Moving to Mexico for better and more prompt healthcare than in the US

[dottiejane]

I have been here for exactly 6 months and it has been a very expensive (for me) and stressful one.  I thought I did the necessary research before coming down but did not consider as I should have, the possibility of a serious illness and what it would cost.  I will not go into details but quite obviously since I don[t have  medicare or  medicare advantage which I had in the states.  the cost of paying for many blood tests, doctor visits and a Pet Scan for $1400 US set me back far more than it would have in the states.  The symptoms started appearing barely a month after arriving and  knowing very few people, I had to maneuvre the very different way of doing health care here pretty much on my own.  

 

I know I am in Mexico - I love it here - so please no GO BACK HOME replies.  I am just trying to alert people to consider how they will pay out of pocket once here.  I Knew I would not have insurance but being very  healthy and hardly ever at the doctor, i just didn't think about the What IF's long enough.

 

   I have no complaints about the quality of doctors but I didn't realize that when they order blood tests, they can cost a lot of out of pocket  money and I would recommend asking the doctor why these particular tests are necessary l what he/she is looking for and then doing research as to whether or not you need that test.  I had one well known doctor  in town order a $700 US  blood test which, when I did the research before having it done, found out was for a disease I knew I didn't have   I didn't and don't  have the disease in question and didn't get the test and changed doctors.  The blood lady at Chopco and I became fast friends I was there so often and she told me she takes her father to GDL for his treatmennt since they cost  half what they charge here. 

Luckily the Pet Scan showed nothing abnormal so it was worth the charge and obviously gave me peace of mind.      The blood tests did show the possibility of a serious condition which is why I continued to track down what it could be.  There is still no real diagnosis but I am still up and around plus  it occured to me I would need a tranfusion if I gave any more blood.to Chopco.    . I   I know my way around much better and have a doctor who is not particularly  well known or the owner of her  own medical clinic, but comes with superb recommendations from people I trust. 

Don't know if this is or would be helpful to anyone - if not - just ignore it.  If it helps, good.   

  

 

 

[Hud]

17 hours ago, dottiejane said:

I have been here for exactly 6 months and it has been a very expensive (for me) and stressful one.  I thought I did the necessary research before coming down but did not consider as I should have, the possibility of a serious illness and what it would cost.  I will not go into details but quite obviously since I don[t have  medicare or  medicare advantage which I had in the states.  the cost of paying for many blood tests, doctor visits and a Pet Scan for $1400 US set me back far more than it would have in the states.  The symptoms started appearing barely a month after arriving and  knowing very few people, I had to maneuvre the very different way of doing health care here pretty much on my own.  

 

I know I am in Mexico - I love it here - so please no GO BACK HOME replies.  I am just trying to alert people to consider how they will pay out of pocket once here.  I Knew I would not have insurance but being very  healthy and hardly ever at the doctor, i just didn't think about the What IF's long enough.

 

   I have no complaints about the quality of doctors but I didn't realize that when they order blood tests, they can cost a lot of out of pocket  money and I would recommend asking the doctor why these particular tests are necessary l what he/she is looking for and then doing research as to whether or not you need that test.  I had one well known doctor  in town order a $700 US  blood test which, when I did the research before having it done, found out was for a disease I knew I didn't have   I didn't and don't  have the disease in question and didn't get the test and changed doctors.  The blood lady at Chopco and I became fast friends I was there so often and she told me she takes her father to GDL for his treatmennt since they cost  half what they charge here. 

Luckily the Pet Scan showed nothing abnormal so it was worth the charge and obviously gave me peace of mind.      The blood tests did show the possibility of a serious condition which is why I continued to track down what it could be.  There is still no real diagnosis but I am still up and around plus  it occured to me I would need a tranfusion if I gave any more blood.to Chopco.    . I   I know my way around much better and have a doctor who is not particularly  well known or the owner of her  own medical clinic, but comes with superb recommendations from people I trust. 

Don't know if this is or would be helpful to anyone - if not - just ignore it.  If it helps, good.

  

  

 

 

We have found over the 25 years we have been in Mexico that if it is routine, we use local doctors and meds. BUT, if we  feel it is more than that, we go back to the US, as more than routine can quickly get very expensive when paying out of pocket in Mexico. Medicare and Advantage have been very good to us over the last 15-18 years when we needed them. Cost of going back and forth there is not that much. Be prepared for the unexpected. Fortunately for them, many here in Mexico have no money concerns so they find the cost of more than routine health care here to be an insignificant expense. A few of us need to return NOB for expensive treatments. Good luck, DottieJane.

[RickS]

I could not send you a PM  Hud...

Hi, wondering if you would mind sharing some of your info regarding.... basically living in Mexico but availing yourselves of Medicare Advantage in the US...   I would consider buying at Lakeside IF I could have access to Medicare in the US as I do now. 

Specifically... do you also 'still' have a home in the US?  If so, do you just have probably a $0/mo Advantage policy there and go back if you think you may have a significant medical problem that needs addressing?  IF you don't, how do you get set up back in the US as one has to have a 'home' address there to get Advantage.  

Just curious if you would mind sharing the way you accomplish this...

Send me a PM if you wish....