US Health Insurance - US Federal Employee Retired

AlterEgo

Administrator
Staff member
Jan 9, 2009
23,691
7,079
113
South Coast
I have the same with a plan from United Health Care and pay nothing in additional to my regular Part B Premium. And I had a major operation with a two week stay in a hospital and payed nothing. Also no Referrals necessary and no co pays. They have a similar Emergency plan but I never used it as I have coverage in the DR that works. Your plan seems the same, but maybe you are paying extra for this Worldwide Emergency that might be better.

Sounds like you have an advantage plan. Ours is supplemental. United Healthcare Plan F. It’s not offered anymore, we’re grandfathered in. The worldwide came automatically, we don’t pay extra.
 
  • Like
Reactions: kenshireen and SKY

SKY

Gold
Apr 11, 2004
14,081
4,280
113
Sounds like you have an advantage plan. Ours is supplemental. United Healthcare Plan F. It’s not offered anymore, we’re grandfathered in. The worldwide came automatically, we don’t pay extra.
Correct, but you pay $500 a month more than I do. I just don't get the reason for this payment...
 

kenshireen

Active member
May 21, 2022
501
126
43
usa
I have the same with a plan from United Health Care and pay nothing in additional to my regular Part B Premium. And I had a major operation with a two week stay in a hospital and payed nothing. Also no Referrals necessary and no co pays. They have a similar Emergency plan but I never used it as I have coverage in the DR that works. Your plan seems the same, but maybe you are paying extra for this Worldwide Emergency that might be better.
The DR hospital accepted your UHC plan from the US or did you use a separate plan that you have in the DR?
How do you not pay anything extra for a supplemental plan? Part B only covers 80 %
 

kenshireen

Active member
May 21, 2022
501
126
43
usa
Sounds like you have an advantage plan. Ours is supplemental. United Healthcare Plan F. It’s not offered anymore, we’re grandfathered in. The worldwide came automatically, we don’t pay extra.
World wide emergency is fine but you have to pay out of pocket and then submit bills to UHC
 

kenshireen

Active member
May 21, 2022
501
126
43
usa
If you have an emergency does the ambulance come and take you to a public hospital or to a private clinic
 

SKY

Gold
Apr 11, 2004
14,081
4,280
113
The DR hospital accepted your UHC plan from the US or did you use a separate plan that you have in the DR?
How do you not pay anything extra for a supplemental plan? Part B only covers 80 %
First answer is I have Dominican Insurance and that is what I use.

Second one is I have a Medicare Advantage plan that covers the 20% so I pay NOTHING extra EVER. Do some research yourself and you will find out something that has been around for many years.

 

AlterEgo

Administrator
Staff member
Jan 9, 2009
23,691
7,079
113
South Coast
First answer is I have Dominican Insurance and that is what I use.

Second one is I have a Medicare Advantage plan that covers the 20% so I pay NOTHING extra EVER. Do some research yourself and you will find out something that has been around for many years.


Medicare Advantage plans vary widely by state and sometimes by county. Some are very restrictive. Many doctors won’t accept them in NJ. None of them offer any coverage of any kind in DR that I’m aware of.
 

SKY

Gold
Apr 11, 2004
14,081
4,280
113
Ca n you state your preferences to the driver?? Meaning, is a private clinic compelled to admit you?
You will NEVER see a Dominican family waiting for an ambulance here. They get there ANY way they can as FAST as they can...................
 

johne

Silver
Jun 28, 2003
7,476
3,246
113
Are all of the comments above regarding coverage with BCBS etc. based on where you have declared residency? For example, I live in the DR, BUT my declared residency is the US. I have some suspicions based on previous experience that some of the better plans mentioned might not be applicable. (???)
 

windeguy

Platinum
Jul 10, 2004
42,991
6,427
113
I have the same with a plan from United Health Care and pay nothing in additional to my regular Part B Premium. And I had a major operation with a two week stay in a hospital and payed nothing. Also no Referrals necessary and no co pays. They have a similar Emergency plan but I never used it as I have coverage in the DR that works. Your plan seems the same, but maybe you are paying extra for this Worldwide Emergency that might be better.
That type of UHC plan is not available in the area where I have coverage in the USA. It is more like an 80/20 plan for some services and it has small copays for specialists and no referral needed within their regional system.

Depending upon where one has coverage, the plans available in the US for Medicare Advantage vary dramatically.
I have no seen one that will cover outside the US. I have local insurance with Humano Plan Royal, middle of the road plan with them.
 

AlterEgo

Administrator
Staff member
Jan 9, 2009
23,691
7,079
113
South Coast
No more discussion about Advantage plans. They DO NOT have coverage in DR. Cleaning up last bunch of posts as none are DR related.
 
  • Like
Reactions: johne

windeguy

Platinum
Jul 10, 2004
42,991
6,427
113
No more discussion about Advantage plans. They DO NOT have coverage in DR. Cleaning up last bunch of posts as none are DR related.
Not necessarily true with respect to emergency care:

Medicare%20for%20travelers_Graphic%201.png

And

 
  • Like
Reactions: cavok

JD Jones

Moderator:North Coast,Santo Domingo,SW Coast,Covid
Jan 7, 2016
13,510
9,749
113
Ca n you state your preferences to the driver?? Meaning, is a private clinic compelled to admit you?
You can, and they will take it under consideration as long as the distance is equal.
If an ambulance picks me up in San Cristobal, they'll take me to any clinic in town, but not to Santo Domingo, for example.
I'm talking about 911 ambulances, not private ones.
 

cavok

Silver
Jun 16, 2014
10,304
4,532
113
Cabarete
No more discussion about Advantage plans. They DO NOT have coverage in DR. Cleaning up last bunch of posts as none are DR related.
I would have to disagree, AE. I think there are many retirees here that would find it very useful to know that they can have a Medicare Advantage Plan with zero premium to fall back on if they have any kind of serious or long-term illness or if they just prefer to have a US surgeon for whatever they need. Not every expat living here would want to be paying for an expensive Medigap Plan, or just getting by with PartB, if they don't have to. I know I have my zero premium Medicare Advantage just for the above reasons.
 
  • Love
Reactions: windeguy

windeguy

Platinum
Jul 10, 2004
42,991
6,427
113
I would have to disagree, AE. I think there are many retirees here that would find it very useful to know that they can have a Medicare Advantage Plan with zero premium to fall back on if they have any kind of serious or long-term illness or if they just prefer to have a US surgeon for whatever they need. Not every expat living here would want to be paying for an expensive Medigap Plan, or just getting by with PartB, if they don't have to. I know I have my zero premium Medicare Advantage just for the above reasons.
Exactly. Thank you for stating what should be obvious.
 

jaguarbob

Bronze
Mar 2, 2004
1,432
60
48
Do Medical Facilities in the DR Accept US Health Insurance If you're a US Federal Govt retiree?

Would medical facilities accept FEPBLUE? (Blue Cross/Blue Shield)

Appreciate your response
My friend here has bluecross blue shield and he has been in hospitals in Las Terrenas and cedimat in capital and both took that insurance
 

windeguy

Platinum
Jul 10, 2004
42,991
6,427
113
My friend here has bluecross blue shield and he has been in hospitals in Las Terrenas and cedimat in capital and both took that insurance
I know a Boeing retiree who also has BlueCross BlueShield and it covered all of her amazingly inflated medical costs at CMC.