Jump to content

PFV

Member
  • Posts

    158
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Profile Information

  • Location
    Chiang Mai

Previous Fields

  • Location
    Chiang Mai

Recent Profile Visitors

3744 profile views

PFV's Achievements

Senior Member

Senior Member (5/14)

  • 5 Reactions Given
  • Conversation Starter
  • 10 Posts
  • First Post
  • Week One Done

Recent Badges

82

Reputation

  1. Thank you! This means that one can acquire US residence for a bit more than 6 months, sign up for Medicare and Medigap, and then move back to Thailand.
  2. Maine, New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. I understand that Massachusetts handles Medicare differently from other states.
  3. I suppose that I could indeed sign up for B. Then, upon repatriating try to sign up for Medigap. If unsuccessful, go live in one of the 4 states that won't block me for pre-existing conditions, or be content with Medicare Advantage's limitations.
  4. That is exactly the point. You can enroll in MediGap without going through a medical screening process only during the initial 6 months after signing up for Part B, Folks with pre-existing conditions will either be denied coverage or required to pay a higher premium, depending on the condition. There are a few exceptions such as having existing qualified insurance, a change in benefits, after a Medicare Advantage Trial period, or if you live in ME, CT, MA, or NY. I suppose that I could sign up next summer, when I turn 65, and then move to Maine for Medigap. I have always liked Maine, but spending the winter there is not what I had in mind. Do you really need to be physically present at least 6 months a year, or would it be sufficient to rent a place for 12 months and pay local and state taxes?
  5. For me, getting MediGap is almost more important than Part B. Here in Chiang Mai, my cardiologist told be that I will probably need bypass surgery at some point in the future, given current calcification issues, and without MediGap it would be very expensive. At that point in time I would have no problem in moving back to the US, but would not want to move now just waiting for something bad to happen. So postponing enrollment in part B seems to be the only option for now.
  6. I agree entirely, except that you need a permanent, as in life-long, US address to enroll in Medigap that I am currently lacking. I was specifically looking at a high-deductible G, since F is no longer available, or perhaps a K or N.
  7. I realize this, but being able to enroll in Medigap as a diabetic is my primary concern, and therefore cannot enroll in Part B until I decide where to live in the US, since I don't believe that the mile-high city (where I moved from 15 years ago) is appropriate for aging folks.
  8. I believe that the only exceptions are the 4 "Guaranteed Issue" states in the Northeast. Consequently, they have higher premiums. I think I would prefer delaying enrollment than renting a pied-a-terre there due to the weather. Another option could be Medicare Advantage where I don't believe they can deny coverage, but I might be wrong.
  9. I am assuming that once you enroll, you stop paying additional penalties. For instance, if you delay enrollment until full reterment age at 67, your new premium will be approximately 21% higher and remain 21% higher going forward. This extra 21% is offset by the 200% you saved while not paying premiums at 65 and 66, until you reach 76, when you will have broken even.
  10. Thank you Jingthing and cmarshall for your replies. Since the only time you are guaranteed enrollment in Medigap is immediately after enrolling in Part B, if you have pre-existing conditions that is, the best course of action for me is probably to delay enrollment in Medicare until I have a place in the US where to spend at least part of the year (if ever) and to rely on travel insurance for short visits. The 10% penalty is roughly equivalent to the monthly premium saved.
  11. Apologies if this is not the proper forum to post this message. I trust a Moderator to change forum if necessary. With eligibility for Medicare a few months away, I am trying to figure out if it is worth enrolling due to lack of coverage outside the US, or if it is even possible without a US address. In my situation with pre-existing conditions, buying insurance in Thailand has been impossible, which would suggest the need for Medicare. On the other hand, traveling to the US for anything but a major issue could be uneconomical due to hotel/apartment rental costs, transportation costs, etc. Furthermore, I would also need to sign up for Medigap coverage due to the 80% limit. I expect to be able to bear the cost of almost any service here in Thailand, including heart bypass surgery, although I am not excited at the idea of spending >1M baht and have doubts about the quality of treatment. Some options I have considered are delaying enrollment in Part B, despite the penalty, and choosing a high-deductible (plans G-HD or K) to limit costs for services that I would use very rarely (fingers crossed). Then again, if I were forced to return permanently to the US for health reasons, all of it would have been very worthwhile. I was hoping that a kind reader in a similar situation could share their thoughts and provide some guidance. Thank you
  12. My experience with Swiss last month was entirely different. Originally booked CNX-ZRH-CNX, then domestic flights were cancelled and Swiss emailed a new confirmation without the CNX-BKK segment. For the return, decided to avoid the Bangkok quarantine and try the Samui sandbox. Swiss cancelled the BKK-CNX segment on WE and booked a BKK-USM on PG, also changing the departure from ZRH to the following day for a shorter connection (was originally booked on LH). Total cost 500 baht.
  13. I hope I am misinterpreting the new regulations, posted below, but it would seem that anyone entering Thailand, married to a Thai or not, on any type of visa or visa exempt, will need at least 50K Baht of health (not simply covid-19) insurance. This pretty much means that anyone with a pre-existing chronic condition will not be able to enter Thailand legally (unless willing to lie on the insurance application) or unless they can obtain such insurance abroad .
×
×
  • Create New...