US health insurance in Mexico

[Joe Kiernan]

Since we are required to have health insurance here at home in the USA (Premera/Blue Cross in our case) is this in any way beneficial to us as we travel to Mexico and points beyond? Is it accepted anywhere in Mexico? Elsewhere as we go south and east?

I hate to keep paying high monthly costs to keep up our health coverage as required (and needed) here in the US if we're not going to be here in the states more than a couple months per year???

Anyone have any thoughts?

Thanks

Joe

[Stu Jackson]

Joe, IIRC if you're going to be out of the country for more than a certain amount of time, then you don't have to keep it. Read the rules.

Nobody accepts USA insurance. Why should they? The concept of insurance is to cover YOU by the health insurance providers YOU use. Unless that company is in MX, too...?

[Joe Kiernan]

I personally am not worried about what the bloody US rules are as regards whats required here so much as I am interested to learn if say "Blue Cross" that we have, would say be accepted in PV Mex at a Walmart for prescription coverages.

(Just trying to work out what to keep and what to lose when we leave for our extended cruising)

Thanks for your input

[Stu Jackson]

Joe, have you considered calling Wlmart & asking them about your now very specific question?

[Joe Kiernan]

Stu, my apologies if I came off agressive in that last post. I'm trying to figure out if I need to keep up 12 monthly payments for this "required" healthcare" crap if it's not going to be any good elsewhere. Your right, I will have to call our provider to figure out the ins and outsThanks for your answers.

Joe

[Dsanduril]

Or your health insurance provider?

When you are covered by Premera Blue Cross, your plan offers specific levels of healthcare benefits wherever you live or travel, across the country and worldwide. Your BlueCard benefits are indicated by a suitcase symbol on your member ID card.

If the suitcase symbol on your ID card contains the letters PPO, your health plan uses the BlueCard PPO program.

If your card has a plain suitcase symbol, your health plan used BlueCard Traditional Program.

Please refer to the BlueCard Worldwide program or your Benefit Booklet for details about BlueCard program benefits. Of course, if you believe you have a medical emergency, call 911 or seek emergency care immediately, no matter where you are.

Mostly what we have here in the US is in no way insurance (if it was the insurance companies would be overjoyed to get your care at 10 cents on the dollar in Mexico), but many HMO/PPO plans do have some coverage outside the US. In my experience it isn't very easy to use, and you have to be persistent in getting reimbursement (because it is almost certain that when you need care you won't find a participating provider), but it can be done. On the other hand, travel specific insurance is usually cheap and much easier, but up to you if you want to pay twice (presuming you want to maintain cover at home in case you need some serious care and trust the US system more than wherever you happen to be at the moment).

[Joe Kiernan]

Stu, my apologies if I came off agressive in that last post. I'm trying to figure out if I need to keep up 12 monthly payments for this "required" healthcare" crap if it's not going to be any good elsewhere. Your right, I will have to call our provider to figure out the ins and outsThanks for your answers.

Joe

[cards26]

If you're out of the U.S. for 330 days or more, you are exempt. I spend no more than one or two weeks in the U.S., so I'm exempt.

[duefocena]

I have Blue Shield and recently called them as I was in Mexico for the month of December. They gave me numbers and addresses of hospitals, doctors, and drug stores that were in my network. The same rules applied if I went to an out of network provider. When I arrived in Cabo I called the hospital and a couple of doctors and verified that they accepted my insurance . They agreed that they would accept my insurance while there. BTW: I checked on some prices and found the physicians costs and hospital costs not that much different than the US.

[contrail]

Check to make sure your policy is valid for travel, if you are out of the US for more than a specified time. I had a blue cross policy that was invalid if I was out of the US for more than six months. Might be different, now. I suppose they might be worried about a medi-vac claim, but I really don't know.

[Rockyscience]

Health care is free in Mexico, been to a Navy doctor while at Isla Mujeres didn't
charge us a dime but I think it's really just for Mexicans not us.

[jmschmidt]

Some have written in saying the your US medical insurance doesn't cover you anywhere in the world. This may not be true. My coverage is world-wide and will send a helocopter or provide jSome have written in saying that your US medical insurance doesn't cover you in any foreign country. Aside from the fact that some foreign countries’ government run healthcare systems will cover foreigners, including Americans, while visiting, your own policy may cover you a well. Read your policy or call them to find out. Of course our Obama care won’t cover our foreign visitors.
My coverage is world-wide and will send a helicopter or private jet to medevac me from anywhere it the world, no charge. True, in most cases in less that first-world countries I would most likely have to pay the bills myself and submit them to my insurer for reimbursement but this is a minor issue compared to going naked if you’re really sick or injured.
et to medevac me from anywhere it the world. true in most cases I have to pay the bills myself and submit them for reimbursement but this is a minor issue compared to going naked.i

[Comix Bay]

Although Canadian, I found the Blue Cross and Sun Life medical insurance plans have very poor coverage, and I am on the veterans plans. Pay up front, submit the bills, and request reimbursement. You may get it, you may not!!! I always bought additional coverage from the BCAA (AAA) down there. Good luck.

Ted
Comox, BC

[ArmyDaveNY]

It may be more cost effective to just pay the penalty. Although I am not sure how much your premium is, nor how much a penalty for you may be, many times it is less expensive to just pay a penalty.

[Paul L]

Most likely your Premera WA based Blueshield policy will cover you in Mex as an out of network provider. For minor and normal care it will most likely not be worth trying to recover anything, as medical care in Mex is reasonably priced and usually done on a cash basis. If you get something major that requires expensive care, then the insurance will kick in. If you prefer to self insure, then as long as you are out of the country for most of the year you can take on the all the risks yourself without any US penalty.