surebought
Junior Nomad
Posts: 84
Registered: 11-30-2009
Location: Ensenada
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Medicare and Mexico
I don't know all the details because this gentleman was feeling very poorly when he told me this, but I thought I should pass this along. He is 75
years old and he's dying of Prostate Cancer. He is one of the faithful. That is, he is guided by faith and not by the six sences. One of these guys
coming to Mexico like Moses to convert Catholics to whatever. If you have lived in Mexico any length of time you have probably run into someone just
like just him. Honest to a fault and not the brightest bulb in the room, but a nice guy. Anyway on a Medicare form he put his Mexican address as his
residence. How do you scream in your head "YOU IDIOT" with your facial expressions not changing into distress. Why didn't you use one of your
children's addresses? "That wouldn't have been right," he said. They denied him coverage. He now is spending his final days commuting between
Ensenada and Fresno, because his weekly kemo shot (that costs $800) is the same price they charge Medicare, but he has to drive to Fresno to get it at
that price and he has to pay out of pocket. His question to me was. What if I die in Mexico can my remains be shipped back to the States for my
Viking Funeral? Yes, this story does get worse. Without even blinking an eye, I said, if your doctor signs off on natural causes, then DIF is the
answer. For $350.00 they cremate the body and hand the ashes in cardboard box to the Widow and that's that. She can smuggle the ashes across the
border(Don't declare Ashes with US Customs) and they can be at your funeral. But I want my whole body buried in the US. You really do want to leave
your poor wife destitute, don't you? It would cost $10,000 dollars to move a dead body across the border. And your going to be out of pocket at
least 5 Hundred Grand with the Doctors. Maybe its time you started making some better choices. This chain of bad choices your making are going to
greatly impact the lives of the people you are leaving behind. The Baja Nomads should try to help each other not make the same mistakes. Isn't that
what we were taught in the Old Country. Learn from our mistakes. But Baja changes your perspective a little bit. Let's start learning from other
peoples mistakes too.
Here is the solution: He should move back and rent an apartment in the Old Country so he can die in the States. He should divorce his wife on
paper and give her all his money and other assets(She took me to the cleaners) so she's protected and finally, he should file backruptsy and become a
ward of the state if they continue to deny him Medicare......
In a while the smile on my face turned to plaster.
Stick around while the clown who is sick, does the trick of disaster. Neil Young from Mr Soul.
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Dave
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6005
Registered: 11-5-2002
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One of the faithful?
| Quote: | Originally posted by surebought
What if I die in Mexico can my remains be shipped back to the States for my Viking Funeral? |
Does he pray to Leif Ericson?
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noproblemo2
Super Nomad
Posts: 1088
Registered: 4-14-2006
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If he wants his body at rest in the "old Country" and is dying, then why does he stay here instead of going back to spend his final days? If he is
driving to Fresno weekly anyway.
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Dave
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6005
Registered: 11-5-2002
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Yeah...
| Quote: | Originally posted by noproblemo2
If he is driving to Fresno weekly anyway. |
He'd have to get the timing right.
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alafrontera
Nomad
Posts: 143
Registered: 11-4-2009
Location: San Diego
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surebought you got U2U.
low lattitude attitude
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
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When it's time to check out and the only family one has is a wife met at Anthony's, it's a sad departure. [I don't know that this is the case for the
man mentioned but, it's a common scenario. So many women here looking for survivor benefits. What ever happened to love?  ]
That old guy should make one last trip to Fresno, walk into the emergency room and throw down his sleeping bag. They won't turn their back on him.
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Santiago
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3532
Registered: 8-27-2003
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| Quote: | Originally posted by surebought
He is one of the faithful. That is, he is guided by faith and not by the six sences. |
Sight, smell, hearing, touch and taste. What am I missing?
| Quote: | Originally posted by surebought
it would cost $10,000 to move his body across the border. |
Is this true? Is this a true fee or just what it would cost in bribes?
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nobaddays
Nomad
Posts: 183
Registered: 2-24-2007
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Very sad story.
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Mexicorn
Senior Nomad
Posts: 772
Registered: 9-15-2009
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When I die hosted bar at Renes 2 hours providing Renes is re-opened by then my ashes spead at sea with my thirteen dead cats. Now all I have to do is
find some dead cats.
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k-rico
Super Nomad
Posts: 2079
Registered: 7-10-2008
Location: Playas de Tijuana
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| Quote: | Originally posted by surebought
Anyway on a Medicare form he put his Mexican address as his residence. How do you scream in your head "YOU IDIOT" with your facial expressions not
changing into distress. Why didn't you use one of your children's addresses? "That wouldn't have been right," he said. They denied him coverage.
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At the risk of asking a stupid question, where is the rule that an American has to reside in the US to receive Medicare if s/he presents themselves
for care in the US?
I live in TJ. I've always thought that I will be able to live here and make use of Medicare on the other side of the border.
Not true?
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
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| Quote: | Originally posted by k-rico
At the risk of asking a stupid question, where is the rule that an American has to reside in the US to receive Medicare if s/he presents themselves
for care in the US?
I live in TJ. I've always thought that I will be able to live here and make use of Medicare on the other side of the border.
Not true? |
Never heard of a problem with Medicare and living outside the country. Same with Social Security, no problem.
On the other hand, SSI recipients can NOT live outside the country.
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k-rico
Super Nomad
Posts: 2079
Registered: 7-10-2008
Location: Playas de Tijuana
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Then the implication that this guy was denied Medicare because he lived in Mexico is not true.
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
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| Quote: | Originally posted by k-rico
Then the implication that this guy was denied Medicare because he lived in Mexico is not true. |
I don't know for sure if one can get Medicare if on SSI and not regular Social Security but, at age 65, I believe he could.
That being the case, still on SSI, he couldn't reside in Mexico.
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arrowhead
Banned
Posts: 912
Registered: 5-5-2009
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| Quote: | Originally posted by DENNIS
I don't know for sure if one can get Medicare if on SSI and not regular Social Security but, at age 65, I believe he could.
That being the case, still on SSI, he couldn't reside in Mexico. |
You can get Medicare after being on SSI for one year. There is no requirement to reside in the US to get Medicare, but you have to use a US care
provider.
No soy por ni contra apatía.
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Santiago
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3532
Registered: 8-27-2003
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| Quote: | Originally posted by arrowhead
You can get Medicare after being on SSI for one year. There is no requirement to reside in the US to get Medicare, but you have to use a US care
provider. |
I wonder why some enterprising 'merican doctors don't partner with doctors in Guadalajara where there a a gillion ex pats and have them provide the
service but simply be an employee or partner of the stateside office. Why doesn't a simi-retired doctor who lives in Mexico simply keep his USA
license active and do the same?
Does essence predate existence?
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arrowhead
Banned
Posts: 912
Registered: 5-5-2009
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Santiago
I wonder why some enterprising 'merican doctors don't partner with doctors in Guadalajara where there a a gillion ex pats and have them provide the
service but simply be an employee or partner of the stateside office. |
It has to do with MediCare's requirements for documentation, audits, reimbursement schedules and rights to recover overpayments. When a US doctor
signs up to be a Medicare provider, the contract gives Medicare a lot of rights to get into his business records, etc. Doesn't work in a foreign
country.
No soy por ni contra apatía.
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Santiago
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3532
Registered: 8-27-2003
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Yes, but under my business model all the paperwork would emanate from the stateside office; only the work would be done in Mexico. For example, my
doctor is part of a group that has offices all over the state but all the paperwork is from one location. Of course, it may well say in the Medicare
agreement that the patient must be seen by the doctor in the USA. I'm just saying..
Does essence predate existence?
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k-rico
Super Nomad
Posts: 2079
Registered: 7-10-2008
Location: Playas de Tijuana
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Whew, one of the reasons I picked quaint and charming Tijuana over Timbuktu was the proximity to the US bioplumbers. Periodic visits to get the
filters cleaned, the pump refurbished, clogs cleared, etc.
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