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Southeast Asia countries are just an hour to three hours away from Guam. It's just like flying around US main land to see a specialist or get a net savings procedure done.
Where in SE Asia are you thinking of? Guam to Thailand is a helluva lot farther than that.
Medicare payments for healthcare abroad wouldn't go to other countries, but to hospitals and docs located in other countries. The same billing codes would be used as in the US. Most places can easily provide medical documentation in English. Healthcare in the majority of other countries is substantially cheaper than in the US, and Medicare would save money if it covered healthcare abroad. I'm not sure they will never consider it.
National health insurance in the UK also covers the UK citizens in all the EU countries plus Switzerland, Norway and Iceland. So it is not unheard of actually.
Medicare does generally not cover the required services in Germany.
Medicare doesn't cover anywhere outside the US and 5 US island territories.
The question is whether Medicare would ever consider adding coverage in foreign countries. It has never been mentioned by either Medicare or politicians, but obviously every expat retiree would be vitally interested in something like that. About 450,000 US Social Security recipients live abroad, which is a 50% increase in about 15 years. That is still less than 1% of all Soc Security recipients, so maybe not enough to warrant major consideration of their interests.
But the national health insurances of other countries already cover healthcare in select foreign countries, so there is already a precedent (though not in the US).
Medicare doesn't cover anywhere outside the US and 5 US island territories.
The question is whether Medicare would ever consider adding coverage in foreign countries. It has never been mentioned by either Medicare or politicians, but obviously every expat retiree would be vitally interested in something like that. About 450,000 US Social Security recipients live abroad, which is a 50% increase in about 15 years. That is still less than 1% of all Soc Security recipients, so maybe not enough to warrant major consideration of their interests.
But the national health insurances of other countries already cover healthcare in select foreign countries, so there is already a precedent (though not in the US).
I think your system is just too different to most others. What we have is a reciprocal arrangement between Australia and eleven other countries which covers basic healthcare. Here it would obviously only entitle people to use our public health system and I assume the same in the reciprocal countries.
I think your system is just too different to most others. What we have is a reciprocal arrangement between Australia and eleven other countries which covers basic healthcare. Here it would obviously only entitle people to use our public health system and I assume the same in the reciprocal countries.
Yeah, it would have to be non-reciprocal. But I think some countries where medical tourism thrives (Mexico, Thailand) would welcome extra US dollars on non-reciprocal basis, and the payments would be much cheaper for Medicare than what it pays in the US. Financially, it would benefit everyone.
I worked with a surgeon who was heading to Guam for contract work. Here is the list of their regular staff (seems as though they are staffed like a community hospital in a smaller town in the US. Importantly, seems like they can handle an acute stroke with embolectomy - pretty much the only thing I care about :-):
Now that I think about it, I believe (though am not entirely sure) Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu (which is a large hospital with the same services offered as at the US university hospitals) covers the entire US Pacific Islands (not just the army, but the civilian population too); maybe they send to Tripler what they can't handle in Guam?
Medicare doesn't cover anywhere outside the US and 5 US island territories.
The question is whether Medicare would ever consider adding coverage in foreign countries. It has never been mentioned by either Medicare or politicians, but obviously every expat retiree would be vitally interested in something like that. About 450,000 US Social Security recipients live abroad, which is a 50% increase in about 15 years. That is still less than 1% of all Soc Security recipients, so maybe not enough to warrant major consideration of their interests.
But the national health insurances of other countries already cover healthcare in select foreign countries, so there is already a precedent (though not in the US).
Those are countries within established connections. The handfull of US expat retirees have not roared to be heard.
My understanding on this is that Medicare payments need to be kept up if one moves overseas, otherwise if (usually when) you return back to the US & resume Medicare the monthly fee with be quite large from then on. Depending on where one ends up overseas the health schemes are quite different with good & bad aspects. I know that the wait for medical specialists can be extensive in Ireland & other western European countries, but the costs free or nominal & healthcare is considered a right.
In Thailand there is very good medical facilities & doctors but one has to pay in advance for surgery, etc., or forget being treated. The costs are a fraction of what is paid in the US however.
Those are countries within established connections. The handfull of US expat retirees have not roared to be heard.
Not really. British national health insurance covers in the EU (which Britain has exited 4.5 years ago), and in Switzerland, Norway and Iceland, ie, non-EU countries with which Britain has no particular "established connection", or at least no greater than the US has. If "established connections" are the criteria, the US has the NATO treaty with the majority of European countries, and a similar treaty (Manila Pact) with Thailand.
Expat retirees should petition for consideration of Medicare coverage abroad. If I ever receive a request to sign such a petition, I would gladly sign it :-). Anyone wants to ask AARP to get involved with this?
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