# medicare



## ajijic (May 31, 2010)

I have lived here in Mexico for 10 years. Now it is time for me to get Medicare. I have a PO box in Tesas which forwards my mail here. Is this sufficient to qualify as a resident of the States? am willing to fly there if I need services. Also, I have a Mexican will and own property here. If I die, does it have to go through probate in a State?? Getting older is full of surprises and just gets complicated, eh?? Thanks for any advice!


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## pappabee (Jun 22, 2010)

ajijic said:


> I have lived here in Mexico for 10 years. Now it is time for me to get Medicare. I have a PO box in Tesas which forwards my mail here. Is this sufficient to qualify as a resident of the States? am willing to fly there if I need services. Also, I have a Mexican will and own property here. If I die, does it have to go through probate in a State?? Getting older is full of surprises and just gets complicated, eh?? Thanks for any advice!


Your Medicare premiums are deducted from your SS check. So long as your SS shows a US address there should be no problem. I have Medicare and have lived in Mexico for almost two years. I was told by SS that so long as my check is directly deposited in a US bank, I maintain a US address and remain a US Citizen there is no problem. You can sign up for Medicare on line so that part is easy. 

I'm sorry I can't offer any suggestions on the probate question.


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## makaloco (Mar 26, 2009)

Representatives of the US Foreign Benefits Unit (Mexico City and Guadalajara) were here in BCS recently for a meeting with beneficiaries. We were told that Social Security recipients using a US address will be subscribed automatically to Medicare Part B, with the premiums deducted from their SS payments, unless they take the initiative of opting out. Those using a Mexico address will be "invited" to subscribe to Part B and can choose to do so or not. All of us will be subscribed to Part A (hospitalization), which is free.

If you want to be sure about your status, you can contact the FBU in Guadalajara:
[email protected]
01 800 772-6394


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## FHBOY (Jun 15, 2010)

*More Detail*

Again, I am not too familiar and I believe about 4 years away from Medicare so I have a question. How does one maintain an US address even if I retire to Mexico, sell my home in the US and have no plans to return there?

The idea of having SS direct deposit to a US Bank is a good one, and then draw on it thru a ATM in Mexico, but does that account qualify as a US address for Medicare?

This opens are larger subject about health care in Mexico, I will look for t thread on that l8r.


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## pappabee (Jun 22, 2010)

FHBOY said:


> Again, I am not too familiar and I believe about 4 years away from Medicare so I have a question. How does one maintain an US address even if I retire to Mexico, sell my home in the US and have no plans to return there?
> 
> The idea of having SS direct deposit to a US Bank is a good one, and then draw on it thru a ATM in Mexico, but does that account qualify as a US address for Medicare?
> 
> This opens are larger subject about health care in Mexico, I will look for t thread on that l8r.


There are many different services that will give you an American address and forward your mail to you in Mexico. Mail Box Etc. is just one. You should have a US address on your US bank account in order to use it as an accepted US address. As another poster stated, you don't need a US mail address to qualify for Medicare. You get it merely by being a US Citizen. It's one of the joys of being a citizen, like taxes, the cost of food and gas and the total economic mess. :clap2:


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

As long as you qualify for Medicare (i.e. have the necessary 40 quarters of service and payment into the system), you can enroll, no matter where you are resident in the world.

Part A is, I believe, free of additional charges. Parts B through D are not, and chances are, you may not want to enroll for those parts if you're not planning on returning to the US for medical treatment. Medicare does not cover any medical treatment or services outside the US, except for emergency care in hospitals in Mexico and Canada that are within a few miles of the US border.

Not sure how they do it in Mexico, but over here in France, they recommend that you make an appointment with the Social Security office at the US Consulate about 6 months before you turn 65, and bring a copy of your birth certificate. They can enroll you in whichever of the Medicare programs you want at that time so that coverage will kick in on your 65th birthday with no problems.

But you don't need to maintain any sort of US address solely to receive Medicare benefits or enroll in the various fee-paying programs.
Cheers,
Bev


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## Jim45D (May 27, 2011)

*I love it PapaBee*



pappabee said:


> There are many different services that will give you an American address and forward your mail to you in Mexico. Mail Box Etc. is just one. You should have a US address on your US bank account in order to use it as an accepted US address. As another poster stated, you don't need a US mail address to qualify for Medicare. You get it merely by being a US Citizen. It's one of the joys of being a citizen, like taxes, the cost of food and gas and the total economic mess. :clap2:


This is three of the reasons I want to get out of here as soon as possible. I hope sometime in November or December. The last three you mentioned.....TAXES, FOOD, & GAS. Not to say that Mexico is much cheaper on gas. I know they sell by the litre, but the other two are winners.


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## ajijic (May 31, 2010)

*Medicare*



pappabee said:


> Your Medicare premiums are deducted from your SS check. So long as your SS shows a US address there should be no problem. I have Medicare and have lived in Mexico for almost two years. I was told by SS that so long as my check is directly deposited in a US bank, I maintain a US address and remain a US Citizen there is no problem. You can sign up for Medicare on line so that part is easy.
> 
> I'm sorry I can't offer any suggestions on the probate question.


Thanks for responding. We also have our bank account there, but only hold a PO Box to have our mail forwarded here. Must I have a physical address?


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## pappabee (Jun 22, 2010)

ajijic said:


> Thanks for responding. We also have our bank account there, but only hold a PO Box to have our mail forwarded here. Must I have a physical address?


You don't need a US address to get Medicare. You need to qualify for it: enough time into the system, your age and your US citizenship. You also need to either pay for part B or decline it. If you are getting SS then you can apply for part B and have the costs taken directly out of you SS income. (you get part A as soon as SS realizes your age). They do it that way to be sure they get their money first.

No where does it state that you must reside in the US to qualify. A call to SS can answer all your questions.


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## joaquinx (Jul 3, 2010)

FHBOY said:


> How does one maintain an US address even if I retire to Mexico, sell my home in the US and have no plans to return there?


Use the address of a friend or relative with their permission, of course. That's what I use for my bank as US banks really like for you to have an US address. If you give SS a Mexican address, they will yearly send you a form to fill out and return. If you don't return the form, they can terminate your monthly check/direct deposit.


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