Retirement Travel School: Expat Health Insurance while Abroad

[@Dingdong3696oyvey]

I detached my retina during a martial arts tournament in Beijing. I had the surgery done the next day and was given both western and Chinese medicine to help with healing. From diagnosis to surgery to medicine it cost me $150. When I got back to the US everyone told me to see a “real” doctor, which I did and he looked at me for a few seconds told me everything was done perfectly and charged me $450.

[@RetirementTravelers]

Interesting. Thanks for sharing. Happy journeys, John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@rosemaryfreitas7656]

medical care here is a nightmare, sorry

[@EvelyneRessel]

I had a similar experience. Had flashes. Was super concerned. Thought of canceling my trip to Bangkok. Then a friend said go to Bumrungrad hospital. I saw an eye doctor for 170$. He said all is fine but mind the eye. Ok. Had a check up in the us 6 months later. 480$. With waiting of 2 hours and a look at my eye for 5min, I was send on my merry way. “You are fine” … yikes !

[@leorabelo3209]

The cost of medical care in the US is indecent

[@ParisianThinker]

Not only indecent but substandard.

[@mylittleocchio]

Thanks for sharing your story. There's a lot of nuances when it comes to navigating health insurance beyond just the price. I hate that it eats up so much of your budget and am glad you have the means to manage it and get the best care for you.

[@RetirementTravelers]

Thanks. It is so expensive. We try to keep ourselves very fit and hopefully won't have any big medical issues. John and Bev

[@andreamasciari7482]

I'm so glad I watched this video (thank you!) because I thought perhaps I was missing something from my travel medical insurance research. What I concluded is that as a retiree, my Tufts Healthplan Advantage plan is the best I'm going to do for out-of-country medical emergencies. I will have to pay up front, but then I will be reimbursed for most medical stuff. Fingers crossed

[@RetirementTravelers]

You are welcome and good luck with your coverage. Happy journeys, John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@livingworkingoutsidebox]

Thanks for sharing what you do for medical. I find as an American I tend to think of having insurance as breathing. Can't live without it. But... but... but... I'm in the middle of a mindset flip.🤔🧠📓 If we are: Outside the USA 75%+- of the time Basic health insurance is over $200+ Deductibles are $5k, $7k $12k+ a year It's better for us to become self insured. Take the yearly deductible put it in a Vanguard index fund, set up the monthly payments as monthly buys. I have about 7 years my wife around 12 to go before 65. If something happens, Vegas House, odds are it will be extremely affordable and top notch care outside the States. I'm finding it very difficult to make this switch in minset. But we have many friends not from the States that travel full time and do this. Not to mention just about every slow travel /retired couple on KZbin, have similar stories like yours. 2-16+ years of traveling at $2,400-$24,000 a year, plus returns x 5-10-15-20yrs. Is like free money for a rainy day for us to use or add to our living trust.

[@thowsales]

Same here it's like we've been brainwashed to need insurance

[@ytbuilder]

Well at least in the USA Healthcare is so expensive there's no choice but to pay for expensive insurance

[@RetirementTravelers]

Certainly some interesting comments and worth thinking through. It is a game of managing risks and costs and trying to fit each persons individual needs. We do appreciate your insights. Happy and safe journeys, John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@bangalorebobbel]

Health insurance is definitely a tricky issue if you are retired and nomadic. Usually, all travel health insurances exclude health care in your country of origin, as well as paying for pre-existing conditions. And, depending on your age, they might not even give you any insurance cover at all - as elder as higher the rates and as less chances to get an insurance at all. Some countries offer also health insurances for foreigners staying for a while in such a country, but usually these insurances are limited by time, only applying for certain groups of foreigners, and have usually same age restrictions as regular travel insurances. Means if you are 20 and coming in for an internship or studies, you might have dozens of options, but if you are 60+ (or even 70+) and retired, you might not even have one single choice. There are also different options you might not yet have considered. For example, some credit cards include in their benefits a travel health insurance. Or you can - maybe - get a travel insurance from your automobile club which includes health insurance abroad. Such insurances cover usually the first 4-6 weeks of a travel resp. of a stay in a country abroad. So if you don't stay for longer in a country, you might be already covered by such insurances. But check the fine print - also there is often an age restriction ... About India, yes, first of all, India is the pharmacy of the world, means a majority of medicaments are produced there and exported to other countries. Naturally, many medicaments are much cheaper there than anywhere else in the world, and in some cases it might be definitely a great idea to get your meds for a year or so in India only - but be sure to have the prescriptions and also the pharmacy bills since you might be restricted from importing medicaments to your country of origin, and you might have to pay custom fees - as many countries allow only medicaments to be imported which have domestic clearance/permissions etc. it is often tricky ... Secondly, due to first class hospitals, doctors and equipment, India became already decades back a hot spot for medical tourism. You might even get a specific visa for patients and their attendants if your main purpose of stay in India is medical treatment. Compared to other (especially Western) countries, treatment is at highest international level but much cheaper, and doctors and equipment are usually first class - in private hospitals in the big cities, of course. Most of the doctors there have degrees from any Western country and years of working experience in such countries, and the equipment is absolutely the same as in any other country (you see the brand names like GE or Siemens etc. on the machines). You might not find a doctor at all if you are in some forgotten rural spots in India, but if you are in one of the top 10-20 cities of India, you might find the best ever treatment you can ever get on that planet, for sure. There is also no language barrier for English speaking patients because every doctor is fluent in English. Over the years I have spent months together in Indian hospitals including several days as ICU patient, I underwent many surgeries and other treatments, and I survived so far not only physically, but also financially... Finally, another issue with those travel health insurances - and you mentioned that point, too. The thing is, many of them offer to cover and get you a flight back to your country of origin if you are sick. But in fact, that is also kind of tricky. You should be aware that it means in most cases, they carry only the costs of a normal flight, or not even that but they pay you the booking costs for re-booking your existing return ticket to another date. And You won't get the flight costs or even a jet for yourself and your spouse going back home because you have any medical condition which can be easily treated in the country you are - they will simply ask you to get your treatment there, and they'll pay for it. And don't forget: there are many situations where you are not even allowed to fligh for a couple of weeks if not months. That is often the case after surgeries or specific traumas which you might have suffered in an accident or so. The pressure change during a flight would harm you in such cases, and for that reason you are simply not allowed to take an airplane for two or three months or up to the total healing of whatever the issue is. Means the hope that you can always get easily home to your childs if you fall sick or have an accident abroad but have a great insurance, is just a dream which might never come true.

[@RetirementTravelers]

Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge and experience on the topic. Happy journeys, John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@biashacker]

I am waiting for suggestions as well. Just like you I am looking for the catastrophic insurance coverage just in case but it seems like many of the insurance companies have loopholes so they can screw you over in the worst of times.

[@RetirementTravelers]

It is just so darn expensive. Happy journeys, John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@CatherineGates-p5r]

Thanks for your honest review and comments! I'm sure that was a lot of work! Having been in healthcare and then management for over 43 years, please note that "regular" Medicare has no coverage outside the U.S. & it's territories. A supplemental plan can have some coverage, but there's often a lifetime maximum, so if it's catastrophic, that could be an issue. I'm not as familiar with the newest Medicare Advantage plans as they change a lot. I have some nightmare stories from patients injured overseas, one had emergency surgery with complications later on and even with foreign medical costs, it cost them over $50,000.00 and they had to pay it up front. So, please read your policy carefully and use a knowledgeable agent!

[@RetirementTravelers]

Thanks for your insights and sharing your experience. Happy journeys, John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@francodiar6969]

Good info and insight. In my last business trip to India I had a preventative full body check up including full body MRI, ECG, Echo, Dexa, bloods for less than $1500 at one of their national health clinics. The quality was top notch. Hot tip: For piece of mind I suggest keeping your scans and results and discuss them with your GP when you go back home.

[@RetirementTravelers]

Great tips. Thanks for sharing. Happy journeys, John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@berg8970]

My wife and I plan to reside in Europe and then travel back and forth from there. Many European countries have far cheaper insurance rates than the U.S. If you were to have residency in Greece, healthcare would be free. Spain's average monthly insurance cost is between 100 /200 Euros. I hope this helps.

[@RetirementTravelers]

Thanks for the suggestion and information. Certainly something for us to think about. Happy journeys. John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@Fred-yd9md]

But you need to pay about 40% tax on your income if you are in resident status .. end up costing the same

[@nadynekasta]

@@Fred-yd9md In 2020, Greece introduced a flat seven percent tax rate on foreign-sourced income for retirees who become tax residents. The seven percent tax rate is valid for ten years.

[@Fred-yd9md]

@@nadynekasta I m going then 😎

[@tomileeh4070]

yes, but when you become a resident they tax you. and getting residency can be expensive with major outlays in purchasing properties, etc

[@heysang]

Very informative and timely. My wife and I are considering early retirement and the most shocking aspect of planning was calculating the cost of keeping our existing plan thru my wife’s company. It was about the same as what you’re paying and we had not anticipated such a high cost. It’s still manageable…but shocking. Thanks for the informative video and safe travels!

[@RetirementTravelers]

Thanks so much for the kind gesture and glad you found it helpful. Happy journeys, John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@travelman677]

You guys are so good at teaching! Thanks for travel school. We particularly enjoyed the info about getting presription medication overseas.

[@RetirementTravelers]

Our pleasure! Thanks for following along with us. Happy journeys, John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@lizs2940]

I just got my mother prescription meds for an entire year and it cost me 220 dollars . Y-E-S 2-0-0- dollars . You heard that right .. without any insurance . A full check up package with scans is about 200 dollars .. makes me wonder why I ever need insurance here .. 😅

[@toddaron]

@@lizs2940 IF you get caught in the US and cannot go abroad for your medical procedure... yikes. That's one reason going to be minimally in the US after my son graduates 2ndary.

[@lindarobinson2104]

I LOVE this! My husband and I plan to spend about 75% of our retirement years traveling and this is FANTASTIC information. We are 63 and soon to be 65. I would LOVE to not have to pay for Medicare, but maybe we can get the cheapest plan and get care overseas.

[@lizs2940]

I wait to watch your videos . 😊Medical care in India is much much less than the 750 USD you mentioned you paid in Greece . I was in India recently to take care of my dad and he ended up having a 3 stent angioplasty which cost me only 3200 dollars without insurance . Plus you have English speaking highly respectable doctors with excellent bed side manners. 25% of all doctors in the US are of Indian origin. reputable hospitals in India who encourage medical tourism have an international visitors lounge with excellent concierge services . My husband and I are now very open to getting care in our retirement years from India .. although it is still more than a decade and half away.. this is a topic I am still researching and was happy to hear of your exp in Columbia . But language I Colombia is the biggest barrier for us and it is a big one .. still researching and searching ..;) happy travels .😊

[@RetirementTravelers]

Thanks for the great information. We didn't do healthcare in India, but have no hesitations. We did purchase a bunch of our medications there and it worked out great. Happy journeys, John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@lizs2940]

Yeah I just got my mom’s meds for a whole year and I paid 220 USD. Without any insurance ..

[@toddaron]

YES, seems many physicians are trained in the UK, US, etc OR reputable places in other lands and then go back. Thanya and I will be spending most of our time in Thailand and Malaysia; latter will work for me in similar ways as your experience.

[@veena4245]

My husband had a hernia surgery in India by a top surgeon, and he got butchered (a 15 inch cut, 3 months to recover, and cannot bend all the way down ever again on that side). Then he had another hernia surgery in Boston (by an Indian doctor trained in the USA), and it was the best experience ever (a 2-inch cut, could walk the next day). So, just be aware, that in India procedures and surgeries may be done in a completely different way (and by that I mean much less advanced techniques and skills).

[@craigo2142]

The US has so many layers of corporations that have to make a profit that it is ridiculous . I am now on Medicare and wish everyone could be on it even with premiums higher than medicare. I retired at 45 and healthcare was always a pain, but, the ACA made things much better. I truly believe the US would be much better off with socialized medicine for all even with a tax increase. Ever wonder why countries with socialized medicine, more vacation time, and less emphasis on getting ahead always wind up in the top of happier lives?

[@RetirementTravelers]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Happy journeys, John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@Evansteven244]

While in Andorra I caught covid when to the ER got great care submitted the receipt to our insurance Blue Cross they reimbursed me completely!

[@RetirementTravelers]

Thanks for sharing your story. Happy journeys, John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@bking0220]

I was a health insurance agent in the USA for thirty years so this was really interesting to me. You did a great job of explaining everything. I am on Medicare now with a great Blue Shield Advantage plan that costs me $27/month with very affordable co-pays and no network restrictions. You are going to love Medicare in five years!

[@RetirementTravelers]

Thanks so much. We know we are going to love having Medicare BUT, we want to stay young as well. 🤣 Any suggestions on that one? Happy journeys, John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@user-yf1bd9ec5b]

Yes, keep moving! Keep doing what you are doing until you know it is time for a change.

[@toddaron]

Is your's a national plan or regional one? WHen you say, "No network restrictions," does that mean you can go anywhere? What has been your experience with getting your medical costs covered? THANKS!

[@bking0220]

@@toddaron It is a regional plan for central PA, a PPO where I can go out of network if I need to, which I have not. Plus I can access national Blue Cross/Shield providers if I need to. This is my second year in this plan and I have not had any problems accessing care.

[@ladytrader688]

@bking0220 would love to know name of your blue shield plan. I went with traditional cuz others I looked at were regional, so covered some states but not all. Does it depend where address is when you sign up for offer availability?

[@angooredcow157]

An excellent presentation. Hope you continue to have good health with no major problems. It is no fun to be sick overseas. Enjoy the world.

[@RetirementTravelers]

Thanks so much. Glad you found it helpful. Happy journeys, John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@GeneandRenee]

We have Samaritan’s Ministries. It reimburses us for medical care (other than regular doctor’s visits and medicines). We pay out of pocket for our meds and get them for a year’s supply. Using GoodRx we find some cheaper in the U.S. but some are cheaper in Mexico. I’m 60 also and have had 2 heart caths and stents done in the U.S. and it reimbursed us 100%. When we retired a few years ago and began traveling abroad I called them to make sure it would still work the same way and was assured that it would. This seems to work for us. Thanks for another great episode!! ❤️

[@RetirementTravelers]

Thanks for sharing. We weren't familiar with this. Happy journeys, John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@LeonardBottleman]

Absolutely great content. You can tell the health care system in the US is driven by profit by simply comparing our insurance and medical costs costs with other western countries. For Medicare Advantage with Kaiser they will reimburse you for foreign medical expenses for up to 6 months a year.

[@RetirementTravelers]

Thanks for sharing and glad you found the content helpful. Happy journeys, John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@catherine8332]

This was the splash of cold water I needed. I’ve been fantasy planning something similar to what you guys are doing and “learned” from KZbin about Cigna global and safety wing. But no one mentioned pre existing conditions til you guys. I’m so glad you guys worked it out so you’re doing your adventure now rather than wait for Medicare to kick in. Thank you for such an informative video and hopefully someone offers a suggestion you guys didn’t know about. You guys are so thorough that’s highly unlikely. But still hoping. Peace and safe travels.

[@RetirementTravelers]

Thanks so much for following along with us. Glad you are enjoying our channel. Happy journeys, John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@Juno-l6z]

Hello! With the Chase Sapphire Reserve Card, I thought one of its benefits was emergency medical and dental benefits, with a maximum benefit of $2,500 with a $50 deductible. So for that $750 ER visit in Greece, did Chase reimburse/credited $700 to you? I apologize if I misunderstood this. Thank you in advance!

[@RetirementTravelers]

Thanks for the info. We turned it in to our health insurance, but you bring up a great point about the Chase Sapphire. Reserve card. Hopefully this won't come up again, but we may handle it differently next time. Happy journeys, John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@sbkpilot1]

CSR's emergency medical does not cover trips past 90 days so it isn't meant for long term travelers

[@retirementbudgettravel699]

Thank you for the interesting & honest talk about travel medical insurance. We sure do get a lot of value from your videos!! Thank you for all you do!! 😁👍🏼🌷

[@RetirementTravelers]

Thanks so much for following along with us on this journey. Glad you are enjoying our channel. Happy journeys, John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@stephenuschi]

A great video….We in Australia are fortunate to have universal free health with the option of paying extra ( AU$2600 for singles PA) for private cover. Insurances for international travel are good value. You can buy annual coverage or trip by trip coverage paying depending where we go. We also can pay extra for pre-existing conditions..Although some require shopping around for coverage….Can travel unlimited without losing Australian medical cover and many Commonwealth countries (eg England) have reciprocal agreements….$2,000 US per month is huge!!

[@RetirementTravelers]

Thanks for sharing your insights from down under. Happy journeys, John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@iflysomewhere]

I just started my journey on this. I bought US insurance and now will buy another plan like Safety Wing. I will also buy a med vac policy. All of this gives me and my family peace of mind

[@RetirementTravelers]

Thanks for sharing. There is no single perfect plan, but peace of mind is very important. Happy journeys and many blessings, John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@golfaddict9]

Don't know how much your med vac policy costs, but you should look into the Chase Sapphire Reserve card because one of the benefits is emergency medical care coverage while traveling including medvac - up to $100,000 of coverage. That's only one of the many great benefits I get from that card. Highly recommended for travelers.

[@jbf5117]

The United States health system is broken, the life expectancy rate has dropped dramatically. I’m a senior with a number of health conditions but I am seriously thinking about relocating outside of the United States because I am no longer worried about getting quality care outside of America.

[@RetirementTravelers]

Thanks for sharing your story and insights. Happy journeys, John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@toddaron]

Where are you thinking? Even if I didn't have a Thai GF would probably split time in THailand and Malaysia (tho plan on France as well for a couple months a year). You may know, Malaysia has Western-trained physicians, generally English-speaking, and excellent care at a great price point. THe only thing is their visas; tying up a goodly chunk of $$$ in a low-ineterst Malay bank account has ZERO appeal, ditto buying there. Thailand has been pretty consistent w/ their O visa, currently about u$1800+/- a month deposited to a THai bank account (other options, but this is the one that seems right for me). US SS will deposit into a Thai bank account, currently and unless the dark side takes over,it's expected to be same into the future. THailand also has great health care at great prices; it's just, like Canada, there are wait times... so private health insurance may make sense. I've posted my front-runner elsewhere in this post.

[@rosemaryfreitas7656]

I am on medicare advantage which has some coverage but I also carry Allianz yearly. The only downside to Allianz is that I must return to the USA every 3 months.

[@RetirementTravelers]

Thanks for sharing. That's good information to know. Happy journeys, John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@livetodaydietomorrowltdt2405]

😍😍@Rosemaryfreitas7656 Did you ever use Allianz? Does it cover Covid_19 hospital treatment? 👍👍

[@RJM-w4d]

I found the same experience. Medical care abroad is good quality and a great price. The catestrophic health insurance piece is difficult and i have not found a good solution, given that we travel extensively also. I have stuck with the HDP from my previous company (expensive) and then supplemented with a tax deductible HSA in the usa, which basically I can pull from for things that are not covered and then capture the discount(ie. tax reduction due to contributing to this pretax). Best solution I could figure out. Your presentation is right on. Good job. Randall

[@RetirementTravelers]

Thanks for your feedback and following along with us. HSA's are a great thing. John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@ladytrader688]

I’m 67 1/2😅 so I only have a few more years till I hit the 70yr cut off for some of these. I see Safety Wing mentioned on many channels. One guy had $15k worth of bills that did get paid but took him many emails and phone calls. I have Medicare Traditional cuz I’m traveling all over US and this way I can go to anyone anywhere. For plane travel I will probably start with Safety Wing. Also I guess there is a difference with travel ins and health insurance as one covers medical and the other does not. Much to research. Thanks for your wonderful vids! 👍

[@ladytrader688]

I meant one covers medivac

[@RetirementTravelers]

Thanks for sharing your experience and knowledge of this topic. Every little bit helps us all on this community. Happy journeys, John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@sf3413]

This is our biggest roadblock! We want to retire at 52. The best idea we have right now is getting a Christian catastrophic medical plan for in the US, and doing all our routine and non-urgent everything else out of country. Having both lived out of country, we're very comfortable with that option. But, I'd still admit that it's not ideal. Thank you for all the advice- we'll reconsider!

[@RetirementTravelers]

Thanks for sharing and good luck. Happy journeys, John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@EvelyneRessel]

What is a Christian medical plan ?!

[@ForwardThinkingIncome]

Health insurance is my biggest hurdle and looking to learn. Thanks for information and hopefully you share more as you learn.

[@RetirementTravelers]

Thanks for following along with us. Happy journeys, John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@carolmartin4413]

Well this is a dream world. If I were to get international health insurance today at 77...the rates were 1300-1900/mo. so I have no clue how people can afford to nomad travel anymore.

[@RetirementTravelers]

It is so expensive! John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@ParisianThinker]

I didn't know the rates. Thank you for saying.

[@tnldouglas]

Were leaving for Italy 3-month stay. Purchased a traditional Trip policy to cover the regualr trip costs and issues such as delay, non-refundable reservation like air & BnB for th first 30 days. Then a seperate 60-day medical policy through IMG for $500 for both of us (we're both 60 yrs). $500,000 coverage w/$250 Deductible for anything catastrophic. Seemed to be the best option...

[@RetirementTravelers]

Thanks for sharing. Happy journeys, John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@rontiemens2553]

Good to see you young kids back in my feed!

[@RetirementTravelers]

Thanks for following along with us. More to come! 😊 Happy journeys, John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@willy2012]

Thanks for sharing useful info. For inexpensive and good-quality dental work and implants, British/ Europeans just go to the dental capital of Europe, Budapest, where one could have a "dental" vacation. Some providers even have their own accommodation close by their offices, with meals included. For those of us at age 65, I think the traditional medicare part B + part G (medigap) offers the best coverage in the US, though with only $50K life time coverage for international travel; certainly addition international travel insurance is essential.

[@gracealleman4102]

By the looks of the British teeth...none of them go to the dentist. Worst!!

[@RetirementTravelers]

We've heard that about Budapest. Thanks for sharing. Happy journeys, John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@kevins2875]

Helpful, but insurance companies really do always figure out a way to make things difficult.

[@RetirementTravelers]

Yes they do!!!. Thanks for watching and following along with us. Happy journeys, John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@paulamiller4366]

You guys are awesome! Thank you for doing these travel school videos. I would love to bump into you someday.

[@RetirementTravelers]

Please stay in touch. We love meeting up with people around the world. Happy journeys and many blessings, John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@jerrygarcia4390]

Thank you! I learned alot yet again.

[@RetirementTravelers]

You are welcome. Glad you found it helpful. Happy journeys, John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@RotaryTeamVincent]

I found a great health care and travel insurance program through Probus. Good coverage and out of Canada travel coverage for 60 days per trip, extendable for added cost. I transferred from my employer plan upon retirement, with no exclusions from pre-existing heart conditions. Cost is $400/month for wife and myself. Only requirement is to be a Probus Club member @$55 per year.

[@RetirementTravelers]

Thanks for sharing your solution with us. Happy journeys, John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@toddaron]

Thanks for sharing! My Son and I are making official our Canadian citizenship this year (pop is Canuck) and will be in Canada for 3 years until he graduates 2ndary. Do you have, essentially, private insurance that covers you for ~2 months abroad at a time?

[@loripeters3423]

What is the name of the health care and travel program available through your club? I don't see a reference or info on the Probus website, but I might be missing it! Thank you from another Canuck!

[@RotaryTeamVincent]

@loripeters3423 Did you look on Probus Canada website, under club reference guide, then insurance?

[@RotaryTeamVincent]

@@loripeters3423 Yes, it is on the Probus website. If you click on the links you will find it.

[@jennystaples8694]

I really enjoy your channel. Thank you for all that you do.

[@RetirementTravelers]

Thanks so much for the kind words and so glad you are enjoying our channel. Happy journeys and many blessings, John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@lursf9316]

wow. great information. thanks for your transparency. i use blueshield PPO at home in california and geoblue when i travel

[@RetirementTravelers]

Thanks. Glad you found it helpful. Happy journeys, John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@Anonymous-One1]

Thank you for sharing your experience. I don't have any ideas. We used Global Rescue for a big international hiking trip, but it is mostly for medical evacuation.

[@RetirementTravelers]

Thanks. This was a tough topic for us because there just aren't many great solutions for our situation. Thanks for following along. Happy journeys, John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@dcorman2350]

My recommendation: move to Canada 😂 I was shocked by the $750 fees, and you seemed happy … funny ! I was insured with Cigna while working for an American bank overseas. Horrible experience (always have to fight to be re-imbursed). 52yrs old couple, we are about to retire. For now, our credit cards cover the first 2 months. We technically are insured with the Provincial health insurance. They reimburse hospital costs at Quebec’s rate, meaning that it covers mostly every countries but USA. For retirement, it’s quite reassuring knowing you don’t have to pay $20k or $30k per year on health insurance… Beside that… I would have thought you credit cards would cover 2 months at a time… so you could travel for 2 months, back in US for 2, back travelling 2 months, back home 2 months… etc.

[@RetirementTravelers]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@tomsen1462]

Great information, thanks for sharing !

[@RetirementTravelers]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for following along with us. Happy journeys, John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@eastwestpicayune8200]

I got my dental cleaning for 10 USD in the Philippines. 5 months later, cleaned in the US was 245 with annual xrays 😮.

[@RetirementTravelers]

Thanks for sharing. Some great deals around the world. Happy journeys, John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@HH-fo9sg]

Based on your research, it sounds as though we (70 and 65 yo) will continue our Medicare A/B and Med Supp G plans to keep us eligible for medical care in the U.S. if needed. And while traveling full-time, probably look for an evacuation plan, plus pay cash for overseas care. This could tip us into seeking residency overseas more quickly, to participate in a national plan.

[@RetirementTravelers]

Thanks for sharing. Lots of complicated and difficult decisions, because everyone's situation is always a bit different. Good luck and happy journeys, John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@macaccount4315]

I could talk your ear off on this topic. For me, I became a resident of Portugal to get a health plan to fully cover me while I’m in the Schengen zone. I also have a supplemental private insurance policy in which I pay 150 dollars a month to provide even better coverage. But I am not traveling outside of the EU much. Also, you must carry a separate emergency evacuation policy that specifically provides you transport out of a foreign country for any reason of incapacity. Read the fine print here because MOST policies will provide evacuation of a local alternative is not available. I had such coverage for my brother who had to be evacuated out of The Netherlands due to a heart attack. The entire cost of the evacuation was over 100k as much of the cost was denied by the insurer, as they noted he could get treatment in Amsterdam. He was in a coma for 13 weeks with permanence brain damage so it became an epic fight with the insurer. I just flag this as a cautionary tale about how insurance may not work at time when you reasonably expect coverage.

[@RetirementTravelers]

Thanks for sharing your experiences. Happy journeys, John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@macaccount4315]

@@RetirementTravelers next time you come to Porto, I would be so happy to show you around and give you the insights to the large expat community 😀

[@hannahcoy8644]

This is amazing! Thank you for all the information. Very interesting learning about the different costs and the quality of care outside of the US.

[@RetirementTravelers]

Our pleasure! So glad it was helpful. Happy journeys, John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@sewtania4074]

Medical insurance is tricky and always changing. It is unique to each person's situation. It gets even more complicated if you are over 65 or have preconditions. We reside in Canada. Each province and territory has a different health care system. In ours, basic medical care is covered but not dental, many immunizations, especially those needed for travel, prescriptions unless extremely low income, and various other things. To be covered, you must reside in our province for at least 6 months a year in order to be covered. 5 months is ok if the other 7 months are vacation and not work. In other words, leave to travel for 7 months and 1 day, and you are cut off. Low income supports, medical and financial are cut off if you leave the country for more than 6 months. Most private insurance companies won't cover my husband due to preconditions. All credit cards I've looked into so far won't cover due to preconditions and or have an age 65 cut off. He is 68. As you demonstrated, you need to do the research. And redo it each cycle. Thank you for your videos. You inspire me!

[@RetirementTravelers]

Thanks for sharing some great information. It is certainly tricky. So glad you are enjoying our channel and website. Happy journeys, John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@mississippiapple1078]

Love this info! So well presented A bit confused at the end. So which one are you with currently?

[@RetirementTravelers]

Thanks for following along with us. We have remained with John's retiree plan through BCBS. We don't like the price tag, but overall it meets the most needs for us until we turn 65, considering our travel schedule and pre-existing conditions. Happy journeys, John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@ghilly_one1720]

thank you for sharing; i was wondering what your solution was to global health insurance. my husband and i will go for the mix of "slow travel" and shorter stays abroad as much as we can just so we can linger in an area. at this point, our intent is to maintain a USA homebase, so Original Medicare is my #1 at this point. we'll also have to get comfortable with medical abroad - but you both have shown just how easy it can be and is. Yes OM will be much more expensive, but i have my reasons. we're at least 4 years away yet so things can change!

[@RetirementTravelers]

Thanks for watching and wish you good luck finding the best solution for your situation. Hope you are enjoying our channel and website. Happy journeys, John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@sydtybil291]

I am an expat in Thailand and have found an inpatient health insurance policy for the South East Asia area and 7 weeks in your home country from the company ACS in France. Don't know if it would fit your needs though.

[@RetirementTravelers]

Thanks for sharing. Happy journeys, John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@tomileeh4070]

My husband and I are traveling to Spain for three months. We are on Medicare part A and B. We have been told that medicare does NOT cover anything out of the USA. Our Aetna Senior Supplement plan covers medical emergencies for the first 60 days, outside of the USA. They pay 80% of the cost, with a $250 deductible and a life time maximum of $50,000. I spoke to several agents at Aetna and none of them could give me a straight answer about whether or not they would be billed by any hospital / doctor oversees ( which I sincerely doubt) . So, we would have to pay up front at the time of the procedure then be reimbursed by Aetna. The agent also did not convince me that they would pay at the billing rate. If you have a heart attack, or aneurism and can't make it back to the USA, I believe you might be facing some extremely high medical bills in a foreign country. Also, If you buy an advantage plan, there are requirements for how long you can be outside of the USA. This is a very complicated issue and people don't know what they don't know and unfortunately many of the agents working for insurance agencies and medicare do not know what they are talking about and give the misleading information.

[@berg8970]

if you're only going for 3 months and health insurance is of high concern to you why not buy travel health insurance for that time?

[@RetirementTravelers]

We still have much to learn about Medicare in the next 5 years. Thanks for sharing. Happy journeys, John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@tangydsparks8630]

Thank you for your awesome website and youtube channel, for all that you share on your journeys. Love it!

[@RetirementTravelers]

Our pleasure! So glad you are enjoying our channel and website. We do work hard to produce good content. Thanks so much for following along with us. Happy journeys, John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@ethanmandel2413]

No good answers for your age group with preexisting conditions if youre traveling constantly. An option for many is to establish a paper residency in a foreign country, then buy into their national health system that covers all pre-existing conditions. Travel insurance to cover the rest. Its a lot of hassle and expense, but does cover you. The goal is to just cover you until you reach medicare age. Also, many recommend you dont use a medicare advantage plan and stick with original medicare plus a medigap plan. Check news articles about this.

[@RetirementTravelers]

Thanks for sharing your insights. We will need to figure out medicare options over the next 5 years. Happy journeys, John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@toddaron]

This guy is awesome on Medicare: www.youtube.com/@MedicareSchool She is also: www.youtube.com/@AbtInsuranceAgency

[@azarml]

Great info, even if it's just that there's nothing great out there (not surprising either).

[@RetirementTravelers]

Thanks for following along with us. Happy journeys, John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@tomileeh4070]

additionally, travel insurance for each of us for 3 months is about $700. so 12 months would be 2,800 x two people is $5,600. that would cover the 20% that Aetna would not pay. So, $300 for Medicare part A and B and about $300 for the supplement is $7,200 in premiums (anyone who thinks medicare is free has not done their homework,. That Plus $5,600 is $12,800 a year in insurance premiums. Plus the requirements that are in place to have the Aetna coverage to come back to the USA. It seems to me after exhaustive research, the only solution would be to self insure overseas or pay the price or pay taxes on residency.....

[@RetirementTravelers]

Thanks for sharing your experiences. Happy journeys, John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@larapfeffer2845]

Thank you!!

[@RetirementTravelers]

You're welcome! Thanks for following along. Happy journeys, John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@amymiller8199]

We have just retired, sold our 'stuff' and have embarked on the first leg of our full time travel retirement journey and I can say that without your advice and helpful direction we wouldn't be where we are now! My question is regarding routine annual check-ups with doctors and dentists. I have looked online but have not found a great resource for finding these providers. We will be using private providers and paying out of pocket. Any suggestions from anyone? We have not yet decided where to obtain these services but see many adds for medical tourism locations online. It seems like Medellin is off your list for now. Any other suggestions? Many thanks for all your content! So helpful!!

[@RetirementTravelers]

We think Medellin is a great place for medical tourism, but with our limited Spanish and our schedule, we found it difficult to manage all the time. Perhaps a location that has more English speakers might be a better choice for us like Malaysia or Thailand, but if we could find a great doctor that speaks English well, we'd have no problem with Medellin. On our last trip, we hired an interpreter we heard about from an expat. She was nice, but we left feeling like we didn't have that one-on-one interaction with the doctor without her interjections. Without her, this doctor didn't work for us. Overall, we felt that the medical care is very good there and almost the same as the US. Mammograms, lab tests, etc. were all on par, as were our dentist and opthamologist. Our overall problem is the schedule we have and we felt that since it takes a little effort to return each year, we might be better off with care in the states where we completely understand our doctors and can ask very detailed questions. One suggestion we have is go to Facebook and join an expat group. Ask for recommendations; these groups are a wealth of information about a city and people are eager to help others. We also look for websites written in English. Thank you for your kind words. Best of luck on your adventure and if you ever see we are crossing paths, reach out and let us know. We'd love to meet up! Happy Journeys! John & Bev

[@amymiller8199]

@@RetirementTravelers thank you so much for the reply and for all your helpful and kind advice! We would love to cross paths with you in the future! You have been one of our primary inspirations for doing what we are doing now with full time travel so we cannot thank you enough!😇

[@RetirementTravelers]

@@amymiller8199 Stay in touch and we are always open to connecting with full time travelers on the road. Best if you email us on our website. John and Bev

[@kimharris6649]

Great intel!😎

[@RetirementTravelers]

Thanks so much for following along with us. Glad you found it helpful. Happy journeys, John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@BrentHogenson]

We have lived in Panama for ten years and are 60 and 62 now, We have used Pupa and WorldWide Medical for our total insurance with a $5k annual deductible. We are currently on WW Medical with an annual $5M limit and can use US Healthcare in the USA, not sure for how long each year as we are very happy with the healthcare in Panama. We do travel to other countries for about four months each year but have not had any problems, Your pre existing conditions make it difficult for insurance. Good luck.

[@RetirementTravelers]

Thanks for sharing your experiences. This is certainly a difficult and costly topic. Happy journeys, John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@The_NomadNinja]

I’ve heard of other nomad travelers using safety wing and I haven’t heard anything negative so far. My perspective is that an ounce of prevention is greater than a pound of treatment. Develop healthy habits now, eat well and exercise. Healthy living will prevent many (not all) instances of needing to use health insurance :)

[@retirementbudgettravel699]

The only issue is that it doesn’t cover people over 70. But it does look great for younger whipper snappers! 🤣👍🏼

[@gusurena1]

I tried Safety Wing, but it's not available to Florida residents, unfortunately.

[@RetirementTravelers]

You are so right about developing healthy habits. That is so important. Happy journeys, John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@iang4338]

I realize you don't want to get political but I can imagine our European cousins being blown away by the cost, complexity and bureaucracy of American healthcare. Thank you for posting this video.

[@RetirementTravelers]

Thanks for sharing. Healthcare is a tricky topic to discuss. Thanks for watching. Happy journeys, John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@iowa_don]

BE VERY AFRAID OF HEALTHCARE IN GREECE. Last year a friend went on a trip with his daughters to Greece. His health was not good but he insisted on going. His health turned very bad and he found himself in the hospital. Bad pneumonia and his organs started shutting down. He went into a coma. He had an advanced healthcare directive in the US but the Greek hospital would not honor it. He was a Navy veteran and our state Senator Mark Kelly (also a Navy vet) got involved and they arranged a flight from Greece to a Navy hospital overseas. The Greek hospital would not allow it. Eventually, his daughters had to come home leaving him in the hospital in a coma alone. That was the hardest decision of their lives but they had husbands, work and children and could stay no longer. About two weeks later, he finally passed. That horrible situation was just too incredible to believe but it actually happened.

[@RetirementTravelers]

Thanks for sharing. We only have one data point, but had a good experience in Athens. Happy journeys, John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@paul3454]

Don’t you like Geo Blue. My travel ins guy says it’s one of the best, especially for pre-existing conditions. I’ve taken it out on a few trips overseas but never had to use it so it’s hard for me to say whether or not it’s good. Thanks

[@RetirementTravelers]

Our concern is that it doesn't cover us in the United States for the full year. If we got a catastrophic illness, like cancer, we would want to be treated in the US near our children. Does your policy cover you in the US for 12 months? Happy journeys, John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@alzhang74]

Can I get the names of your dentist and eye doctor in Colombia? I plan to a trip to stay there for a few months to practice Spanish

[@margaretpittman9650]

I’m a Veteran, I started traveling overseas once a year, not as much as you, I wonder what the VA would reimburse me for. Or if I could go to an American military hospital overseas if near one. Something I should look into.

[@RetirementTravelers]

Thank you for your service. Let us know what you find out. Happy journeys, John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@margaretpittman9650]

@@RetirementTravelers thank you!

[@scottgubricky]

Why do you go to Columbia for your medical needs? Also, where in Columbia do you go? Is there a certain hospital or organization that you have used, and can recommend?

[@RetirementTravelers]

We had great experience with dental, vision, and prescription meds in Medellin. We go there because it is so cheap. We've decided not to do all our medical there simply because it is not convenient to go there on a regular basis. Happy journeys, John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@MmagicEdits]

Hey John and bev, Just checked your youtube, really great stuff. was wondering are you looking for a short or long form video editor ? Please, let me know ❤

[@RetirementTravelers]

Not at this time, but thanks for the offer. Happy journeys, John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@MmagicEdits]

@@RetirementTravelers I would love to make one for free, but ok. Thanks anyway 🙏

[@JoseGarcia-oo4mc]

Excellent Video , how about IMG insurance, do you know?

[@RetirementTravelers]

Thanks. Sorry, we aren't familiar with the IMG insurance. Happy journeys, John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@Mxm9966]

If you are coming to the US for treatments and need to stay more than 6 months, why not just reapply for ACA? Something I missed?

[@RetirementTravelers]

For us, and this isn't everyone's situation, we can get a policy like GeoBlue or Cigna Global, but as we said, they will exclude our pre-existing conditions. There is no guarantee that they will drop these conditions at the end of the year. So, these plans are a no-go for us from the beginning. Let's say you don't have this issue, it's possible, we suppose, that when you get dumped off your policy because you're sick and need more than 6 months of care in the US, that you could then apply for an ACA policy. We just don't know the ends and outs. Thanks for the question. John & Bev

[@SD-co9xe]

Great information. Could someone get Cigna Global and if they have a long term health issue treated in the US 12:00 switch to Obama care?

[@RetirementTravelers]

Thanks and good question. Happy journeys, John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@troylockett3052]

Hi , could I suggest getting dual US Australian citizenship. That way you could get affordable Australian/ Nz healthcare and the Australian overseas health insurance policies are much more affordable when travelling to other countries

[@RetirementTravelers]

Thanks for the suggestion. Happy journeys, John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@janroach1852]

Wouldn't everyone love to retire to Australia or New Zealand. It would be impossible, though, for an retired couple to get citizenship in Australia. They will accept people who work there if there is a need and this couple do work while they travel and do have businesses. What a great place to have as a second home.

[@hjdreams1429]

Have you tried the annual checkups availability at Thai or Malaysian hospitals?

[@RetirementTravelers]

We haven't tried it, but have only heard good things about care in Malaysia and Thailand, so may give it a try. Thanks for sharing. Happy journeys, John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@nomadjim]

I go to Malaysia every year for my annual health screening. Only $300 and much more comprehensive than any physical i ever got in the US. And the whole process, including going over the results with a doctor takes only 6 hours!

[@MackPhelps]

How did you fill your prescription medicines overseas? Just need the medicine bottle? A copy of the written prescriptions? Also are there only certain countries where you've been able to do this? We are wondering as we are planning slow travel in the near future and wondering how we might handle some very common prescriptions if we are abroad for an extended period of time.

[@RetirementTravelers]

We just ask for what we want in the dose we’ve always taken. John’s Eliquis always comes in a Pfizer box. Some meds are different brands, but we’ve always felt comfortable with them. Some countries require prescriptions, some don’t. We’ve had good luck in Colombia, India, Panama, and Philippines without prescriptions. The EU is hit and miss but mostly requires prescriptions. Hope this helps! Happy Journeys! John & Bev

[@deanhomstad237]

I didn't quite gather what exactly you do for medical throughout the entire video other than I think you are keeping your ACA plan here in the US? Do you do anything for overseas? We are soon embarking on similar travel as you from the US and are thinking about keeping our ACA plan here in the US, getting a really good travel evac insurance and also some safetywing and calling it a day. Like you, we get no subsidy for our ACA but would want to come back in case of anything too catastrophic.

[@RetirementTravelers]

In the video we said we have to keep what we have because we couldn't find anything else that works. Your plan is our plan. Of course we'd like something else, but it's not possible. Thanks for asking! John & Bev www.retirementtravelers.com

[@deanhomstad237]

We ended up keeping our ACA plan and adding a single trip GeoBlue Trekker Choice plan which covers quite a bit up to 180 days overseas. Fun stuff figuring it all out. Be well on your journey. 😊

[@Sibhusky]

So, did the end result be that you've stayed with your work plan?

[@RetirementTravelers]

Correct. We didn't love it because of the cost, but felt it was the best overall plan. Happy journeys, John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@Sibhusky]

In 2012, I bought trip insurance for the first time ever. I had insurance through my husband's work plan, but bought the highest tier Cancel For Any Reason plan from Travel Insured. I didn't buy it for the health care insurance. I bought it because I saw a possibility that my travel companion would bail out. As it turned out, I ended up in the hospital for 7 days. And the travel insurance covered everything - extra days, extra meals, extra rental car, all my medical, new return ticket, everything. I submitted the hospital charges to them because they only had a $50 deductible, but my home medical insurance would have been $250. It had seemed extortionately expensive at the time, but it was the best money I ever spent. You're different, you're travelling full time, so you need annual insurance. Now I'm on Medicare with Plan G supplemental, which covers SOME medical overseas (it would cover the whole bill from 2012) but I still get trip insurance. Fortunately, the charges are such I can cover them with my credit cards until reimbursement, but I can still see the possibility of needing to get home somehow for longer problems.

[@kl9809]

Any chance of using an insurance broker to find you a good plan?

[@RetirementTravelers]

We did try one, but kept running into issues with the pre-existing conditions or coverage overseas. Happy journeys, John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@purplebabushka852]

Google translate. Or another translating app

[@RetirementTravelers]

Thanks for sharing. We have used Google translate many, many times. Happy journeys, John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@deniseturtle9977]

Living with interpreting services as a deaf person, seeing you say you have a trust issue with getting info due to language barrier…smh. Come prepared beforehand and meet an interpreter you’re comfortable may help.

[@RetirementTravelers]

You are right, the problem is when you're in a country and seek medical care on short notice, interpreters aren't easy to come by and the ability to "shop" for the perfect person is difficult. Our difficulty wasn't so much in the meeting, it was in the follow up with our test results when we had left the country. There were just several issues. Thanks! John & Bev

[@connieg7692]

​@@RetirementTravelers I'm not yet a full time travelers but when I go in vacay I join some expat Facebook groups to the place I'm going and keep in my back pocket some medical care contacts in case I need them. Great place to find recommendations from other expats for English speaking medical. Healthy travels.

[@marianeil6630]

Everything is subject to changes, Health Insurances, Medicare and climate changes

[@anniesshenanigans3815]

Cleaning teeth every three months??? 😮 you must be eating some really dirty stuff😅.

[@RetirementTravelers]

We LOVE everything! But, seriously, since heart health and dental health are so connected and the cost is so inexpensive around the world, our dentist thought it was a good idea and worth the few dollars to have a great cleaning between visits with him. We love having very clean teeth! 😁😁

[@whosbehindthedoor8788]

@@RetirementTravelers agree; ask my dentist for a cleaning every 3 months, response : not covered, seems like common sense preventive maintenance.

[@toddaron]

@@RetirementTravelers yeah, why wait? Outside of the US, these things are trivial and cheap. AND, you make a great point about oral care and connection w/ bad things. Great to slough off unhelpful comments!

[@jackyan8925]

welcome back to china. chong qing , cheng du , shang hai ，hangzhou，and more cities

[@RetirementTravelers]

Thanks. We hope to return. Happy journeys, John and Bev retirementtravelers.com/

[@janroach1852]

Airfare to China would be expensive but 150 for retinal with hospitalization and aftercare. Wow!