Crippling insurance costs

is this out of country health insurance? yes, but the other 8 months you get "free" health care.
bumpy

Hi,

Contact Connexsus Credit Union or your local Credit Union. If you take out a 5000 dollar line of credit and the corresponding credit card they offer health insurance up to age 75.

It used to be one month free--but they have cut that back to 2 weeks. They sell extended coverage after that.

Not trying to be smart, but have you considered moving a few hundred miles south? If you had a heart attack in Texas could you afford a million dollar hospital bill if you have no insurance, if not could you afford a $10,000 bill in Mexico? You can get respectable medical services in other countries, imagine a root canal for less than it cost for a case of beer in Canada, or setting a broken arm for under $1000 (including ER visit, pain drugs, X ray etc) ... there are even gated communities...

Bumpyroad wrote:
is this out of country health insurance? yes, but the other 8 months you get "free" health care.
bumpy

"free" when referring to our health care is a word that is used very liberally. Higher income taxes, tax on gas, tax on food, property tax and portions of all lottery sales go a long way towards paying for our free medical coverage but it is certainly there when we need it.

We use Medipac through Canadian Snowbird Association, it is not cheap DH is 72 a smoker plus one other condition and I am 68 with high blood pressure etc. Costs are over $5000 but the thought of going without insurance is not an option for us as is staying in Canada for the winter. Although it is expensive we just plan ahead and save on other things.

We pay about $1500 for 4+ months with Medipac. When we hit 71, it will be about double.

Fortunately we're in the top category health-wise.

joebedford wrote:
We pay about $1500 for 4+ months with Medipac. When we hit 71, it will be about double.

Fortunately we're in the top category health-wise.

While not a direct comparison, that $750 a month you would pay at 71 is much cheaper than the premium I pay for the cheapest Bronze Obamacare plan I can buy for my wife and me at age 55. And I bet there isn't a $6500 deductible to meet before it starts coverage. Health insurance costs in the US are out of control and the ripple effect is hitting you.

140 days for the wife (59) and myself(66) $5 million coverage ,0 deductible for $1737 cdn, $99 deductible $1518 cdn. Company is Travellers Choice. Ont ph # is 1-800-550-1295.

Of course rates vary with age and health conditions. We both qualify for the lowest rate as we are healthy and fit.

Bumpyroad wrote:
is this out of country health insurance? yes, but the other 8 months you get "free" health care.
bumpy

Nice if it was free.lol.as everyone knows nothing is free.It is paid out of taxes and almost all Canadians carry some supplementary health and travel insurance.Health care in Canada is a provincial jurisdiction,some provinces charge extra taxes to cover it one does not.

her&I wrote:
Just got a quote back for supplementary travel insurance to stay at our little place in Texas for 4 months. Cannot afford to take it out but the consequences could be grave if we do not. Damned if we do, damned if we do not. What are y'all doing after you turn 71?

This suggestion may or may not work for you depending on where you worked before retiring. Some companies provide out of country travel insurance for employees, you may want to ask if you can participate and pay for that coverage, it will probably be much cheaper than individual coverage although it's supplied by the same insurance companies.