@Consolation, good point. Once I switch to Medicare, I will need to pay for overseas medical insurance.
My dream is to move to a college town that has lots of cultural offerings and low tuition for seniors to take classes. I have my eye on Durham NC.
One more thing to be sure to consider is access to medical care and services you may need as you age. Hilo, mentioned in the article of post #14116 is a less expensive city but has very limited access to medical specialists ā they generally have to fly in periodically or the patient has to fly to see the specialist on Oahu or CA or elsewhere. Flying with medical issues may involve a very expensive air ambulance ride.
Interesting link, SOS. But I have a hard time believing the $1500 includes apartment, groceries AND healthcare. What am I missing?
I donāt know rental rates in Hilo, but I have a tough time imagining living on $1500/month there. Healthcare alone will cost more than that, until one qualifies for Medicare.
I refused to pay for a circumcision for one of my 5 children - the ONLY girl. Each time I delivered a son, I specifically told the hospital not to circumcise because we would be having a bris. I didnāt think I had to tell them when D was born. I told the insurance company not to pay it, either. I also refused to pay for blood tests for myself after my first child was born since I didnāt have any. It was a completely natural birth and I guess they were upset not to be getting more money.
On medical care in other countries. A friend who lives in the Czech Republic (US citizen) told me that one of her kids was visiting and became ill. They took him to the hospital and she was asked to pay a $65 deposit and that anything else would be billed to her at the end. After hours, in which xārays, etc. were taken, IVās were given, and much treatment was given, my friend was refunded half her money! Something is wrong with our system.
I donāt think this thread is arguing about whether or not our US medical costs are sky-high and how they compare internationally. I do think people need to have their eyes wide open about what costs they are likely to encounter here in the US, so there arenāt whoops very costly surprises that outstrip their budgets.
Looking at list, I canāt imagine picking Fayetteville, NC as the place Iād want to retire in NC. However, Columbia SC is great IMHO (though the upstate is better for avoiding worst of hot weather), but not sure you could get by for that price in anything nice. D lives in New Haven, CT. Thatās about the cost of just an apartment (including utilities). There are some cute surrounding towns that would be much more affordable.
gallentjill: weāre moving to Winston-Salem, NC, near Wake Forest University.
@gunnerz Maybe Iāll meet you there one day.
When I read about the unbeliably cheap costs of healthcare in other countries, I suspect itās not necessarily that the expenses are dirt cheap, but that the governments are subsidizing them. Obviously our costs are over the top, but it canāt really be practically free elsewhere.
Of course itās not free. These are countries with nationalized healthcare systems. The low out-of-pocket costs reflect the government subsidies. And, yes, these countries often have higher tax rates to pay for that healthcare. But, unlike our country, these countries view healthcare as a right for all citizens, not a privilege based on what a person can afford to pay.
I donāt understand why itās impossible to get a price on anything in healthcare, aside from maybe dental and optical. When my FIL was failing, DH took him to multiple doctor appointments. First thing to do was sign off saying we take responsibility for the estimated cost of the test. DH said, āOk, where is the estimate?ā Three times the same day, they could not provide an estimate but wanted him to sign saying he took responsibility for the expense. DH refused to sign and they still had to do the testing because FIL was a vet and on medicare.
Yes, But people are quoting the very low costs they are paying as non-citizens. So the taxpayers in the country, some of whom are low income, are subsidizing tourists.
My point being (which is the same as yours), itās not just inexpensive care. Somebody pays.
I agree that it would be good if our country would prioritize education and healthcare instead of some of the other things that are being prioritized, but donāt see that as being directly applicable to this thread. My interpretation of this thread is how folks can actually afford to comfortably retire in the US at some future point. Any changes in priorities are unlikely to help in the near term.
Letting visitors have occasional cheap subsidized emergency medical care helps the country gain goodwill among potential visitors, which can help it attract more visitors and their spending in the country.
Health care in most other countries is subsidized by the government. Note that the US does also as we give a tax deduction to companies for health care premiums (and possibly other health care expenses) but do not consider the deducted expenses as income to employees.
Alas, the US healthcare system is more expensive per capita by a lot. And nowhere near the best of developed countries (it comes in 11th out of 11 in looking at major OECD countries) but even when many other countries are included (it comes in at 29th, 37th and I think 52nd depending on how you measure health outcomes). In the WHO ranking (where the US is 37th), we are sandwiched between Costa Rica and Slovenia. Even taking into account subsidies, Costa pay much less for similar quality health care than we do.
With respect to retirement, I have often thought that people trying to get by on lower amounts (like the $1500 per month figure in that article) would be better off moving to countries like Costa Rica or Panama, where most things including healthcare will be cheaper and probably a lot cheaper. I donāt know the Medicare world yet but am currently and that every appointment comes with at least one copay and often extra charges (difference between what insurance pays and doctor reimburses). Sometimes multiple from same visit / procedure.
Winston Salem is on our short list for retirement also. In addition to being near Wake Forest, it is the home of University of North Carolina School of the Arts. So lots of music, art, drama, danceā¦at reasonable prices. The Wke Forest Medical Center is top notchā¦and this town is a spit from Greensboro, and not all that far from Raleigh-Durham and Charlotte for air travel.
Iāve heard that university communities are often liberal-ish oases in some conservative states (e.g., Alabama). There certainly has been conflict in NC between a pretty conservative state legislature (and past governor) and folks in some of the urban areas including the RD area who have a very different social view. Would that be the case for Winston Salem?
Winston Salem is on our short list for retirement also. In addition to being near Wake Forest, it is the home of University of North Carolina School of the Arts. So lots of music, art, drama, danceā¦at reasonable prices. The Wke Forest Medical Center is top notchā¦and this town is a spit from Greensboro, and not all that far from Raleigh-Durham and Charlotte for air travel.>>>>>>>>>>>
WS is practically right by the Piedmont Triad International Airport. You donāt have to go to Charlotte or Raleigh to fly.