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A Solution For Rising Medical Costs----go Overseas!
By www.menhealthonline.biz
Medicare is projected to be out of money in 2019, just at the peak time for retiring baby boomers. As to the reasons why, well if you were walking on the street and a piano fell on you from the third story, would you really care what brand it was? The question for boomers is what are they going to do? Even if Medicare doesn’t become extinct, boomers can expect they’ll have to pay. They’ll pay either with higher premiums, higher deductibles, or maybe having to wait until a later age to collect benefits. Maybe there will be a mandatory age of 70 for benefits for example. Of course, it’s all speculation what those provisions could be, but one thing for sure is this, things will be different. At 57, these concerns are not merely theoretical considerations, and it has forced me to investigate medical care in other countries as an option. I’m also self-employed, and even with a $5,000 deductible on my medical insurance, I’m paying about $4,000 a year. I have a friend who is 61 and his wife is my age. Even with a high deductible, they pay $22,000 a year. We’re all led to believe that the United States has the best medical care in the world, and that people who get treatment overseas only have to have it corrected when they return home. So what’s the truth of all this? If we compare the United States to Europe, Canada and Japan, one undeniable fact is that the United States lags well behind the leaders when it comes to infant mortality, overall life expectancy, and life expectancy at 65. In fact, on all three, the United States is actually lower than the average for the nations of the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development. Obviously it’s important to go beyond the statistics and this caused me to investigate medical care on two trips in the past year to Argentina. I know a woman who moved there from the San Francisco area about 3 years ago. She has unlimited medical care and pays about $1,500 a year which gives her unlimited access for doctors and dentists. On one of these trips, my girlfriend had a medical condition that required an endocrinologist. We were referred to a doctor who previously had lived in the United States, and in fact, taught at the University of California at San Francisco. This is one of the premier medical schools and hospitals in the US. This doctor wanted to return to Argentina where he could be a doctor again, instead of constantly doing daily battle with the insurance companies. Now
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I should mention that previous to this my girlfriend experienced nothing but frustration with the most prominent HMO in California. They were unable to arrive at a diagnosis as well. The doctor she saw in Buenos Aires saw her for 90 minutes. He ordered tests, and these were tests that were never ordered in the US. The doctor then followed up with her with several emails, explaining what was discovered and a course of treatment. Cost? The doctor charged a whopping $50. Tests? About $35. Did it work? Yes, not a miracle cure, but the problem was finally properly diagnosed and she did obtain relief. Also, I should mention this doctor routinely travels to the US and Europe to speak at medical conferences. In general, I found costs in Argentina were about 20-30% of what it would cost in the United States. So what lessons can be learned here? Depending on your condition, look at conferences that are given in the United States and Europe and where the doctors live that are presenting. You can reasonably assume that if a doctor is a featured speaker, he knows something. You can also contact the local US embassies and find out who they recommend for care. Lastly, here’s one of your best places to find answers. A number of insurance companies are now having major operations (like a heart by-pass) performed overseas. I recently read of a man in North Carolina who went to India as part of the company’s medical plan to have his heart operation. The lesson? The insurance companies have obviously done investigation beforehand, and you can use that to your advantage. So what countries should you consider? Well, Argentina, Brazil, Thailand, India, and Eastern Europe are known as major destinations for medical care. Brazil and Argentina are particularly known for plastic surgery. So, ask for references, of course, but your homework can pay off. Obtaining medical treatment overseas is certainly a realistic alternative, and considering the millions of Americans who don’t have any health insurance at all, a very option to consider. Robert Lansburg researches extensively issues confronting baby boomers. He originated http://www.retirementbulletinboard.com, an online community for boomers to share ideas and create new solutions as they enter retirement. His mission is so that a new generation can have a life that is more than early bird dinners and wearing matching cruise outfits.
Medications and prescription drug information for consumers and medical health professionals. The most popular drugs and their side effects.
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