It is true that as a retiree, folks need to stretch their dollars. People also want quality products and services. So how does one achieve both quality while not spending an arm and a leg (sorry, couldn't resist)? Well, if quality of healthcare is one of those non-negotiables, you may want to consider having a doctor where you can make regular visits in one of these countries.
Healthcare bills for retirees in
the US is one of the biggest expenses incurred in your “golden years”.
A fidelity study released last year
estimates that a healthy, 65-year-old couple will need $275,000 to cover their
healthcare costs in retirement—and that doesn’t include the cost of
over-the-counter medications, dental care, or long-term care.
But according to a recent survey,
there are places overseas where retirees can enjoy excellent-quality
healthcare—as good if not better than what they expect in the US for pennies on
the dollar.
International Living.com recently
compared and contrasted the benefits of life in the top 24 countries around the
world they recommend for an overseas retirement.
“In addition to a survey of
specific prices for a range of treatments, medications, and insurance, we also
take into account the ease with which expats can access care. In the
communities we recommend in all the nations that top our list, expats can find
excellent healthcare at prices as low as 50% or less of what they’d expect to
pay at home in the United States,” says International Living’s Executive
Editor, Jennifer Stevens.
Stevens discussed with Fox Business
the top 5 countries International Living recommends for retirees when it comes
to healthcare overseas – and why:
COSTA RICA
In Costa Rica,
modern, state-of-the-art healthcare is available almost everywhere. The United
Nations has ranked Costa Rica’s public health system within the top 20
worldwide and the number one in Latin America. The country provides universal
healthcare to its citizens and all legal residents—that means you, if you’re an
expat. International Living’s correspondent in the Central Valley, John Michael
Arthur, reports that he and his partner pay $82 a month as a couple to access
the country’s universal system—after that, all their care is covered and free.
In addition, there’s a private
system in which prices are about one-third of what they’d be in the U.S. As a
result, many expats use the public system as a failsafe—and then pay out of
pocket to physicians in the private system for regular visits, second-opinion
consultations, dental work, and so on.
MALAYSIA
In Malaysia, the
doctors typically speak English and most were trained in the UK, U.S., or
Australia so they are familiar with Western standards of care. Many of the
hospitals in Kuala Lumpur and Penang are Joint Commission International
accredited, meaning that they are considered to meet the global gold standard
in healthcare. Costs are much lower than what we’re used to in the U.S. If
you’re paying out-of-pocket, a first-time doctor or specialist visit usually
costs between $15 and $65 and follow-up visits are typically $11 to $28. An
overnight hospital stay will cost somewhere between $55 and $200 per night for
a private room.
COLOMBIA
The World Health
Organization (WHO) ranks Colombia’s healthcare system as 22 out of the 191
countries they review. (That is better than Canada at 30 and the U.S. at 37.)
The care is top notch and the price is a small fraction of what it would add up
to in the U.S. Co-pays for the public health plan are based on a
three-tiered system—the mid-range price is about $3—and apply to laboratory
tests, x-rays, and prescription medications. Private health insurance is an
option for people under the age of 60 as a supplemental plan to the EPS public
coverage. But many expats simply choose to pay for care out-of-pocket. Prices
for procedures, office visits, and medications are much lower than in the U.S.
For example, a one-hour consultation with a specialist costs about $50.
MEXICO
In Mexico, every
medium to large city has at least one first-rate hospital. Most doctors and
dentists in Mexico received at least part of their training in the U.S., so
they’re familiar with the care expats expect and they speak English.
International Living’s Mexico Editor, Glynna Prentice, says, “In Mexico, I have
access to two affordable healthcare systems: public and private. In Mexico’s
private healthcare system, costs—pretty much across the board—run 25% to 50% of
U.S. costs for comparable services. And as a legal resident in Mexico, I also
have access to Mexico’s public healthcare system, which runs most people around
$300 to $400 or so a year—or less,” says Prentice, one of an estimated 1
million Americans now living in Mexico.
Most common name-brand prescription
drugs are available in Mexico—at 25% to 50% less than what they cost north of
the border and generics are available for many off-patent drugs as well. Many
doctors routinely make house-calls and phone you to inquire about your health,
after treatment. In fact, many pharmacy chains provide a free physician whose
office is attached to the pharmacy. Simply walk in and pay nothing for a
consultation. And most medications do not require a prescription.
PANAMA
Panama provides good
quality, affordable healthcare with clinics and hospitals tactically located in
hubs across the country. Major facilities in Panama City are all affiliated
with sister facilities in the U.S., from the likes of Miami Children’s Hospital
(now Nicklaus Children’s) to Johns Hopkins International. And since the country
is so small, it’s unlikely retirees will be more than an hour from a modern
facility. “I’ve been in Panama for over ten years now and sometimes I forget
just how good we have it until I go back to the States and see some of the
prices,” says Jessica Ramesch, International Living Panama Editor.
“Though of course costs go up over
time—everywhere—I am still spending around 50% less on doctor’s consults and
dental appointments than my friends back in the States.
But you should know about the advantages of vitamin C and its ability to keep your body's stress levels in the normal range regardless of what you're going through. Most of us think that vitamin C is used for colds or when we're sick. But you also need vitamin C just to balance your health. Vitamin C is the great electron donor in the body. It has the ability to donate two electron molecules. What that means is that any malady that one experiences, ANY, is the result of atoms in the atomic structure of a virus or a bacteria is missing an electron. The missing electron causes illness, inflammation, aging, death, or any host of maladies. Got an injury? Get vitamin C in your body and get it regularly. Getting steady vitamin C into our systems has been a problem. In order to get blood serum levels of vitamin C up and keep the serum levels up throughout the day for steady protection, then we need to take 2 to 3 grams of vitamin C every 4 hours. If you want the benefits of vitamin C, then this is what you have to do. And the benefits of vitamin C will astound you; they shock me. Dr. Thomas Levy is the undeniable expert on the values and benefits of C. Find him at Peak Energy.
According to Dr. Levy, vitamin C
According to Dr. Levy, vitamin C
1. Is more effective than chemotherapy at ridding the body of cancer cells.
2. Vitamin C eliminates lead toxicity.
3. Levy calls vitamin C the muscle of the immune system.
4. Vitamin C reverses shingles.
5. Though I am not a big fan of vaccinations, Dr. Levy says that vitamin C augments the antibody response to vaccination.
Bill Sardi cites 60 reasons for you need vitamin C. A terrific list. I like #52:
Can’t stop eating? A lack of vitamin C (and zinc and vitamin A) are associated with low levels of leptin, a hormone that signals the body has had enough to eat (satiation).
This was fascinating. You can find this video on the landing page of his website.
2. Vitamin C eliminates lead toxicity.
3. Levy calls vitamin C the muscle of the immune system.
4. Vitamin C reverses shingles.
5. Though I am not a big fan of vaccinations, Dr. Levy says that vitamin C augments the antibody response to vaccination.
Bill Sardi cites 60 reasons for you need vitamin C. A terrific list. I like #52:
Can’t stop eating? A lack of vitamin C (and zinc and vitamin A) are associated with low levels of leptin, a hormone that signals the body has had enough to eat (satiation).
This was fascinating. You can find this video on the landing page of his website.
Though I've taken glutathione when my immunity has been shot, which is like once or twice in my lifetime, Dr. Levy says here that liposomal glutathione is the way to go to efficiently get glutathione into your cells. This is good to know. But it's not cheap. It's the cost of being and doing well.
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