Texas Ers Retirees In Thailand ... Any Around?

[Genericnic]

Just have a question about how the group benefit plan works here since Medicare does not work in Thailand.

Thanks

David

[lopburi3]

If you are talking about http://www.ers.state.tx.us/benefits/benefits/healthselect_out_area.aspx

it appears to be similar to Federal Blue Cross coverage and would be available worldwide.

[Genericnic]

If you are talking about http://www.ers.state...t_out_area.aspx

it appears to be similar to Federal Blue Cross coverage and would be available worldwide.

Hi lopburi3 and thanks for the response.

Yes, the ERS coverage is worldwide. the problem is that they do a coordination of benefits where it is secondary to Medicare. As we know, Medicare does not apply outside the US. All the information concerning out-of-network coverage under ERS assumes that you are outside of Texas but within the US and therefore covered by Medicare too. I was hoping to get in touch with someone else that was already here that could give me an idea of how the lack of Medicare effected their costs and coverage under the ERS plan. ERS has been unable to give me a particularly clear answer. According to ERS, there are 25 or 30 retirees living in Thailand.

David

[lopburi3]

Believe the only limitation would be cost reimbursement for a procedure being limited to what Medicare would pay a provider. That is not likely to be an issue in most countries.

[Thanyaburi Mac]

Believe the only limitation would be cost reimbursement for a procedure being limited to what Medicare would pay a provider. That is not likely to be an issue in most countries.

Agree with Lop3. My U.S. federal health insurance, which I carried over to retirement, has specific language for when you/I reach age 65. If you are NOT covered by MediCare if you're out of the U.S., the reimbursements will be calculated considering MediCare maximums for a particular procedure or claim. So far this has not been a problem here in Thailand.

Mac