Medicare age divers and supplemental insurance coverage

[DandyDon]

How can one afford out of country dive trips and still require medicare? I was under the impression that medicare was for people who could not afford insurance and required government assistance. I'm not saying you are taking advantage of the system. I honestly don't know how it works. It makes about as much sense to me as a family on welfare taking a trip to disneyland at the expense of tax payers.

See Medicare (United States) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
vs Medicaid - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Zen Diving Inc.]

See Medicare (United States) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
vs Medicaid - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ahh ok I get it... Sorry... I don't fit in the poor and or elderly/disabled category. So have no knowledge of these matters. My impression was clearly wrong. I'm sure i'll be brought up to speed soon enough lol. I thought medicaid/care were the same something... Sorry. They ought to change the name of these programs so they don't sound so similar lol.

 

[chrpai]

Most of us will be up to speed in 2014. Mark my words...

 

[DandyDon]

Well, there is no cheap way to get around it if you want quality health care. Medicare ain't cheap and ain't great but with age comes expense upkeep and repair. Other than setting old folks out on floating ice, what are you going to do...?

 

[MMM]

HI Tracydr. I worked for the Health Department before I retired. You may have billed the government but you would have been reimbursed at the rates set by the government...usually a huge gap...which secondary insurance picks up. And, as you note, it only applies to emergency care, not cosmetic etc.

If this was Canadians and occurred in in the US, the US facility will normally bill the Canadian government. Or at least, that's how the Urgent Care where I used to work did. We saw Canadien citizens on vacation all the time.
I also used to have several Canadien patiens when I had my own clinic. They paid cash but only because I didn't accept Canadien insurance and wasn't an Urgent Care. They saw me for cosmetic procedures. They told me that they would pay cash at the Mayo for elective surgeries because they had waited too long in Canada and then they would attempt to collect the money after the fact. This was unusually very well off citizens getting elective procedures such as hysterectomies or gallbladder removals that they said they had waited several years for and couldn't stand waiting any longer, due to pain and terrible symptoms.

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[drdaddy]

Wow !!!

I'm 61 now and in a few years plan to spend extended time (months-years) overseas doing volunteer work. I also will take my dive gear with me as I have in the past. Right now my health insurance covers me overseas*, but I wonder what will happen in the future. I guess medical coverage can get quite complicated.
*Regence Blue Cross of Oregon no long covers out of the country - one reason we switched from them

Obviously the op needs a Medicare supplemental plan. And travel insurance that covers medical may be needed as well.

Obamacare goes into full force in 2014 and our medical care insurance is being turned inside out/upside down. Hopefully we will at least follow other civilized countries like the family that we knew from abroad that only had to pay $1.00 per day (per person) to extend their coverage when they traveled overseas.

I'll be watching this post and see what the answers are today and hopefully tomorrow (2014).

 

[Tigerman]

Here in Norway we have free health care and we do have SOME coverage in EEA/EU countries, but other than that we really have nothing covered by the governemnt either.
Travel insurance is pretty cheap to get here though and mine is unlimited for medical treatment and repatriation as long as I dont do any technical diving.
I think its something like $200 US a year I should be paying for it.
I dont pay for the travel insurance though as having it trigger a customer loyalty bonus that is higher than the actual cost of the insurance so not having it would be moronic in the first place

 

[redacted]

Obamacare goes into full force in 2014 and our medical care insurance is being turned inside out/upside down..

What do you have that supports that claim?

 

[DandyDon]

I'm 61 now and in a few years plan to spend extended time (months-years) overseas doing volunteer work. I also will take my dive gear with me as I have in the past.

Different. DAN America dive insurance will cover you in most of the world. Not Cuba and maybe some other possibilities, but generally you'll be covered fine as long as you keep that up - and TravelersAssist will still cover your needed evacuations as long as you call & arrange thru them.* You may want travel insurance tho, not just trip insurance, for other medical & accident needs.

* I know of one case where it covered a helicopter that was booked without going thru them, but only one - and don't know why they did that one. I even asked, and they didn't really answer.

 

[highdesert]

I haven't read all the posts, so apologies if I missed it, but a Medicare Plan F supplemental policy will cover you out of the country, among other things, like paying all of your other Medicare deductible expenses, should you have any. Yes, that's a premium out of your pocket over and above Medicare premium costs, but well worth it if you travel. When your diving days are over, you can always downgrade or drop the supplemental.

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Check in to AARP medicare supplemental insurance. I think they have decent international coverage. Also, trip specific travel insurance has many options as well.

All Plan F offerings, from any insurance company, offer the same benefits, in this case international coverage. The difference lies in the premium cost/structure and the company's responsiveness to client issues. AARP issues United Healthcare policies. There are others with cheaper premiums, after United's "bait and switch" premium cost expires, and companies with better customer service.