Job Discussion Forums

cphaslanger · Joined: 28 Apr 2004 Posts: 13

I'm hitting Mexico in the end of September!!! Laughing

I intend to go to Spanish school, then travel, then find work teaching English... and perhaps only be there for the 6 months I'm allowed by the US visa... (although all folks who have had similar plans have stayed around 3 years in the countries they've gone to).
My question(s): Do I pay for COBRA to continue the benefits I've had from my job in the US? Do I get minimal insurance? Do I get additional travel insurance?

What do ye, internet minds, think I should do???

moonraven · Joined: 24 Mar 2004 Posts: 3094

I suggest you continue your insurance. If you start working legally in Mexico you will be covered by the national health insurance system. Please be advised that 180 day tourist visas are not automatic in Mexico. You may receive a 90 day visa and have to go to an immigration office and have it extended--costs about 20 dollars, I think.

estanton · Posted: Sat Jul 24, 2004 11:11 pm Post subject: Travel Insurance

This may vary between companies, but I know some U.S. companies won't cover illnesses abroad on their regular policies.

before you extend your COBRA coverage, I'd say look into travel policies and see if they're a better deal, and also make sure your current insurance does cover things abroad.

I cancelled my COBRA and got a travel policy for my first two months. I'm hoping i'll have an FM3 and mexican government insurance by then- if I don't I'll extend the travel policy.

The travel insurance cost me only $55 a month for a $500,000 limit and medical evacuation (though I doubt that would be necessary in more populated parts of mexico.) Also they pay 100% of medical expenses after the deductible, vs. 80% for regular U.S. insurance. I think it's so cheap because the exchange rate makes medical care cheaper in mexico.

the one thing about travel policies is that, like regular U.S. insurance, they seem to have some kind of limits or exclusions on pre-existing conditions (although I think they may waive it if you pay all your premiums immediately). of course if you keep your COBRA you won't have to deal with that.

Also I haven't gotten sick and tried to use a travel policy yet, so I don't know how the company bureaucracy is to deal with. But it seemed like a better deal to me.

magpie · Joined: 27 Mar 2004 Posts: 54

Both of the above responses have a lot of merit. It would be RARE to find a COBRA plan that will cover you out of the country. But do check with your plan provider, you might get lucky.

Travel insurance is a great bet if you are young (under 35 let's say). Most of the travel plans increase in cost depending on your age, though. For me it was FAR too expensive--much more than COBRA, so I'll risk waiting until I start work next month and get the national insurance. If you are young I definitely would take advantage of travel insurance to tide you over in case, heaven forbid, you get ill.

Can anyone tell me, though, what kind of coverage to expect from the national insurance? I don't expect it to cover everything, of course, but does it cover at least a part of doctor's visits or prescriptions or hospital care. I am fortunate to have a little savings, but in the states any hospital stay can wipe you out. It would be helpful to be prepared.

moonraven · Joined: 24 Mar 2004 Posts: 3094

The national health insurance covers pretty much everything that you have done at the IMSS facilities. Sometimes service is good, and the doctors skilled--other times it's lousy and the doctors are idiots. It' the luck of the draw.

estanton · Posted: Sun Jul 25, 2004 9:27 pm Post subject:

I am only 24, so I guess that was why my travel insurance was so cheap.

If you're thinking of travel insurance, try insuremytrip.com- they have about 15 different companies as part of their service and you can see all the features of each plan laid out in a table so you can compare them.

Another question about Mexican insurance: if the government health care can be really chancy, are there also private insurance companies (that would pay for private hospitals)? I think I've heard of such a thing in other countries with sometimes unsatisfactory government health services.

On other posts, people have said that regular doctor visits at private clinics are cheap (150 pesos). I'm wondering about the more serious stuff.

Not that it would probably happen to me at my age (knock on wood) unless i went skydiving without a parachute or got in a car accident, but I'm curious.

cphaslanger · Joined: 28 Apr 2004 Posts: 13

I've gone to insuremytrip.com...
travel insurance is much, much cheaper than medical insurance in the US. It can insure my plane ticket (ok, I'll take that, though I'm not sure why I'd really need it), my luggage, etc... and then medical, including evac. Any suggestions for a "brand" of travel insurance???

MELEE · Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2004 10:32 pm Post subject:

estanton · Posted: Sat Jul 31, 2004 8:18 pm Post subject:

cphaslanger · Joined: 28 Apr 2004 Posts: 13

So I'm thinking, why continue insurance in the US when they don't cover expenses in Mexico anyway? Just another cost that I don't need.
But do I NEED US coverage when I buy travel insurance? It seems to me that I wouldn't need insurance in the US when I'm not there... right?
Any more thoughts on this matter, o wise forum folk?

estanton · Posted: Tue Sep 14, 2004 4:44 pm Post subject:

Some travel insurance policies say they'll cover you in your home country for visits if you buy a longer period of time. It's something like ten days per six months I think.

Don't know anything yet from experience about the quality of that coverage.

Apparently, so you know, (I'm in Mexico now) there is also private medical insurance that you can buy here in this country. I haven't looked into it because I expect to get government insurance when my visa paperwork gets done.

But it's supposed to be cheap

On the other hand, doctors� visits can be as cheap as US $1.75. So you really may not need insurance here at all.

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