A major benefit for many USA Expats in South America is the low cost of health care.
Now, the New York Times reports on a study of 1,495 of the sickest USA citizens living in the USA -- those who have been hospitalized twice or more and seen multiple doctors in the last couple of years.
The study found that 36 percent of those who had insurance still used up most of their savings on their USA care. The insurance did not cover deductibles, treatments not included in the coverage, lost wages and other expenses.
Among those in the study group who did not have insurance, 57 percent lost most of their savings due to health costs.
Source: nytimes.com (article dated October 17, 2018)
USA Expats: About Your Healthcare Costs
cccmedia
18 October 2018 00:42:04
10197
Alexia
18 October 2018 13:08:37
394
Hello cccmedia,
Thank you for sharing these interesting information and hope that it will help other members as well.
Cheers 
Alexia
Expat.com Team
RobinJoel
19 October 2018 18:28:27
112
The USA health care system is a mess and had been for a long time. Unless a person is rich and has very good but expensive health care, most of the time a person will not get the care needed. Healthcare is a money trap! I some people from the USA that seek medical care outside the country due to costs. It is better to pay out of pocket in another country than to lose almost everything a person owns in the USA.
My sister is paralyzed from the neck down due to being a victim of attempted murder five years ago. She had no insurance. The government took all she owned, including her life insurance policy! She has one with the government for $1500 and that pays for nothing. She is allowed to have $50 dollars a month. She is onlly taken to ER if her life is in danger. So,medical care in the USA is horrible for average people. If it weren't for family my sister would have nothing.
I share not for sympathy but to share facts.
norviato1
05 November 2018 21:05:02
169
I live in the US and have Medicare since I retired. It covers some but not all healthcare costs. If I say anything less than satisfactory about it to my neighbors etc. They look at me like I'm from another planet. Americans are bred to believe that everything is great here. The lucky one's get away and live in other countries where the bottom line isn't so important. Of course it's customary to criticize Canada and other places for their universal health care coverage. It's disgusting and delusional. Contemplating a move back to Ecuador where I was born.
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