Glenn's split RETIREMENT

[Mountain_gal]

Well, this is eye opening for me. Since I am just about to retirement (but not yet eligible for Medicare), I have a lot to learn. Here is a URL that lays out the (very) limited conditions under which U.S. Medicare pays for foreign medical treatment.
http://www.medicare.gov/Pubs/pdf/11037.pdf

 

[Brian B-P]

Great in theory, but for those of us in the frozen north, the cost of medical insurance to head south in the winter is prohibitive. My dad was looking at $1,400 for two weeks coverage for a trip to Hawaii.
Another relative has a winter home in Palm Springs that they can't afford to visit.
Don't get me wrong, but when you are 50 years old and wearing rose coloured glasses, you should probably take them off once in a while.

My retired Ontario-based parents spent 3 or 4 months each year in Florida, quite affordably, for a stretch of several years during their retirement (in their 70's); they rented a place, but a trailer would have worked, too. Most of my aunts and uncles wintered in the U.S. for a few years of their retirement, mostly in Arizona, some in RVs.

But yes, that ended for my parents when medical conditions made the requisite travel insurance prohibitive for one of them. In later years - and maybe not so late depending on medical adventures - the Escape will likely be only for summer use for most Canadians.

When I retired close to 10 years ago, my goal was to be retired longer than the time worked!! Simple. Both my parents did it, my Mom is 94 and still alive.

That's a great goal, and many do it. On the other hand, if we are all unproductive for a couple of decades until our first real job, then only work for 35 years, then are retired for another 35 (for a total 90-year lifespan), then only about one-third of the population is actually working. Are we really working hard enough in that time for this to be sustainable? Has this ever worked in human history? I doubt it - and I think exploring the reason it seems to work now is a socio-political discussion that does not belong in this forum.

That said, When I did retire the mortality table which run insurance and pension calculations seem to indicate my like span was 20 years after retirement. I hope they are incorrect.

That's essentially the same information which I paraphrased from a retirement planning book in my earlier post. It makes sense, since only a small fraction of us will live to anything like 94 years old.

 

[Brian B-P]

Canadians cannot be reimbursed for medical care if out of the country? Even emergency treatment? You would have to have private insurance for that?

Yes, essentially. Canadian government health plans fund Canadian hospitals - they're not set up to pay massive bills from foreign facilities. I'll avoid the politics of that - it's just a reality for context when travel planning.

Many of us - like Donna - have employer-provided travel medical insurance; mine covers up to 45 days at a time outside of Canada. For this reason, there is something to be said for traveling across the border on working-era vacations, then sticking with exploring one's own country in retirement.

 

[Brian B-P]

A lot of people don't realize that they need travel medical insurance for 'out of province' trips as well, since medical is a provincial responsibility.

Yes, but the provinces have reciprocal coverage agreements, so you are still covered while temporarily visiting in another province. Out-of-province insurance is privately available, and it is cheap because there's not much to cover. Go ahead - visit those grandchildren on the other side of the country!

Alberta: AHCIP coverage within Canada
British Columbia: Medical Care Outside British Columbia

 

[gbaglo]

The site you link to for BC says, in part:

"B.C. residents are strongly advised to purchase additional health insurance when travelling to other Canadian provinces to cover the cost of services not included in the reciprocal agreement between provinces".

Watched a show the other day on how cost of ambulance varies from province to province. My recollection is it costs about $84 in BC and $800 in another province. Air ambulance would cost thousands. Such coverage is really quite cheap.

 

[kevin-ESC]

Very interesting topic. Wish I lived in Canada. My health cost are north of 500 a month but it is what it is. I plan to work 10 more years then get out of the business I will never be able to not work but at least I find something I can enjoy I am looking forward to putting in an order for an escape in next few weeks As the movie quote goes get busy living or get busy dying. Life is just too short Looking forward to meeting someone of you in next in next few years what a great group of people

 

[Brian B-P]

The site you link to for BC says, in part:

"B.C. residents are strongly advised to purchase additional health insurance when travelling to other Canadian provinces to cover the cost of services not included in the reciprocal agreement between provinces".

Watched a show the other day on how cost of ambulance varies from province to province. My recollection is it costs about $84 in BC and $800 in another province. Air ambulance would cost thousands. Such coverage is really quite cheap.

Sure... but if you're in a province with $800 ambulance rides, you hardly need to buy insurance to be in a place with $84 ambulance rides... especially since the provincial health care plan doesn't cover that ride at all in most provinces, so it isn't really a health insurance difference. The B.C. web site seems somewhat alarmist to me, but if you do take their advice, I agree that the travel insurance is cheap (at least compared to insurance for international travel).

B.C. cheats the reciprocal agreements by saying that ambulance costs are not covered by health care, then covering the cost for everyone with B.C. health care. Fortunately the hospital visit at the end of the ambulance trip we needed in B.C. was fully covered by Alberta Health Care.

 

[Ian G]

To my Canadian friends look into travel health plans. We are on a plan that guarantees us the ability to travel internationally until we are 80, we pay a monthly fee which if we don't make a claim in 10 years we get a 50% refund of our premiums. As Brian mentioned our parents had similar experiences with travel insurance becoming too expensive after they suffered from a few health concerns.

 

[gbaglo]

I took the BCAA health questionnaire with me on a visit to the doctor, looking for help in ensuring that I filled it in correctly. I was willing to pay, if necessary, which I wasn't.
And, even the doctor had difficulty interpreting some of the questions. A wrong answer could result in a claim denial.
Aren't I full of cheer?

 

[rbryan4]

Very interesting topic. Wish I lived in Canada. My health cost are north of 500 a month but it is what it is. I plan to work 10 more years then get out of the business I will never be able to not work but at least I find something I can enjoy I am looking forward to putting in an order for an escape in next few weeks As the movie quote goes get busy living or get busy dying. Life is just too short Looking forward to meeting someone of you in next in next few years what a great group of people

Likewise Kevin. Hope to meet you too.

 

[Mike Lewis]

Canadians: I recall reading that your government-funded health insurance is based upon your province, and that you have to be able to prove that you reside in your home province for at least six months out of the year in order to qualify for coverage. Is that correct?

 

[dspratley]

My wife and I have employer paid health benefits and have decided to purchase additional coverage for our 5 days in California. While our employer paid plan covers the basics, it does not cover repatriation in the event one of us needed to be transported back to our home under medical care via plane, etc. While highly unlikely will need it, something like this could be very expensive. I think perhaps on both sides of the border most private and public health plans do not cover repatriation without additional fees.

 

[float5]

Sounds as if the Canadian health system is the same as Medicare when out of country, namely, neither pays anything, so you have to have a supplement or a private policy. I was wondering if Canada was different.

That is worse for Canadians because Americans have private insurance to 65 (and often after) and it usually covers out of country medical as some have mentioned with theirs. So I guess Canadians are aware that they have to get a special policy for travel at any age. I wonder how many leave and do not realize that. Americans, on the other hand, may leave the country after age 65 and not realize that Medicare does not cover them, especially if they just go over the border to Mexico or Canada.

 

[Jim Bennett]

Aren't I full of cheer?

No worries, I don't think anyone is accusing you of that. ;D

 

[float5]

My wife and I have employer paid health benefits and have decided to purchase additional coverage for our 5 days in California. While our employer paid plan covers the basics, it does not cover repatriation in the event one of us needed to be transported back to our home under medical care via plane, etc. While highly unlikely will need it, something like this could be very expensive. I think perhaps on both sides of the border most private and public health plans do not cover repatriation without additional fees.

And what you mention is why Americans who travel often get travel insurance especially when going overseas. Probably many do not get it for land border crossings but they can be out just the same.

 

[alan in alberta]

but for those of us in the frozen north,

Really North Van the frozen north that is hilarious

 

[Brian B-P]

...That is worse for Canadians because Americans have private insurance to 65 (and often after) and it usually covers out of country medical as some have mentioned with theirs.

Very many Canadians have private insurance as well to cover things not covered by government plans (such as prescription drugs, dental care... and out-of-country coverage). Because it is usually through our employers, we tend to lose coverage in retirement... although some retirement benefits include medical coverage (at least in-country).

 

[gbaglo]

Half of my basic medical is covered by my former employer ( because it is a benefit won by the union I belonged to ). So, I pay $720 a year and the company the same.
When I retired, I lost the company extended health and dental plan and I pay that myself - $290 a month.
So, medical isn't free up here, but at least we don't pay $300 for a Zip-lock baggie with a couple BandAids and some ointment ( the charge a co-worker was billed in Arizona when he went to a clinic for an ingrown toenail ). He was reimbursed by extended health.

 

[thoer]

I just had surgery on two fingers that had "trigger finger" (essentially carpal tunnel of the finger) It is outpatient and very minor, a small cut is made, the band encasing the tendon is snipped and it's sewn back up. The surgery itself last about 10-15 minutes. The hospital bill before insurance discount was $16,000. Luckily I have insurance that paid most of that ridiculous bill.

 

[vermilye]

You do have to watch ambulance rides in the US as well. I've had two of them, the first a helicopter between Nantucket Island & Boston (around 80 miles) - $13,634.00. The second was a standard ambulance from Buckskin Mountain State Park to Parker AZ, (13.4 miles) - $1640.73. I'm awfully glad my insurance covered most of each.