have much in the bank so "free" health care hopefully won't be part of your future.

The Big Island doesn't have much of a "beach" type culture since our island is so new that it hasn't had time to make very good beaches yet. We have mostly rocky beaches although there are a couple of nice ones over in the Kona district. The only Costco and the only Target are in the Kona district, too, so you may want to start looking over there. Housing may be out of your price range, but perhaps not. I'm pretty sure Kailua Kona has a college of some sort, but I'm not up on the details of that. There is a college towards Southpoint out of Kailua-Kona town. Kealakehe, I think the village is which it is in. You may want to check to see which programs and classes they have available first. There is also vog in Kona now these days, too, so you may want to see how or if that affects you. Hilo has a pretty good community college as well as a university, but the beaches aren't that good there.

[mokeanne]

Hawaii’s shortage of doctors may double or triple over next decade | honoluluadvertiser.com | The Honolulu Advertiser

this was an article as recent as March 28, 2010. personally i waited 3 wks to see my primary care physician, but he comes highly recommended by a lot of ppl. i think good drs are hard to find, esp in rural areas.

[vrswesley]

we had decuded against it anyway thankyou for your honesty....leaning toward san diego