Health Insurance 67 years ols

les1

Member
Feb 1, 2007
310
15
18
I'm 67 years old.
Can anyone help with the details of health insurance for someone this age.
Thanks
 

Derfish

Gold
Jan 7, 2016
4,441
2
0
I doubt it. I have tried. There has been a person or 2 here on DR1 that claimed they knew someone who sells it for us ancianos, but when I tried to follow the leads given it proved beyond me. Try Cigna Health international. They offered me insurance for $965 per month, $14 less than my Social Security. It seems to cover one any where in the world.
 

bigbird

Gold
May 1, 2005
7,375
163
0
I doubt it. I have tried. There has been a person or 2 here on DR1 that claimed they knew someone who sells it for us ancianos, but when I tried to follow the leads given it proved beyond me. Try Cigna Health international. They offered me insurance for $965 per month, $14 less than my Social Security. It seems to cover one any where in the world.

I remember a few posts also which claimed it is possible to get after 65 at a premium rate but can't recall a single person who has done so. Best of my knowledge the cut off date to have a policy in effect is the month before you turn 65.
 

SKY

Gold
Apr 11, 2004
13,470
3,604
113
I am over 65 and have coverage with ARS Monumental at the rate of 1800 rd per month. Covers 80%. BUT, I had coverage with them well before I was 65. They raised the price, but the coverage continued.

My agent is in Puerto Plata. If I can help anyone that wants the number of the agent they can PM me.
 

windeguy

Platinum
Jul 10, 2004
42,211
5,966
113
I also have never heard of anyone getting local health insurance for the first time after they reached 65. Agreed that the rates will go up (and up) on existing insured parties after the age of 65.
 

Abuela

Bronze
May 13, 2006
1,952
288
83
Drro has gotten Humana after 70 see her comments in this thread.
" Can't find my thred? Health Insurance for the oldies?"
 

waytogo

Moderator - North Coast Forum
Apr 3, 2009
6,407
580
113
Santiago DR
Applied for and accepted at 65, never a problem and coverage is excellent......
I pre-pay every 6 months 4800DP, 800DP per month

ARS M-e-t-a Salud
PLAN ESTRELLA PLUS
Client Service Number
809-688-2020
www.arsmetasalud.com

Hope this helps you...
 

joe

Brain Donor!
Jan 12, 2016
1,092
0
0
WOW.......that's a hell of a deal. I'm a lot younger and I pay 4400DP every four months with universal.
 

chelseacpa

Newbie
Dec 8, 2016
6
0
0
I'm 67 years old.
Can anyone help with the details of health insurance for someone this age.
Thanks
I assume you are talking about health insurance in the DR. If so I am 70 and have Palic. Palic will take new insured until they are 69 but keep you after that. I stared paying around $1800 pesos per month and then at 69 went to $3000. Benefit is with insurance in DR they will charge you the set insurance rates not the "gringo rates". I hope this helps. I pay in Pto Pta at Marisol Lama & Assoc. But it should be the same at any insurance agent that handles Palic
 

sabra

New member
Jun 16, 2007
360
6
0
Applied for and accepted at 65, never a problem and coverage is excellent......
I pre-pay every 6 months 4800DP, 800DP per month

ARS M-e-t-a Salud
PLAN ESTRELLA PLUS
Client Service Number
809-688-2020
www.arsmetasalud.com

Hope this helps you...

Whow, this ist really much cheaper than I pay. I'm in PALIC, paying before 1800 RD$/month, now, because I'm
in the "club of the seventhies" 3200 RD$ a month.

Did I understood right, got in as a member as a member after you was 65 ?
I'm asking because of a friend, he still has no insurance, he is 66 now.
 

waytogo

Moderator - North Coast Forum
Apr 3, 2009
6,407
580
113
Santiago DR
Applied for and accepted at 65, that was 4 yrs ago and the rates never changed......
Knock on wood...
sabra, your friend will have to contact them for more updated info.....
 

sabra

New member
Jun 16, 2007
360
6
0
Applied for and accepted at 65, that was 4 yrs ago and the rates never changed......
Knock on wood...
sabra, your friend will have to contact them for more updated info.....

Thank's for reply. I'll inform him to do this.
 

mofongoloco

Silver
Feb 7, 2013
3,002
9
38
Does this discussion about gringos getting insurance assume the person has a cedula and is a legal Resident?  snow birds are s-out-of-luck?  

Based on proximity to New York DR remains a retirement possibility.  Although Colombia and Mexico have been my focus lately. 11 more years. 
 

les1

Member
Feb 1, 2007
310
15
18
I assume you are talking about health insurance in the DR. If so I am 70 and have Palic. Palic will take new insured until they are 69 but keep you after that. I stared paying around $1800 pesos per month and then at 69 went to $3000. Benefit is with insurance in DR they will charge you the set insurance rates not the "gringo rates". I hope this helps. I pay in Pto Pta at Marisol Lama & Assoc. But it should be the same at any insurance agent that handles Palic

Hi,
That is interesting. Could you give me some contact details please
Thanks
 

Cdn_Gringo

Gold
Apr 29, 2014
8,671
1,133
113
Does this discussion about gringos getting insurance assume the person has a cedula and is a legal Resident?  snow birds are s-out-of-luck?  

 

Insurance for nonresident foreigners in this country can be a tricky thing. There are those who have had issues and those that have had not when they need to use their insurance. Speaking strictly about health insurance, all of the policies have a yearly limit. How much that is depends on the coverage you buy. I suspect that for many, if presented with a serious or ongoing illness, they will initially diagnose and begin treatment here but will scurry home for continuing care or the ultimate surgical resolution. Some treatments the DR does well enough, others not so much. For example in the case of some cancers the diagnostics and treatment options are a bit behind the times and more robust options exist back home. Those who live in or close to Santiago/Santo Domingo have easier access to the best medical care available here. Those who live further away, need to accept that travel to these places may be in their future for anything above and beyond routine medical care.

Snowbirds by definition for the most part probably don't need or want medical insurance here because they have whatever they have at home. Canadians, can be out of the country for six months before their provincial healthcare plan ceases to provide coverage. Snowbirds who are in the DR for more than six months, really aren't snowbirds. In some jurisdictions insurance providers insist that other policies be used up before theirs kicks in. The last thing you need to deal with when you are ill or injured is a debate between multiple insurers as to who is considered the primary insurer.

I have been fortunate in that I haven't needed to use my top tier Universal insurance yet and I hope it remains that way. Like everything else, prices for various plans differ widely from provider to provider as do the details of coverage. How much coverage you purchase can rather quickly become a significant factor when it comes to treatment. I know of a case where the insurance ran out before the patient was fully recovered (in fact before they regained full consciousness) and they woke up in a different hospital than the one they originally checked into because the money ran out.

If you are able to purchase at your advanced age, expect decent coverage to be more expensive than for someone in their early sixties. Expect the cost to go up every year at renewal time, do not let it lapse as you likely won't be able to get coverage again anywhere in this country, and choose that coverage wisely within the scope of options you are presented with. Being very ill or very broken and having to deal with payment issues to continue treatment is sometimes next to impossible.

Everyone should have someone who has power of attorney here in the DR to speak for them with respect to treatment issues when you can't do that yourself and someone who has quick access to money. Even with money in the bank, if your credit card tops out mid treatment and you still aren't ambulatory, you could easily find yourself in a predicament.

Good luck in your search, expect to pay a premium for any insurance you find. Be sure you understand exactly what you are buying. Policies here are in Spanish and contain "legalese" just like at home and for a nonnative speaker can be hard to translate accurately and therefore understand. All of the tricks used at home by insurance companies to deny or limit coverage can and do come into play here with local insurers. No local policies that a I know of cover medical repatriation. If you find yourself hospitalized and unable to travel on a commercial flight home, you're stuck here unless you have the means to secure your own air ambulance.

In many third world countries a lot works and a lot doesn't. The DR is no exception. Insurance coverage here is usually limited for at least a year sometimes two for new policies. The list of preexisting condition exclusions is long and sometimes complicated. You cannot rely on the verbal assurances of the person selling you the policy. If it isn't in the policy, in writing, it isn't and won't be covered. Preexisting conditions often have coverage implications beyond what a layperson assumes to be the case. If you need medical insurance here, get the best coverage you can find, afford and then have a backup plan for when it all goes to pot and you have to bail. If you are not a legal resident in this country, scour the policy very carefully for any language that would preclude or limit coverage. As always, pay close attention to all the clauses that limit your coverage based on participating in "adventure/extreme" activities and check with any insurer you have at home to see what they can and will do for you while you are snowbirding in the DR.

Best of luck.
 

Juan Bosch

Active member
Dec 8, 2015
441
119
43
Applied for and accepted at 65, never a problem and coverage is excellent......
I pre-pay every 6 months 4800DP, 800DP per month

ARS M-e-t-a Salud
PLAN ESTRELLA PLUS
Client Service Number
809-688-2020
www.arsmetasalud.com

Hope this helps you...

I will check these guys out. In Santiago they are very close by. I recently got Universal. Although pretty good coverage, expensive.