Discontinuing Medicare while in Philippines on Phil-Health

[tomaw 1,341]

http://www.medicare.gov/your-medicare-costs/part-a-costs/part-a-costs.html

How much does Part A cost?

 

You usually don't pay a monthly premium for Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) coverage if you or your spouse paid Medicare taxes while working. This is sometimes called "premium-free Part A."

If you buy Part A, you'll pay up to $407 each month.

But, most people get premium-free Part A. You can get premium-free Part A at 65 if:

• You already get retirement benefits from Social Security or the Railroad Retirement Board.
• You're eligible to get Social Security or Railroad benefits but haven't filed for them yet.
• You or your spouse had Medicare-covered government employment.

If you're under 65, you can get premium-free Part A if:

• You got Social Security or Railroad Retirement Board disability benefits for 24 months.
• You have End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) and meet certain requirements.

In most cases, if you choose to buy Part A, you must also have Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) and pay monthly premiums for both.

That's good to know. Thanks!

[sugbu777 2,687]

guess Ill just have to die, I was 63 when I came here, havent done anything with them, actually looked on my retired Marine Id the other day and it says it expired when I turned 65, as I needed to change tri care to something...at least Im a 90% vet...if it get serious I can just go there..

You needed to change to TriCare for Life (TFL) when you were 65. We did this for my wife (as a retiree dependent). You should still be able to do it.

[big RB 770]

I don't understand it either. Have a friend here that had kidney stones and I think they paid somewhere around 20% for him too. Maybe it depends on your ailment/problem?

 

For sure. They are an insurance. So it is not too easy to understand, but not near as bad as Blue Cross/ Blue Shield of California that I also have. But they paid about half my bill. I had Dingy and was an emergency room admission. I was in a ward room with about 20 others, no private rooms were available. I received no extras, and was on an IV as required. They could not find any blood in O- for me, and it turned out I did not need it after all. I think options such as private rooms and the type of treatment might effect what they cover. If you are having elective surgery for example, they may not cover it at all.

[ex231 3,945]

For sure. They are an insurance. So it is not too easy to understand, but not near as bad as Blue Cross/ Blue Shield of California that I also have. But they paid about half my bill. I had Dingy and was an emergency room admission. I was in a ward room with about 20 others, no private rooms were available. I received no extras, and was on an IV as required. They could not find any blood in O- for me, and it turned out I did not need it after all. I think options such as private rooms and the type of treatment might effect what they cover. If you are having elective surgery for example, they may not cover it at all.

 

Like I posted earlier, they paid 18k for my wife's tonsillectomy. She stopped by Phil Health before she went into the hospital and asked what they paid and this time the person she asked was actually able to give her an answer, and the answer was 18k. They had no idea if she'd be in a ward or room. .. and that's what they ended up paying. I have no idea how they arrive at that number though.

[billy 1,691]

i would tell anyone that can afford phil health to get it. i was in chung hua nine days out of a 239,000 peso bill phil health paid 23,000 or 10%