wwest5829

1 hour ago, Kopitiam said:

Which LMG are you using?  For O-A retirement extension, you only need the 40k/400k insurance policy.

https://www.lmginsurance.co.th/en/Products/Pages/Universal-Longstayvisa.aspx

LM.g, the cheapest for my age at 74 with 200K deductible.

On O-A Visa Extensions, so have the LMG useless 11,400 baht insurance. Am sending out inquiries with a total background information. Got a bid back yesterday at $2100 USD per month. My monthly retirement budget here in Thailand is $2400 uSD … right. I’ll get right on that.

1 hour ago, JustAnotherHun said:

If the pollution in Bangkok is not enough, just move to Chiang Mai ????

 

"Chiang Mai presently ‘most polluted city in world’

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/30383775

Ah, but say, ain’t it beautiful today?!

More power to all, personally I prefer a smaller city and after traveling around Thailand, while I found a few cities where I think I could live comfortably in retirement, Chiang Mai got the nod. Happy here for over a decade now. International level medical care availability was a major consideration.

43 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

If you think it might possibly allow foreign medical care and be open to the general public please provide the name.

 

But I suspect it is a special plan for ex-military. For the general public, MediGap and Medicare Advantage Plans are region-specific (state or even county).

Open to a PM from you but I am worn out from relating my personal experience as a US Expat in Thailand for over a decade.

26 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Are you afraid to call them and ask the question?  I would be because its almost definitely meant for US residents. But ignorance is bliss I guess.

Ignorance is bliss in the view of some. Not rocking a bureaucratic boat is wisdom for others.

1 minute ago, Jingthing said:

No that does not prove what you say it does.

Are you ex military?

Not ex military. My understanding is that fully retired military get global healthcare coverage through Tricare. Unlike fully retired civilians under Medicare.

32 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Without knowing the details the question would be is the policy covering claims abroad based on you being a US resident that travels or for an actual expat. I suspect the former in which case making claims abroad when you are not a US resident is insurance fraud.

 

How about this? Why don't you call your company and ask them explicitly? If a policy holders residence status is no longer in the US as opposed to just traveling can you still make valid claims? Until you do that this has become pointless.

Agree, it is moot. Had the company had any residency question it would have been asked at the time of my heart attack bill payment that they made in 2015. Thanks for the exchange of views.

46 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Expats are not eligible to enroll or use Medigap or Advantage. Using either while still in expat status is fraud.

Hmmm, my policy as part of my retirement package paid RAM Hospital directly the $5000 it states it will pay for foreign medical care. I’m thinking you are incorrect as it depends on the company contract, Mine continues currently as an Expat.

47 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

 I never said enrolling in A or B or using them in the US while still an expat is fraud. I said the opposite.

Sorry, I was addressing not using my Thai residence address with SS as being told it was fraud.

32 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Its fraud. For example if ss discovers they can freeze your payments and put you through a ringer to get restored. They even have the power to prosecute for that.

 

As far as Medicare I guess it wouldn't be actionable fraud unless you actually used the non A or B benefit.

And were not enrolled. I continue to pay the monthly Part B premium as a worse case, (for example cancer). My next hoped for trip would be in 2023. Hopefully without Covid issues. If I had the opportunity I might have the annual physical allowance visit but probably not. Fraud, I believe by definition would be, “wrongful or criminal deception intended to result in financial or personal gain”. At any rate, I will continue to lobby for those retired with Medicare to be treated equally with retired military who can have medical coverage, at least reimbursement through Tricare.

22 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Its fraud. For example if ss discovers they can freeze your payments and put you through a ringer to get restored. They even have the power to prosecute for that.

 

As far as Medicare I guess it wouldn't be actionable fraud unless you actually used the non A or B benefit.

Yes, had an Expat here who did not receive the letter here in Chiang Mai and was cut off. Mail services between the US and Thailand have been interrupted for the past two years. I am still awaiting a credit card mailed from the US over a month ago. 

20 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Read it again. Note the word ENROLLED. If you're enrolled you could use during a trip. Expats are only allowed to enroll in A and B. If you're faking not being an expat you could fraudently enroll in other parts. If you enroll in other parts while a US resident and then become an expat you're supposed to CANCEL them.

Thanks, I am enrolled only in Parts A (automatic when you turn 65) and Part B (paying the monthly premium out of my SS). I have not enrolled nor use any other Medicare. I do have the additional insurance policy that pays for some covered care outside the USA. Not sure if it is “advantage” or “medigap”.

6 minutes ago, cmarshall said:

Please note that I am neither alleging that you have an intention to defraud the SSA nor that you are at any particular risk of repercussions, which is probably small.  However, SSA participants do have a specific obligation to notify the SSA when we move.  The SSA always wants to know our physical address, even if they sometimes allow us also to indicate a mailing address, which they then ignore as far as I can see.  Since as I gather, you live in Thailand and the physical address that the SSA has in your profile on ssa.gov is not your Thai address then you are possibly committing fraud.   Whatever information other parts of the US govt may have as to your whereabouts does not relieve you of the obligation to inform the SSA specifically.  

 

I don't care what you do or don't do about it, but it would be foolish to persuade yourself that you are in compliance when you are not.

No, I would not claim to be in compliance. But “fraud” is another matter.

12 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

It's not fraud to have ss payments direct deposited in the U.S. I do but ss, IRS, and Medicare know that I live abroad.

 

Here are some examples of fraud:

 

Claiming to ss that you live in the US when you don't to avoid proof of life letters.

 

Enrolling in and making claims during a trip to the US using any Medicare parts other than A and B including Advantage when you actually are an expat.

 

More complicated cases are snowbird type expats. There are rules for determining your primary residence country.

How would one “enroll in and make claims during a trip to the US using any Medicare parts other than A and B including Advantage when you actually are an expat”? I am confused in the meaning here?

1 hour ago, cmarshall said:

You might be committing fraud.  The SSA will accept both a physical address for you and a mailing address.  If you provide only one address and that's within the US, then they will take that as your physical address.  

 

I provided the SSA with my BKK address as my physical address and my CMRA as my mailing address at the time that I claimed benefits.  The BKK address is the one that shows up in my profile on ssa.gov.  

 

If the the address that shows in your profile on ssa.gov is your son's US address then you may be defrauding the SSA.  If you had not been receiving the annual Form 7162 prior to 2020 then that would be consistent with the SSA's believing that you claim to live in the US.

I fail to see a “fraud” case here. The one protection each small fish has is that we are not important enough to bother with. In my case, I report and pay my federal income taxes with my Thai address listed and have had conversations with the same noting I am currently in residence in Thailand. As to SS, my monthly payment is directly deposited into my US institution account and I then transfer monthly. In this time of Covid, mail services have been severely compromised. No way would I encourage not getting critical mail from the US here … I had to deal with getting Covid payment checks mailed again due to SS (they make direct deposits) not reporting my bank information to IRS. SS and Medicare send me email announcements.

14 hours ago, Mac Mickmanus said:

Which ailment would take one year to treat thus needing a one year visa ?

Hmm, just a thought. As I am a heart patient, retired in Thailand under continuing care of my Cardiologist in Chiang Mai. So? But I see no current advantage of this for me.

8 hours ago, Sheryl said:

Advantage plans for the military may not be the same as those available to civilians. I am not aware of any Medicare Advantage Plans open to the general public that will cover care overseas.

I address only the fully Retired Military able to receive global medical care while fully retired civilians are forbidden to use their Medicare on an equal basis. I am not aware of differences in any add-on insurance comparing the same groups of retirees. My additional medical policy came as part of my institution’s retiree package and does pay up to $5000 USD per year for foreign medical care. I have used it for my heart attack in 2015 and submitting medical bills for my quarterly checkups here in Chiang Mai. It is a publicly available company Seniors Plan for retirees. While I think it is an “advantage plan” it may be a “medigap plan”. I cannot seem figure out which.

1 hour ago, Rimbuman said:

I haven't heard anything about this, am I supposed to be online all the time? I'm about to toss my phone and my internet connections because I'm spammed to death with virus scare mongering nonsense for the last two years.

I got as old as I am now without any mask-wearing or experimental injections, so why bother? If it is my time it will be my time, no problem. What happened to the flu, what happened to critical thinking?

Critical thing brought me to realize all the childhood vaccinesI received and that were required by the government to attend the schools in the US. I add, that included the newly developed polo vaccines. Actually got both the Salk and Sabine vaccines.

3 hours ago, falang1969 said:

I didn't get anything, I had Pfizer a few months ago courtesy of the USA at Promenada.

 

It was for the Mrs, she's waiting for Pfizer.

 

 

I and Thai Stepdaughter have had our two shots of Pfizer. Thai wife was registered and paid for Moderna. Four sites were listed for Pfizer walk-ins today. We went to the Psy. Hospital - full. Went to Central Airport - 500 does available and the place was packed. Found out that SanSai Hospital was vaccinating. We live in San Sai and she is registered there. Received here first shot of Pfizer today. Second Pfizer dose later in the month.

4 hours ago, Sheryl said:

 

I don't follow that.

 

You can enroll in Pasrt B wiht a foreign address, I did it.

 

it is only for MediGap and Medicare Advantage policies that you need a US address. And, for those, you need to be resident in the US at least 6 months of the year.  People have gotten around that by essentially lying, but this is fraudulent and if discovered could invalidate the policy.

I retired at age 64 1/2 in 2011 (regular age for my birth year group was 65). I sold all property in the USA and showed my youngest Son’s address as a mailing address. That address is registered with Social Security and Medicare, my USA financial institutions … although almost all communication is via email. When I retired, a Medicare Advantage Plan was (is) part of retirement. That Advantage Plan will pay up to $5000.00 USD annually for overseas care. It paid that $5000.00 in 2015, directly to RAM Hospital here in Chiang Mai. My Thai mobile number is also registered with institutions requiring a direct phone number. I have been (am) registered with the STEP program with the US gov’t - IRS (thus I do not believe there is any fraud involved).

I have viewed the Medicare Part B premiums as insurance against, say cancer but even there, I think that this is an increasingly false idea. The co-pays and deductibles (non-covered) expenses may well still ruin me financially. So, the Medicare monthly premiums are increasingly questioned as to value. In the decade in Thailand thus far, Thai medical care has been excellent at a fraction of what the costs would be in the USA. I will continue to lobby for equal treatment of retired workers under Medicare with those fully retired from the military. Currently, military retirees can get medical coverage globally while Medicare recipients cannot.

On 11/29/2021 at 9:03 AM, LarrySR said:

Were they wearing MAGA hats?

Reading about Europe, it seems one does not need to be a supporter of he whose name cannot be spoken…

3 hours ago, khunPer said:

Perhaps one of those clear plastic aprons would be appropriate here...

My first thought when an apron was mentioned.

7 hours ago, inactiveposter said:

An interesting article from Bloomberg covering 53 countries and their resilience in dealing with Covid, (Thailand is #51.)

https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/covid-resilience-ranking/

Thanks, read and reposted to my FB page.