Do you need Medicare Part B if you are retiring in the Philippines?
Vložit
- čas přidán 29. 08. 2024
- Visit my Channel URL for more related videos. Here’s the link: / @vloggergrandpa2707
If retiring in the Philippines, and you do not need insurance at all, you can opt out of being insured under Part B of Medicare. However, before doing so, you must be absolutely certain that you will not need that insurance. This is covered in this video.
Totally agree with your plan to keep part B. Healthcare in the US is still the best!
lady bug who said that?
I am an American living in the Philippines and I went the same route as you. I have part B and the advantage plan for my annual visit to the US. Likewise, if something serious happens, I will move back to the US to be treated. In the Philippines I live in the province where medical is not as good as Manila so I need part B.
It would not be wise to drop part B even if you have no plan to move back to states.
Why is that, Gary, unless you have Medicare Advantage? If you have no plan to go back to the U.S., and you have no U.S. address, and you have no plans to access medical care in Guam or Hawaii, what good is Medicare for?
@Philippine Retirement & Travels how about Part D do you also have it?
Part D is for prescription drugs. Normally, I would. But since I have Medicare Advantage, it includes drug coverage and I do not have to pay for that.
@@vloggergrandpa2707 My exact thoughts. The amount saved by rescinding Medicare part B can be used to kick-start a savings account to help fund future medical expenses incurred . Every little bit helps..
I enjoy your clear and direct approach. Most informative and easy to understand. No just this video but all the ones that I seen so far. Thank you for taking the time to helping those thinking of traveling to the Philippines for retirement, extended stays or even short visits.
I’ve shared several of you videos with friends from Philippines and some who frequent there periodically.
Great video. The wife and I have SRRV here and medicare B plus medigap from united health care. ONE THING: To have medicare B, you may have to have a USA address for your social security. Although I had a US address when I originally obtained medicare B, my wife did not. With a Philippine address on her social security, they did not send her the Medicare B application. After many calls back and forth, they refused and said we had to have a USA address (you know, they think "for" us, knowing the medicare does not pay over here...they should stop thinking lol). So, we gave our US address (son's address which we use for other things like drivers licenses etc.) and now we are covered. Actually we just returned from a USA visit and both of us just ourused medicare B for doctor's visits, pneumonia and flu shots and outpatient things. And as we all know, care in the USA really top notch!
Medigap is Supplemental Plan, right? Are you covered while in the Philippines? Supplemental Plans don't usually cover you for more than 60 or 90 days, sort of like a Travel Plan. You might want to look into Medical Advantage Plan, but be sure that it does cover you overseas. I know that United Health does. This way you will have coverage in the U.S. and Philippines.
@@vloggergrandpa2707 Yes, I was interested in that piece of information on your video! We were not aware of that possibility. Medigap is the standard health plan offered by insurers that covers most of the 20% that Medicare B does not cover; the government has standardized them into certain designations like plan N (with deductible) and plan F (no deductible) etc..I never knew that some Advantage plans covered clients overseas. Advantage is a totally different plan that I thought covered you in a certain USA geographic region by certain by HMOs, like Humana, with more coverage and low/no deductibles, which is great if you live in a certain USA locale most of the time. My dad used to use Humana Gold that covered him ib South Florida but only for crtain doctors and hospitals. Outside your region you are covered only through lots of paperwork etc.. if you are on a trip, but, I thought, only in the USA.. I am thinking that we may choose treatment in places like Guam or California as well as our home state. But if it covers overseas we might very well choose it. We need to look into that overseas coverage. Right now, we self-insure and pay into the higher price version of PhilHealth for foreigners that has much lower coverage than Filipino citizens get; at least it can get you into the hospital in an emergency. The plan would be to get the emergency treatment done here (heart attack etc.) but do the long treatment in the USA (like heart bypass, heart valve bypass etc.). The idea of insuring here with Pacific Cross on their Peso Plan for example is not worth it to us, considering the low coverage limits and the fact that you must pay the hospital on then Pacific Plan reimburses you later on (for people over 65). But there are many ins and outs and anybody reading this comment should PLEASE investigate the situation for themselves because things can change quickly, I may not have the latest information and I am far from being an insurance expert.
@@vloggergrandpa2707 Medigap does not cover us here unless we are on a trip in which case we might have coverage for 30-60 das as you say.
Be careful when you talk to insurance agents. Eight out of ten agents I talked to did not know about overseas coverage. Then while walking around the mall in Seattle, I talked to a United Health agent who told me that the Advantage Plan has overseas coverage for "emergency" treatment, except that you have to pay first then seek reimbursement, just like Pacific Plan. So you have to have the money to pay out of pocket first. When I called Humana (my current Advantage insurance), they told me that I almost have to go to the Emergency Room to be covered. Of course, I plan to see my personal doctor and pay for it for routine stuff like headache, quarterly blood work and routine medical consultation and examination, etc. I will only go to the Emergency Room for life threatening illnesses. Then I plan to do my annual medical and get my medications in the U.S. There are several Advantage Plans and be sure you check the fine prints because agents know only what is most commonly sold in the U.S., which is for U.S. residents. Also, Advantage Plans are like HMO. Your coverage is limited to participating doctors and hospitals in your specific, except for "emergency" situations (just like when you're in the Philippines or traveling around the U.S.).
Any retired military would have to have part B in order to keep their Tricare policy to have the Tricare Overseas coverage.
Yes
Keeping part B gives me the opportunity to come back to US from the Philippines for any serious treatment/operation which Philhealth will not provide.
Thank you much. You are helping a lot of pinoys near their retirement age.
I dropped part B this year. After two years here in the Philippines, paying for Medicare is an absolute waste of money. I will not return to the States. I am (as of 2024) a 57 year old man on SSDI.
However, do NOT count on that extra money as bonus money or fun money. I put every dollar of what I'd pay in premiums into an emergency medical fund. I pay for normal medicines, visits and other needs out of pocket and it so far always been cheaper than the copays with Medicare. Barring an emergency, in five years I will have over $10,000 additional in my emergency fund and that alone will cover most incidents in the Philippines, short of cancer or kideny failure type issues.
Again though, I have NO SUPPORT system remaining in the US. I would be totally alone if I had to return. So it's a choice to stay and if it's my time to go, then it's just time. But I'm done wasting money to a program that gave me nothing but grief for over five years.
Happy New years to one of my favorite shows
Most Advantage plans require you to live in the USA coverage area for 6 months out of the year. I just went through a nightmare just by adding a Philippines PO Box address to my Social Security account.
Always check with an expert in Medicare. Never take the opinion of anyone that isn't an expert before making a decision.
Thanks, I needed that info for my Japanese wife and myself here in Japan where we will stay till the end 👼🏻
Thanks Mr Dan for the info 😊 That will help me on my future plans to retire in the Philippines.
Thanks for the info I’m retiring soon & I decided to stay in the Philippines completely
Most definitely would keep my Part B sir. Better to be safe than sorry, great informational video.
You are very helpful. Thank you.
You cannot use SSDI in the Philippines only in the USA. The health care in the Philippines is terrible.
Thank you for your informative video as usual. Best Regards.
Thanks for the informative video!
Great info. Thanks
Great topic. I am foregoing part b to save some $140 a month. No kids, no reason to return to US.
Me too. I will get philhealth when I move to PI with my wife. Get a separate savings account that is for medical and emergencies. Put at least the $140.00 in the savings.
Same here, thought it might be mandatory
How do I opt out of Part B. I'm married and living full time in the Philippines. Also, I have access to Indian healthcare because I'm part Choctaw.
I follow your vlogg. I am very much interested about the insurance scenario . Planned on traveling to the Phil. after
the Pandemic. I do have a sister and I share what info you pass along. thank you. I agree, get an insurance that works for the indiviidual. I have an Anthem Blue Cross , which is different from United health and the other companies you had mentioned. Maraming salamat po.
Update of the sister and the deceased bro inlaw . She [sis] and her sister in law were then released from the hotel after taking the Swab after 9 days.They filled up a ton of papers . Bro in law was buried yesterday . Lots of hoops to
get . The U.S. and the Philippines were very helpful working safely to transfer the remains of the deceased. The Philippine government and health departments worked with the family to bring the remains safely home. He[remains] waitedf for the wife to arrived after the quarantine.
The process of submitting reimbursements for an emergency treatment overseas under a Medicare Advantage plan may not be as simple as the salesman may make it sound (“Don’t worry, just pay for emergency treatment and file for reimbursement”) This is based on the experience of my compadre with an Advantage provider in California, so it might be a different situation with other providers.
First, he found out you cannot file for reimbursement online. Even the form itself is not available for download and can only be obtained at their office. So, you can only file when you are back in the US.
Or you can have a friend or relative file for you. But original receipts and paperwork are required, and the Philippine postal service is notoriously unreliable. If you want to ensure that your receipts/paperwork arrive, you will have to avail of expensive couriers, like Fedex or UPS. So, my compadre just decided to file when he was back in California.
Upon initial submission, he was informed that his receipts alone were not sufficient. They needed other supporting documents like doctor’s notes, etc., to ensure that it was indeed an emergency. He had to ask one of his relatives in PHL to get the required documentation from the hospital. It took more than a month, which is not surprising if you are familiar with how slow things are processed in PHL. And then he ended up with paying expensive Fedex international fees to get those additional documents over to California.
The moral of the story: get details from your Advantage provider on exactly how overseas emergency treatment are reimbursed and what kind of supporting documents are required to file a claim.
Actually, I was told the same thing. It's not as simple as getting the receipts. Everything has to be complete including doctor's diagnosis, treatments made, etc. If documents are complete, one viewer said that Humana paid 100% of all his expenses. This is why I do not plan to take advantage of this coverage for minor illnesses. You'll just spend more. I would just reserve it for major illnesses, and paying FedEx or DHL, I guess, will be worth it. Thank you very much for sharing your information. By the way, do you know the insurance company that your compadre is using?
Philippine Retirement & Travels I can’t remember; might have been SCAN or UHC. I will ask him when I return to California. I’m in PHL at the moment.
Salamat Po
My Medicare part b will be around $180 a month due to my past income
You do need to pay for it but cant use it there ,but can use it in Guam .
That's what i heard .
You will pay a penalty if you discontinued the b part.
.
the problem with that is most services in Guam will not let you use their services until absolute emergency. Their attitude is if you don't live in Guam you can always return to the homeland because the resources in Guam is finite.
This is my first time seeing your channel, and I subscribed. I have another question about this Medicare part B business. What if you drop part B when you move to the PI, then 20 years later, you move back permanently to the USA. I heard somewhere you are then penalized for not being continuously part B prescribed, and don't get the sweet deal on prescription drugs. Do you know about this?
That is absolutely correct. You can re-join Part B but with some penalty depending on the number of yours you are out of Part B coverage. Prescription is not covered by Medicare, but you can get an Advantage plan that could include coverage for prescription drugs. Supplemental plans usually does not include drugs, but you can buy a separate policy for that.
The penalty is VERY big. Just Google it for details. But it's true.
@@tomgolab3958yes 10% for each month missing, so not paying 3 years that is %360 penalty+monthly payment. And it carries to the last breath.
Hi! My mom will be going to canada to visit her grandson for 6 months, she has humana advantage plan. Do u suggest that we have to buy travel insurance? I know from your vlog that shes covered overseas but have to reimburse later. 2nd question is , does she has to go back here in the u.s. after 6 months? Because she’s planning to go back philippines for 6 months to take a vacation. Thanks and more power to you!
First, check with your insurance since policies are different even with the same company. Do not assume that your policy will cover her even if you have Humana. Second, she has to maintain residence in the U.S. Generally, she is allowed to be away for 6 months.
Do you know sir, if your on SSDI are you required to keep part B? Because it’s just cheaper here to buy medication and see a Doctor. I know about the penalty if a person tries to get it later on. Asking about SSDI only and the SSA can’t seem to know.
As far as I know, Part B is strictly optional.
I have part a only,vI retired in the Philippines, i recently had cataract surgery will medicare Part A covers the surgery? Thank you Arturo
You can always fly to guam for hospital trratment
But I heard that St. Lukes Hospital is better than Guam. In fact, St. Lukes Hospital have patients being referred to them by Guam. On minor stuff, yes you can go to Guam for treatment so you will be covered by your US insurance if that is what is required.
Hi Sir, just want to clarify: plan B is mandatory, BUT I can discontinue this.
The reason I asked is because my retirement is in the process. So, plan B should be added as it is mandatory? And then, I can discontinue it afterwards?
If yes, how long should I wait to discontinue it?
Thanks again…
Francis
Plan B is NOT mandatory. You can discontinue it right away. However, if you discontinue it and later you want to sign up again, there will be a penalty depending on how long you were out of the program. That penalty, in form of higher premium, will be for life. Thus, if you have no plans of ever using it, go ahead and don't enroll in Plan B.
@@vloggergrandpa2707 now it’s confirmed, I can take my payment without Plan B deduction. I’ll just need to refuse it.
Thank you Sir. I learned and still learning a lot from you…
Sir, my husband pension is only 394/ month. He will be 65 this coming july. If he will take part b . He will pay 144.00 each month. Only 250. Left of his sss pension.if he decide not to take part b. Is he intitled of part A medical? He is also a veterans. What can you advice? Decline medicare, so 144.00 $ will not be deducted from his sss pension. I hope i will hear from you, so we can make our decision. Thank you.
I am not familiar with Veteran benefits. I understand that they have pretty good medical benefits but I'm not familiar with the requirements. Check that out first before you drop Part B. Also, Part A is free and paid for by the government, while Part B is paid by you as you know. Then again, only 80% of both Part A and Part B will be covered. You are responsible for the 20% balance. That's why most people buy either a Supplemental insurance or Advantage insurace. That subject is covered in one or more of my vlogs. Here's the link to my channel. czcams.com/channels/YU70S4jYvhw0BOetMFdD6A.htmlvideos Hope this helps.
Yes I wonder if $140.per month can buy more insurance in the Philippines than Part b in the US of A
@Jonathan Blees Well, you can try and let me know what you find out. Just be sure you know the coverage such as maximum amount covered, co-pay and deductible. If it's like Obamacare, they say you have coverage and you do get an card that you are insured, but the co-pay is so high that no one can actually afford to pay it except for those who are really in poverty. So, does that really give you insurance? Those things will need to be considered when evaluating policies rather than just the monthly premium. The last time I checked, the premium in the Philippines is higher *_relative to the benefit_* they're giving you.
Grand pa , this is my question if a person filed a dual citizenship do they need to inform uscis ?
@Marilou Tangalin No reporting required.
My friend, 83 yrs old, a phil-born US citizen & is not dual, has been "stranded" in Bulacan for over 7 months now due to covid-19. Has she overstayed? What's the penalty? Thank you.
Well, I think COVID-19 did not start 7 months ago. My guess is that he overstayed due to this. Just my guess.
Hi I am planning to be dual. Cetirizine in the Philippines but still working in USA. Would that be an issue for me?would that effect anything?
No. You can be a dual citizen and work full time in the U.S. or while you are still young.
@@vloggergrandpa2707 Hello Sir, I'd like to ask if you have a video blog about traveling with dual citizenship passport. From U.S to the Philippines. Thank you!
Here it is: czcams.com/video/ZN0dQ69AiaA/video.html
Thank you so much for all your information. Do you know of the SRRV ?
Yes, here's a link about SRRV: czcams.com/video/YSo-X64lA1Y/video.html . You can also search "Philippine Retirement & Travels" on CZcams to see 70+ videos, mostly about retirement. Philippine Retirement & Travels.
When I received my US Passport after US Naturalization . I did not renew my expired Philippine passport , it’s corner a cut to by the US passport agency. Do you know if I need to renew the Philippine passport first or will it be handled after completion of dual citizenship application process ?
It's because that passport is no longer good. You have to apply for new passport after getting your dual citizenship. Allow 90 days from application for passport because that's how long it takes. 🙂
Thank you, this answers my question.
Any suggestions advantage plan insurance cover overseas
You have to do your homework. But you can start with Humana, United Health and Kaiser Permanente. Be sure to get and read the policy, and keep in mind that *_many of their own agents are not aware of the worldwide coverage_* .
Sir,, what is the best in part B ?? Advantage plan or supplement plan??
Here's my Channel URL where you will find topics that talk about Part A, Part B, Supplemental and Advantage Plans. Hopefully, this will answer your question. czcams.com/channels/YU70S4jYvhw0BOetMFdD6A.htmlvideos
Can you use your Medic Aid and Medicare any part A & B etc in Africa
If not how do you make it work with private or government hospitals
So, did i understand correctly, that once Medicare Supplemental Plan B is cancelled or discontinued, you can not get back in?
You can go back in but there is a penalty. And, penalty will be lifetime. For example, if you are now paying $170 per month (deduction from social security benefit), if you get out and come back depending on how many years you were out, you may be paying, say, $300 per month and that will be for the rest of your life.
@@vloggergrandpa2707 thank you
Penalty is 10% per year up to a max of 50%
$170->$187/month ... $170->$255/month which is still not that much if you have to bail from wherever and go back to the US.
5 years = 60 months => 60*$170 = $10,200 which is 40 months to break even with the unpaid premiums.
You can get an advantage plan that will pay you back so that the monthly cost is low - say $50 month on your end.
From what I can see is getting a refunding advantage plan would probably be the thing that enables most options for the various eventualities of life for not too much cost.
Kuya, ask ko lang po! Kung May ChampVA po ba kelangan ko pa po ba kumuha ng health insurance sa bago kong trabaho? May message po sila sakin sabi “if you are eligible for med part A, you must enroll part B to remain for ChampVA” Ano po ibig sabihin nila? Meron po ba kau email add
Sorry, I'm not familiar with ChampVA. You way want to check with Veterans Affairs.
GOOD afternoon. Tanong ko lang kung saang hospital inaaccept ang HUMANA insurance dito sa pilipinas
Nowhere! MOST hospitals do not accept Medical Insurance, maybe with the exception of local insurance companies. Some don't even accept PhilHealth because they are delinquent in paying the hospitals. Maybe that problem is fixed now. I'm not sure.
@@vloggergrandpa2707 Its worse, and the costs even for the Filipinos have quadrupled as compared to couple of years ago.
What about Phil-health? What does it cover?
Here's a link regarding this: czcams.com/video/Rtt4rKDunz4/video.html
@@vloggergrandpa2707 Thanks Danny.
THIS IS A VERY GOOD QUESTION WITH RESPECTED TO FOREIGNERS RETIRING IN THE PHILIPPINES AND I HAVE NOT SEEN IT DISCUSSED ANYWHERE.
The premium AMOUNT AND TYPE of coverage depends up whether or not you are a Philippine citizen. If you are a foreigner retiring here on an SRRV or have a 13a permanent resident visa through marriage, you are eligible to obtain PhilHealth at MUCH higher premiums. While the average Filipino citizen pays about 2500 pesos per year, the SRRV or 13a non-Filipino pays 15000 and 17000 pesos annually, respectively. For the average Filipino that is a lot of money, however, for the average US retiree that is still very inexpensive at USD $300-$340 per YEAR. The problem is the difference in coverage; while expats pay much more, they cannot receive so called "Z-Benefits"; only Filipino PhilHealth members are eligible for the Z-Benefit Package which is "offered to PhilHealth members to address health conditions that trigger prolonged hospitalization and very expensive treatments.
Why "Z"? PhilHealth classifies disease conditions from type A (the simplest and cheapest) to type D (the more severe and costly).
Conditions under type Z, the farthest end of the spectrum, are cases "perceived as economically and medically catastrophic" due to the seriousness of the case."
Clearly the vast delta in wealth between the average Filipino and the average expat is being used to help subsidize the system. This is not a bad thing and it is still a good thing to have. For an example, if you have an emergency and you don't happen to have 10000 pesos in your pocket, a PhilHealth card will probably be enough to get admitted into the hospital. I don't mind the extra money spent for premiums but I wish there were a way to buy into the Z-benefit package even at a much higher premium.
Agreed! I don't know why that is. Also, I can't seem to find anywhere comprehensive information as to the limits on coverage.
@@danluzurriaga6035 I've heard that if my Philippine wife signs up for philhealth I am automatically covered, because I am married to a Filipina.
What happened when I signed up for my SS I was 66 I got 100% I am 68 now . I was told Medicare wasn't no good in the Philippines .
I new I was going to stay here because I was leaving here sense 2004 .
On thing I learned quick . Man signing for SS I the Philippines is a Joke . Talking about BS .
First off they need a born american there.
I had to start another bank account just for ss
So every month I take the SS money and move it to our Joint account .
I want Medicare why pay for something you cant use.
I my family is self insured for Million Pesos in our medical investment
You will continue to get your SS in the Philippines. Also, although medicare can't be used in the Philippines, you must look into Advantage Plans that collects money from medicare. Those can be used in the Philippines for "emergency" treatments only, not routine medical care. Also, you have to have the money to pay for it first, then file a claim. If you have no money, it's a problem just the same. 🙂
@@vloggergrandpa2707 I had Bypass surgery in Manila heart I paid the bill
That's a shame that you did not have Medicare Advantage plan. They would have reimbursed you for the surgery. How much did you have to put out?
Im retiring from usa and im going back to philippines what i have to do in pholipines how i use there my deducted to my pention for medical
Can you discontinue Part B and then sign up for it again at a later time or is it gone for good?
Yes, you can. You may have to pay a late penalty if you want to re-enroll in the program in the future. If you didn't get Part B when you're first eligible, your monthly premium may go up 10% for each 12-month period you could've had Part B, but didn't sign up. In most cases, you'll have to pay this penalty each time you pay your premiums, for as long as you have Part B. And, the penalty increases the longer you go without Part B coverage.
@@vloggergrandpa2707 Thank you!
I believe this is possible but I also believe there will be a large and permanent increase to your premium. You need to check with social security.
I’am retired already and i had an open heart surgery but right now i’am retiring now in the phil and once every year i go back there in the US for consultation do i still need to continue my part b medicare and my supplemental insurance in humana?
Part B is optional and you can discontinue it. But it will be very difficult to get back in in the event you need it in the future. Why not continue Part B and get Advantage Plan medicare part C at Humana? Hopefully, you will have one with zero premium. Therefore, you will only pay about $140 per month for Part B.
How can i use there in philippines my insurance here in usa
At ano po bang hospital ang hahanapin ko dito sa pinas for check up
I cancel my part b
Sir anong Bangko para sa mga tumatangag nang pesion
Nasaan ka ba? Dapat ay nag open ka ng account dito sa U.S. Kung ikaw ay nasa Pinas, puedeng ipadala ng social security sa bangko mo sa pinas. Maraming tao dito na nagoopen ng account sa PNB, New York, tapos ay pinapadala ang pera sa Pinas. Again, hindi ko alam ang lagay mo kung nasaan ka na at nasasan and bangko mo.
Sir, how about if you have Philhealth in the Philippines do i need part B? All my kids are in the US but I’m planning to stay in the Phils.
If you are a senior, you're covered by PhilHealth automatically. No premium due. Whether you need Part B or not will depend on what insurance you will get in addition to PhilHealth.