Required USA Medicare payments....

If you are age 65+, an expat from the USA, and living permanently (more-or-less, TRC) in Vietnam with your spouse, -- do you still buy the required Medicare insurance? I'm 62 and planning, and it's my understanding that if we do NOT buy the minimum, then if we ever move back to the states, we will have to pay a significant penalty for the years we didn't pay into it.
-@Jeff-FL

The U.S. Social Security Administration has (and usually requires the use of) a counseling service specifically dealing with the issue of stopping payments for Medicare Part B (outpatient care):

faq.ssa.gov/en-us/Topic/article/KA-02713

I used the service when Medicare began charging me at age 65 & I was already covered 100% for everything (including aspirin, if prescribed) by the US Veterans Administration.

The counselor will address your unique situation and then ultimately allow you to make the decision.

The counselor will help you calculate the significant penalty for restarting benefits after stopping.

If your plans are anything less than both permanent AND certain, be cautious.

In my case, if I have an unplanned return to the U.S., the VA will pick up all of my healthcare immediately.

Medicare Part A (inpatient hospital care) does not require any payments for coverage to continue, so even though Part A coverage is not available in Vietnam, as soon as you return to the U.S. or a U.S. territory, you would always have Part A coverage no matter what you decide about Part B outpatient coverage.

Good luck! 🤞

Thank you so much.....excellent information and direction. I really appreciate it.

Thank you so much.....excellent information and direction. I really appreciate it.
-@Jeff-FL

Không có gì 😌

health insurance need while living overseas. how do you expat handle your health insurance need while being in vn.  how do you prep for major med emergency while in vn. tks