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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?
What does a military alliance have to do with medical insurance reciprocity?
Norway, Iceland, Switzerland as expat targets for average income US retiree?
What does a military alliance have to do with medical insurance reciprocity?
Norway, Iceland, Switzerland as expat targets for average income US retiree?
Well, YOU said that my example of a different national health system which includes coverage abroad pertained to coverage in countries "with established connections" (which is entirely incorrect). I pointed out that the US actually has some "established connections" with other countries too, so if the criteria of "established connections" mattered for international coverage by a national health insurance (which they don't, but YOU said they did), then there are many countries that satisfy those criteria with respect to the US.
An average US retiree (with average income or any other income) does not intend to expatriate, but the non-average ones who for various reasons want an expat retirement do exist, and although their number is small relative to the total number of the US retirees, the absolute number of 450,000 (and growing) is not negligible.
Well, YOU said that my example of a different national health system which includes coverage abroad pertained to coverage in countries "with established connections" (which is entirely incorrect). I pointed out that the US actually has some "established connections" with other countries too, so if the criteria of "established connections" mattered for international coverage by a national health insurance (which they don't, but YOU said they did), then there are many countries that satisfy those criteria with respect to the US.
An average US retiree (with average income or any other income) does not intend to expatriate, but the non-average ones who for various reasons want an expat retirement do exist, and although their number is small relative to the total number of the US retirees, the absolute number of 450,000 (and growing) is not negligible.
Again - what connect is between NATO and medical coverage? 450k are doing what they are doing and generally have the funds to back it up. At least for a while.
I am just now starting to research coverage for Mumsy the other way around. Her praised German retirement as mid level manager for x years will pay for her Medicare.
Me, too. Having kids has never been proven to be the way to avoid nursing homes.
Both of my parents died quickly so never needed that sort of care. Best way to go!
Both my parents died in their house. Dad of a heart attack in the kitchen, Mom in her sleep in her bed.
But both grandmothers had to be in nursing homes for the last year or two because they could no longer be cared for at home. Same nursing home. five minutes from the house, run by the church my parents attended.
I know the subject of expatriating in retirement for lower cost of living combined with better quality of life has been beaten to death in many threads on this forum, but it is also nearly impossible to locate old threads in this forum when you need them, so I have to start a new thread on the same subject.
As most regulars on this forum know, my plan in case of needing a nursing home has for a long time been a specific nursing home in Thailand. Well, darn it . In addition to Thailand adding a cumbersome health insurance requirement during recent Covid years, I just found out that the tax reform in Thailand of Jan 1 this year includes taxation of foreign funds brought to Thailand. Since I would obviously have to pay the nursing home, I would obviously have to bring that payment into Thailand. I haven't studied their new tax law in any detail, so don't know exactly how the new taxation scheme will work, but the new changes are super disturbing .
My very vague plan B was Uruguay, but I have not worked out any specifics of it, while the plans for Thailand were worked out really well. Darn it, darn it, dog darn it .
Maybe a care home in Nevada will have to do after all, but I had really hoped to go to a pleasant, relaxed country for nursing home care if I needed it, and not just because of the lower cost.
Comments? Suggestions?
I live in Asia and the one thing in common they all seem to have is they have very expat unfriendly visa regimes, the Thais changed the minimum amount of what qualified for a retirement visa and a lot of people had to leave, even really old people who had been there years.
Malaysia did it with MM2H - what they did was ridiculous and they didn't even 'grandfather' existing visa holders, they had to have $10000 a month in pensions/income or else they were out - and they were homeowners and had been there for awhile and the government just pulled the rug from under them.
I don't know what my advice to you would be? If Thailand is the dream then live the dream, we don't have long as it is. The great thing about Latin America is that you are able to get permanent residence after 5 years in most countries meaning you have safeguarded your long term future which is better than some annual retirement visa in Thailand - it is what the heart wants though so go for that - we only live once!
I live in Asia and the one thing in common they all seem to have is they have very expat unfriendly visa regimes, the Thais changed the minimum amount of what qualified for a retirement visa and a lot of people had to leave, even really old people who had been there years.
Malaysia did it with MM2H - what they did was ridiculous and they didn't even 'grandfather' existing visa holders, they had to have $10000 a month in pensions/income or else they were out - and they were homeowners and had been there for awhile and the government just pulled the rug from under them.
I don't know what my advice to you would be? If Thailand is the dream then live the dream, we don't have long as it is. The great thing about Latin America is that you are able to get permanent residence after 5 years in most countries meaning you have safeguarded your long term future which is better than some annual retirement visa in Thailand - it is what the heart wants though so go for that - we only live once!
Appreciate the advice; however, my plan for Thailand is only for a nursing home if I ever need it, and I will need it only if I develop a truly major, paralyzing neurologic problem, like a paralytic stroke (otherwise, I am very independent, and would continue living independently in the US no matter how old). So, I would expatriate only if I need a nursing home, and in a situation where I wouldn't expect to live more than 5 years, likely much less than that.
Regarding Latin America, I am starting to look with more interest at Montevideo (Uruguay), for the same purpose for which I counted on Bangkok, ie, solely for a nursing home if I ever need it.
My only reason for expat plans is the fact that nursing homes in the US are extremely expensive and really unpleasant. I am only interested in foreign nursing homes, not in other aspects of expat retirement. For other foreign aspects of retirement, I just aim to travel abroad for one or two months per year :-).
Those are countries within established connections. The handfull of US expat retirees have not roared to be heard.
We're not going to roar about it because Medicare is so complicated and expensive compared to what we have here.
No paperwork here, no deductibles, no copays. You walk in, you get treated. No bills to pay, except the $80 for the national plan, per month, for us both. But we treat it as "catastrophic" and for elective stuff, we just pay private doctors who were trained in the U.S./London. It's so cheap, no waiting.
We certainly don't make Medicare payments since we live down here. Not planning to return except to visit and get my family/culture fix for a few months.
I just now found out our national plan even covers cremation! No out of pocket even for that.
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, you're right. It is 4h Manila, and 6.5h Bangkok. Quite a trip but still an option instead of having to make the 18h flight to US main.
. In addition to Thailand adding a cumbersome health insurance requirement during recent Covid years, I just found out that the tax reform in Thailand of Jan 1 this year includes taxation of foreign funds brought to Thailand. Since I would obviously have to pay the nursing home, I would obviously have to bring that payment into Thailand. I haven't studied their new tax law in any detail, so don't know exactly how the new taxation scheme will work, but the new changes are super disturbing 
.
