ritzymac

My husband are about to retire after living all our married lives as expats. Both our children have married Americans and will no doubt end up living there so USA seems a likely place for us. However, we have no idea about costs of medical insurance; just that it is very expensive and an absolute necessity. Any information on possible monthly costs for a couple 60+ years would be much appreciated. This could be a deal breaker for us if it's beyond budget. Thanks

lansbury

Contact the health insurers that operate in the State you intend to live in. Most can give you a quote over the phone or on their web site.

As a guide before my wife and I went on to medicare, at 65, the last year we paid (2014) the premiums averaged $700 a month for each of us. That was in Oregon. Then on top of that were the co-pays and deductions which depend on the terms of the plan you choose. We use to claim a tax deduction of about $17,000 a year for medical costs.

SanDiegogirl

Of course, if you are intending to retire permanently to the USA, then your children will have to sponsor you. So this is the first thing to consider.

Prior to hubby and I going onto Medicare at 65 we were paying around $1,000 a month for premiums. This was prior to Obamacare, but who knows what is going to happen in the future, so I would budget this amount as a minimum.

ritzymac

Thanks for that information. We aren't sure exactly where we would be but, at the moment, need to know if its even feasible with associated medical costs. We won't be working, of course, so a large monthly premium would be difficult and tax deductions won't apply.

ritzymac

To be honest, we hadn't thought about the kids sponsoring us. We just thought we would buy a property and have to leave the USA for a brief period each year to fulfil the immigration laws. If they sponsor us does that mean we can be eligible for Medicare/Obamacare? We haven't done a whole lot of research because the medical costs have always been a deterrent to any thoughts of living in USA. Both children are currently living and working outside the States too, so we are trying to anticipate whether a move there could be a reality.

mikelincs

That is your first hurdle, you will need a visa and most of the visas of the type you are looking at are for 6 to 12 months, and then must be renewed, but that would mean you being out of the US for a time, there is no, 'just go to Canada fro a couple of days then come back for another period' visa. Please have a read of the relevant parts of this Wiki.

Pulaski's Ways: How to Live and Work in the USA : British Expat Wiki

and this

https://www.uscis.gov/family/family-...nent-residents

Pulaski

You need a lot more information about the possibilities that are open to you, but suffice to say based on your post above, you cannot ".... leave the USA for a brief period each year to fulfil the immigration laws. ...".

As Mike hinted above,
(i) you can't stay in the US on a tourist visa for more than six months at a stretch, and if you try to stay for more than six months in any one calendar year you may either (a) be turned away at the immigration desk if they think you are trying to live in the US without the right visa, and/or fall into the clutches of the IRS and tax your global income, and
(ii) leaving the US for visa/"resetting the clock" purposes means you have to travel further than Canada, Mexico, or the Caribbean.

Your health insurance options and the costs will vary significantly depending on your status in the US.

kodokan

If you spend more than 183 days in the US in a year, you will become US tax resident for that year and will need to file a return for your worldwide income. Google Substantial Presence.

Nutmegger

Does this mean that, as yet, your children have not taken up US residence? In that case, do they have green cards, are they US citizens?

Rete

Good catch, Nutmegger. With the husband being only 55, he can most certainly work for long enough to earn his 40 quarters under social security so that he can qualify for medicare. If he were fortunate enough to have full time employment, he might also be able to have employer sponsored healthcare which will lower their premiums substantially.

But as you said, so much hinges on what status their children have in the US. If they are not naturalized US Citizens, then Mom and Dad will not be coming to the US as anything but visitors until the kids naturalize and they can petition for their parents and are issued their visas and green card when they come through the POE.

Now if they come to the US under the VWP for an 88 day visit, perhaps twice a year, would travel insurance cover them while they are visiting?

tom169

I don't see why not. They would be visitors rather than residents.

SanDiegogirl

Travel insurance would cover them for emergency situations (not day to day medical needs) and getting travel insurance for 6 months would be expensive I should think.

SanDiegogirl

1. Buying a property does not give you rights to live in the US. You can however, apply for a B1/B2 business/tourist visa which will allow you to stay in the US for up to 6 months a year. That means you leave for the other 6 months. You get you medical cover by purchasing travel insurance for the whole time - this will cover emergency treatment only.

2. If your children are able to sponsor you (and length of time this would take depends on whether the children are Green Card holders or US citizens) once you are residents then you would be eligible for Obamacare (or whatever will replace it). You will NOT be eligible for Medicare until such time as you have been permanent residents for 5 years.

As previously said you should be budgeting at least $1k per month for premiums.

Pulaski

Green card holders cannot sponsor their parents. Also a citizen cannot sponsor their in-laws. So someone married to a US citizen but not yet living in the US first needs to obtain an IR-1 or CR-1 visa, then they'll get a green card when they enter the US to live, and can apply for US citizenship on the third anniversary of entering the US (actually 90 days before) subject to meeting the residency requirements, and will likely get citizenship 6-9 months later. Then they can apply to sponsor their parents.

Rete

That is only IF they have a B visa to be here for 6 months at a time. They may not be successful in getting a B visa. I was suggesting using the VWP which is 90 days only.

If neither of them have major illnesses at the time of travel and can get their meds from the UK for the 90 days or even for the 6 months, then all they would really need is emergency care. It would still be far less for them to visit an urgent care center for minor illnesses.