Wondering about moving to Canada or Australia for Free medical care? (kidney, surgery)

[John1960]

My health insurance is going up and my medical care is going down at my age of 50 it makes me wonder if I should be moving to a different country for better medical care. Is it that easy to make the move? Also would these countries allow people like me in the country??

Thanks, John

[DrEarth]

They both have point systems I believe, and being older does not score you points. Start looking for a wife, or shell out some money for a business.

[SouthernBelleInUtah]

One of the complaints is the sort of rationing they use. Long waits for appts, many treatments deemed not cost-effective. This is why England has a private medical system as well as the National Health.

[Padgett2]

Moving might cost more than you would ever need in medical treatment. You could drop dead the day after you stepped off the plane.

[chuck_steak]

From what I've heard Canada doesn't want U.S. citizens that are sick anymore. We tried to move there about 20 years ago, but couldn't because we didn't already have jobs lined up and someone to sponsor us.

There is a lot of red-tape involved in moving to another country.

My sister moved to the UK a few years back, but now she says they don't want Americans either.

It may be difficult to find a country that will accept you.

[danielsa1775]

Australia also has a dual system like England, about 1/2 of aussies have private insurance, their are privatley run hosptials everywhere in the large cities.

I am a young guy, who has not need to go to hosptial for around 25 years, i still pay my private insurance however, i dont want to mess with the public system, if i dont want too.

On another note, if you want to immigrate to Australia, as well as going for through the points system, finding an employer etc. They also perform a substantial health check on you. Any existing problems, and you may be either denide entry to the country or denide use of the public system.

[wanneroo]

Originally Posted by John1960

My health insurance is going up and my medical care is going down at my age of 50 it makes me wonder if I should be moving to a different country for better medical care. Is it that easy to make the move? Also would these countries allow people like me in the country??

Thanks, John

For starters it's no cheaper in Canada and Australia if you really want good care.

At least with Australia, they don't want immigrants over the age of 45, in fact I think it's impossible under most visas to even be considered if you are over 45. The only way is to have several million dollars to invest in business and then you can move. Even for "retirement" Australia and NZ only let you stay there part of the year, as they have no interest in long term care of other countries citizens that are sick and old.

[Whatsthenews]

Originally Posted by SouthernBelleInUtah

One of the complaints is the sort of rationing they use. Long waits for appts, many treatments deemed not cost-effective. This is why England has a private medical system as well as the National Health.

No. England has private health care to do routine surgery.END OF.
Thye do not treat medical conditions or emergency anythings.
Plus a lot of the time it's NHS staff working there and the ratio of patients to nurses is worse than the NHS.
Often they run on agency nurses.

For starters it's no cheaper in Canada and Australia if you really want good care.

Do you mean every test under the sun, or good care?

[jtur88]

Nope. It is getting almost impossible for Americans to even retire abroad any more, because every country sees Americans as desperate refugees from an unworkable, broken system.

Your best chance is to commit a capital crime in the US, then flee to another country and apply for political asylum, saying you will be executed if you return to the US. Most countries refuse to extradite murderers to the US, because every other country in the world is morally and legally opposed to executions.

I know, that seems somewhat rash, but we are running out of options.

I have a friend in Canada, whom I talk to almost every day on the phone. He is in the queue for a kidney transplant, but not yet at the point at which it is imminent. He is getting excellent and timely care, and has absolutely no concerns about the Canadian health care system providing for him. He would not even dream of going to the US for "better" health care. He lives in a remote village, and has already been informed that, if necessary, a portable dialysis machine will be made available for him in his home, so he won't have to move or travel 80 miles every day or two. None of it will cost him any money out of pocket, nor does he pay any health insurance premiums directly.

[Whatsthenews]

Originally Posted by jtur88

Nope. It is getting almost impossible for Americans to even retire abroad any more, because every country sees Americans as desperate refugees from an unworkable, broken system.

Your best chance is to commit a capital crime in the US, then flee to another country and apply for political asylum, saying you will be executed if you return to the US. Most countries refuse to extradite murderers to the US, because every other country in the world is morally and legally opposed to executions.

I know, that seems somewhat rash, but we are running out of options.

I have a friend in Canada, whom I talk to almost every day on the phone. He is in the queue for a kidney transplant, but not yet at the point at which it is imminent. He is getting excellent and timely care, and has absolutely no concerns about the Canadian health care system providing for him. He would not even dream of going to the US for "better" health care. He lives in a remote village, and has already been informed that, if necessary, a portable dialysis machine will be made available for him in his home, so he won't have to move or travel 80 miles every day or two. None of it will cost him any money out of pocket, nor does he pay any health insurance premiums directly.

Well you certainly wouldn't get home dialysis in the UK!
Don'tknow how the system in Canada works, but in the UK there are direct payments automatically deducted if you work- around 6% of your salary.
There are extra payments for prescriptions, dental care and spectacles.
Certainly not the "free" care that some from the US think.
There is also a massive shortage of donor organs.