# health insurance (international vs travel)



## cherylrad (Apr 30, 2013)

We will be moving to Mexico with our kids in July, and are exploring health insurance options. It seems that travel insurance is certainly an affordable option but only covers emergency-type issues. I have also looked into international insurance which is as expensive as our current US insurance. However, it looks like they actually COVER office visits and various types of medical care, unlike our current terrible insurance. We would only be returning to the US for a couple of weeks during the year.

So, I am wondering if anyone has used GeoBlue International Health Insurance (a branch of Blue Cross and Blue Shield)? Will doctors/hospitals on the Yucatan accept GeoBlue? Are there any downsides

I know that medical bills are much cheaper in Mexico, so perhaps the travel insurance is adequate. I'd appreciate your insight! What would you do with three young kids?

Thank you!


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## Longford (May 25, 2012)

1. Travel insurance isn't what you want.
2. If this were my move, I'd be focusing on coverages offered by healthcare insurance companies based in Mexico.


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## PanamaJack (Apr 1, 2013)

cherylrad said:


> We will be moving to Mexico with our kids in July, and are exploring health insurance options. It seems that travel insurance is certainly an affordable option but only covers emergency-type issues. I have also looked into international insurance which is as expensive as our current US insurance. However, it looks like they actually COVER office visits and various types of medical care, unlike our current terrible insurance. We would only be returning to the US for a couple of weeks during the year.
> 
> So, I am wondering if anyone has used GeoBlue International Health Insurance (a branch of Blue Cross and Blue Shield)? Will doctors/hospitals on the Yucatan accept GeoBlue? Are there any downsides
> 
> ...


I would try MEXICAN-INSURANCE-MEXICAN-HEALTH-INSURANCE for a Mexican based insurance. My family has been with them or their prior affliate for 30 years. Or try Cigna International Medical Insurance | Cigna Global Health Options


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## Hound Dog (Jan 18, 2009)

I would advise strongly against travel insurance as this product is meant for travelers and not foreign residents. Also, I suspect that claims may be dishonored.

We have been retired residents in Mexico since 2001 in both the Lake Chapala area and in the Chiapas Higlhlands. We have carried major madical insurance with AXA (originally ING) since 2002. We have had a couple of claims with them that were treated well and correctly. We also have automobile and two home insurance policies with them. Now, remember that health isurance m be renewable for life but it, obviously, becomes more expensive as one ages. I am now 71 and my wife is 66 and those premiums keep going up but listen to this; our monthly premium for unlimited major medical care in private rooms with top notch physicians is the equivalent of $500USD a month and for an HMO in California we today, at our age this would be unaffordable. Of course, we would now have Medicare there which would, presumably, get us into the charnal hoses for free so they could kill us at their leisure.


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## cherylrad (Apr 30, 2013)

Thanks for the advice, Hound Dog! Not sure if you and your wife travel to the US much but would you have any coverage there (US) if something were to happen while traveling?


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## Hound Dog (Jan 18, 2009)

_


cherylrad said:



Thanks for the advice, Hound Dog! Not sure if you and your wife travel to the US much but would you have any coverage there (US) if something were to happen while traveling?

Click to expand...

_We travel to France often to visit my wife´s relatives who live in many different towns there but mainly ini Paris, or the Loire Valley or other regional centers. We eally do not visit the U.S. anymore even though I have relataves in Alabama and we have friwnds in California.

Our AXA health insurance policy has overseas emergency health insurance coverage up to $50,000USD in any country on earth outside of Mexico but just to cover us for emergencies and transportation back to Mexico for continued medical care if we get sick but we don´t trust them so when we travel overseas we buy temporary travel health insurance but, frankly, we don´t trust those insurance companies either so those insurance policies are just for emergencies. 

We bought our health insurance policies when we were much younger and expetc they would turn us down today if we applied at our advanced ages. If you do not have insurance and live in Mexico you can always visit the hospitals for the financially destitute but bring your own toilet paper, a companion to wipe your butt, a change of underwear, some soap and a faith in the Lord Almighty whoever that may be for you.


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## FHBOY (Jun 15, 2010)

*Group Insurance*

There is a new development on insurance that has come to light here at Lakeside. It is catastrophic insurance offered to members of groups. The group rate keeps the premium low. When I say catastrophic I mean that you are on your own for the first $5,000 USD of hospital and medical bills, but after that your coverage kicks in up to $500,000 USD. One of the two programs offers cancer care and a $2,000 USD evac program to the USA/Canada.

This is NOT full coverage major medical...please be aware. To qualify you need to be a resident of Mexico, have a Permanente or Temporada visa; a verifiable home address here in Mexico.

It is not for everyone. Routine medical care is mostly a cash business here and it is, relative to the USA less expensive. One only begins to get concerned when those type of hospitalization, accident, etc etc things begin to add up. It has a 12 month waiting period for pre-existing conditions, (such as hospitalization due to complications from pre-existing high blood pressure during the first year - after that, you are covered) and if you are over 65 years of age, requires no blood tests.

If one can establish a de facto, or real, HSA of $5K or $10K USD, set aside knowing that this is your out of pocket, and then have the reassurance of the plan kicking in is a good deal. The carrier for the insurance is Best Doctors, a worldwide company, and the yearly premium for an individual is under $1,000 USD. Oh, and you can use the insurance anywhere in the world.

There are two website where you can obtain information. As we are not allowed to post links, you can PM me and I'll supply them.

(Disclaimer: I am not an insurance agent, physician or attorney and receive no benefit from any referrals. It just seems to me and SWMBO the best option over the $6,000 USD/year full coverage insurance.)


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## maesonna (Jun 10, 2008)

Here are some of the health care prices in my experience (Mexico City): GP visit – 30 to 200 pesos. Pediatrician – 100 to 300. Specialist (e.g. gynecologist, gasteroenterologist) – 500 pesos (plus the price of tests). Dental checkup – 600 pesos. I don’t remember how much fillings were –probably about 800 per tooth). Psychiatrist – 900 pesos (per hour). Veterinarian – 50 to 100 pesos (plus cost of medicine or vaccine).
So you can see that a catastrophic insurance that doesn’t pay routine visits is quite practical and reasonable to have. You really only need insurance for hospital stays and surgery (or perhaps also chronic conditions, depending on the cost of ongoing treatment and consultations).


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## maesonna (Jun 10, 2008)

Also, as others have mentioned, travel insurance isn’t appropriate for your family, because you are not traveling, you will be residents. This fact might even exclude you, depending on the terms.


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## Hound Dog (Jan 18, 2009)

It is important to know this. The reason one carries the expensive major medical insurance in Mexico is to cover the cateastrophic cost of major medical care. That´s the reason we have a deductible of some $35,000 MXN and never even use the insurance unless we have huge expensses related to such things as cancer surgery and pay out of pocket for ordinary medical care,


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## mickisue1 (Mar 10, 2012)

FHBoy, FWIW, that $2000 evac coverage MIGHT cover you riding in a media-van going to the US if you were gravely ill, and wanted to go there.

Again, assuming grave illness or accident, that $500K would be eaten up quickly here in the "Land of the Free".

$6000 a year seems cheap to me, to know that ALL my medical expenses over and above a reasonable amount are covered. Even in MX, long hospitalizations and the concomitant doctor bills and supplies (esp things like stents for cardiac issues, etc) will add up so quickly it will make your head spin.

Before you opt for that particular coverage, google the cost of care for various significant medical events in the place that you would likely want to be cared for. But sit down when you're reading the results.


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## cherylrad (Apr 30, 2013)

Wow! What a lot of help everyone has been. I really appreciate your perspectives and experiences! Thank you.


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## maesonna (Jun 10, 2008)

Also, looking back I recall that you also asked about coverage when traveling for visits back home. 

For that, I do get travel insurance because I would not otherwise be covered. It’s very inexpensive – for me it adds about $30 (dollars) to a two-week trip.


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## michmex (Jul 15, 2012)

maesonna said:


> Here are some of the health care prices in my experience (Mexico City): GP visit – 30 to 200 pesos. Pediatrician – 100 to 300. Specialist (e.g. gynecologist, gasteroenterologist) – 500 pesos (plus the price of tests). Dental checkup – 600 pesos. I don’t remember how much fillings were –probably about 800 per tooth). Psychiatrist – 900 pesos (per hour). Veterinarian – 50 to 100 pesos (plus cost of medicine or vaccine).
> So you can see that a catastrophic insurance that doesn’t pay routine visits is quite practical and reasonable to have. You really only need insurance for hospital stays and surgery (or perhaps also chronic conditions, depending on the cost of ongoing treatment and consultations).


An addendum to maesonnas costs. In 1997 during the time I was working here I was hospitalized with a very unusual illness that required numerous specialists and a 12 day stay in Hospital ABC in Mexico City. Although medical costs have increased since then, so has the exchange rate (7.8 - 8.0 MXN pesos per USD$). The cost for an office visit for specialists ranged from between$450 to $600 pesos. A 12 day stay at Hospital ABC was $103,300 pesos or about $8600 pesos a day. At the exchange rate back then it would have been a bit more than $1,000 USD$ per day for a private room with private bath, sofa bed, recliner, TV, phone, all medical supplies, all meds administered at the hospital - basically everything except tomography and laboratory tests. 

The exchange rate is now about 11.85 a 50% or so increase which would cover much of the increase in hospital expenses and doctor's fees.

Total costs for the 12 day hospital stay, all tomography and lab tests, 15 specialists including a 5 person neurosurgery team, a private nurse visiting twice a day for 2 weeks and many additional meds totaled just under $250,000 MXN pesos. Back in 1997 it was about $31,000. My insurance carrier reviewed the services provided, looked at the total cost and paid the claim in less than a week - no questions asked.

Medical costs in Mexico are a bargain compared to the USA. A insurance policy here that covers major medical or has a large deductible will offer most people adequate protection. A policy with a $500,000 USD$ limit as described by FHBOY would provide sufficient funds to cover just about anything except maybe multiple organ transplants here. Coverage for some may be available by utilizing IMSS or Seguro Popular programs that are government administered. Minor issues can be treated economically out of pocket. Drug costs here are also reasonable and may in some instances be the same or even less than co-pays in the USA.


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## Caribbean Cat (May 2, 2013)

Hi Cheryl, You definitely want a permanent policy, not a travel policy. There are international health insurance policies you can get that will not only cover you in Mexico but anywhere you travel in the world, including trips back to the U.S. If you go this route, you won't have to purchase travel policies for your family when you spend time in the states.


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## cherylrad (Apr 30, 2013)

Hi Caribbean Cat -

Thanks for your response. Are their reputable companies that you would recommend for this? I have been looking at AXA and IMG.

Thanks!



Caribbean Cat said:


> Hi Cheryl, You definitely want a permanent policy, not a travel policy. There are international health insurance policies you can get that will not only cover you in Mexico but anywhere you travel in the world, including trips back to the U.S. If you go this route, you won't have to purchase travel policies for your family when you spend time in the states.


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