US Medicare Insurance for coverage in Thailand

[movsrus]

I will turn 65 next month and am in the process of setting up my US Medicare coverage. Several of the Medigap insurance plans have a foreign travel coverage that will pay for emergency care services which are medically necessary during the first 60 days of each trip outside the US. There are various deductible amounts and the coverage is limited to $50,000 with a 20% deductible so the coverage is not as good as a health plan which one might get in Thailand but it is better than nothing.

Have any TV members used this option for medical emergencies while in Thailand? I am told that the requirement is that one pay for treatment out-of-pocket then apply to Medicare for reimbursement once back in the US. Have you had any difficulty in getting Medicare to reimburse you for documented expenses if you used this option?

I wonder if the Thai government will accept this as proof of travel insurance should they proceed with the requirement that tourists have some kind of travel insurance when visiting Thailand. Admittedly, this is all speculation as the Thai government still has not passed legislation which will require tourists to have some kind of insurance but I wonder if this would meet the requirement for coverage.

I am considering getting a retirement visa and spending more time in Thailand than I do in the US so I am still evaluating my options. I agree with many posters on TV that it is important to have some kind of health care coverage if one spends much time in Thailand. I don't mind paying for outpatient services out-of-pocket but would like to have something in case I was ever hospitalized and incurred a significant health care bill while living in Thailand.

Thanks for any comments you may have on this issue

[NeverSure]

I haven't used medigap.

If you move to Thailand you aren't eligible for medicare. Some maintain a US address and use a mail forwarding service and have all mail forwarded to Thailand. You can do online banking to withdraw money and pay bills, so any delay in mail isn't an issue. Just have a bank that will allow you to "pay anyone" for a small fee. Have your SS and any other income deposited into that.

South Dakota is well known for providing this service because they have no state income tax and they have no minimum number of days you have to be in the state each year. They have services that will walk you through establishing residence, getting a driver's license, and then do your mail forwarding. You do have to physically go there for a couple of days, and go back every 4 years if you want to keep the driver's license.

If you get a serious illness and can get back onto US soil, you can then use your Medicare. That would be like being diagnosed with cancer or needing bypass surgery, etc. If you have a serious accident and are injured in Thailand, you're on your own.

I would have a couple of million baht on deposit in Thailand for medical bills in any event, and you can sort it from there.

If it's worth it to you for peace of mind to pay for the medicare and the mail forwarding service, that's what I'd do.

As they say, up to you.

[JLCrab]

So if someone makes their residence for purposes of Medicare and Medicare Advantage-type programs in South Dakota is one going to penalized for seeking medical treatment in some state other than South Dakota?

[sfokevin]

If you are going to be in Thailand for a few months annually you might look at this -It seems similar to what you were considering

https://www295.americanexpress.com/travel-insurance/home.do#99

It pays for emergency medical treatment and will also repatriate you if it is medically necessary...

I just bought 3 months for less than $50

This can not be used f you are a year round resident

Edited August 22, 2013 by sfokevin