Health insurance

Larger companies and government agencies offer medial plans to employees. In small businesses you're on your own, most of the times.

Our goal is to move in about 5 years. I will be retiring early but hopefully my spouse will be able to find a job. He is currently the Mgr of International Info Systems for a large pharmacuetical (sp?) company. He has been to PR a number of times and likes it. I love St. Thomas VI, but it seems much more expensive than Puerto Rico. I see condos with monthly fees of $800-$1,000!! My goal is to live somewhere where I can have a cocktail on the patio 24/7/365, or close to it. From what I have read we need to start studying Spanish, big time. We are not rolling in the dough so we would have to sell our house in order to make the move and I assume it will be to our advantage to rent initially rather than purchasing a place to live, just in case we really don't like it.

Real estate prices and taxes see reasonable. Electricity seems high... what is the rate per kilowatt and does it vary throughout the island.

Is health insurance affordable if you have to purchase your own? I am not ready to get a quote, just curious to find out what some might be paying for family (or 2 adults) coverage.

WeeoneJo wrote:

My goal is to live somewhere where I can have a cocktail on the patio 24/7/365, or close to it.

Just make sure the patio has a roof and you'll be all set!

WeeoneJo wrote:

From what I have read we need to start studying Spanish, big time.

Yup, that sounds like a good plan.

WeeoneJo wrote:

what is the rate per kilowatt and does it vary throughout the island.

It should be the same all over the place (one electricity company, government owned, serves everybody). Right now we pay around $0.21/kWh

WeeoneJo wrote:

Is health insurance affordable if you have to purchase your own? I am not ready to get a quote, just curious to find out what some might be paying for family (or 2 adults) coverage.

It all depends on your age and medical history.
For two adults basic coverage starts somewhere around $150/monthly. Most people pay more, either because of age/risk or because they want a better plan.

I think I will check with AFLAC on insurance options. If basic services are reasonable just purchasing castastrophic coverage might also be a viable option.

Doesn't it seem sad that you have to decide where you can live based on healthcare costs?

WeeoneJo wrote:

Doesn't it seem sad that you have to decide where you can live based on healthcare costs?

To be completely honest, for me the cost of healthcare was never a real issue when deciding to move to another country..

oops, I meant AARP not AFLAC...

The area I live in has the highest health insurance costs in the nation. If I lost my job, I could continue the health coverage but it would cost over $1,700/month.

When we moved here our COBRA was $800 a month for 2 people (we lived in Seattle). We looked into catastrofic coverage and couldn't find any. SSS is the insurance to have here but the plans that are not with employers don't cover any real big expenses - they won't cover a severed arm, replacing a lost eye, chronic diseases - the coverage doesn't cost much ($150 a month) but that is why. You can use AFLAC coverage in addition and get "cancer coverage" or other specific things but then you are guessing about what you may develop. SSS WITH an employer is the best you can get here but full time employment doesn't necessarily mean you get coverage. Regular doctor's visits without insurance are 20 or 30 dollars - we found that without insurance it was the same as our COBRA copay and no paperwork for the doctors! Labs and prescriptions are the same and even "good" insurance covers only  part of those. But...an xray is $25 and an MRI $400 (was $1400 in the states). Electricity is about 4 times what it was in Seattle but only if you use it. We don't have an airconditioner, clothes dryer and I don't use fans (am home all day) and our bill was $41 a month - far less than using the heat in Seattle! Plus, the government gave us a 75% tax credit for installing solar! How great is that? Water is good and cheap (I guess Cabo Rojo and Rincon have outages a lot - we don't)- $14 a month. If you are in an urbanization it would be higher because of sewer. Property taxes are so low it isn't worth mentioning and if you want to live in the tranquil jungle or hillside towns and just enjoy life it is a great place to be. If you want tons of socializing it would be hard. Our friend circles are based on sports activities. No libraries or book clubs or dinner club stuff here (here sucks) but life is good!

From what little I have read on this topic, it seems that one does not really "need" healthcare, as trips to the hospital are considerably cheaper than anything here in the US.

What about people who do use monthly medications, without healthcare? Are the price of prescription drugs also considerably cheaper in PR?

hi to all,
no one mentioned medicare in this thread...is it valid in PR?

timjoe48 wrote:

hi to all,
no one mentioned medicare in this thread...is it valid in PR?

Yes, medicare is valid.
Also, when you make less than a certain amount  (I don't know the exact amount) you can get the free health care plan from the government, know as 'Reforma'.