RV and Motorhome Lifestyle

Healthcare on the Road -- Part 2 -- If you're over 65

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If you're over 65 and on Medcare, getting healthcare on the road is reasonably easy, but there are some things you have to be aware of or you could end paying a lot of money out of pocket.

Getting healthcare when you don't really live anywhere in particular can be a little challenging.

Here are the pitfalls to be aware of and how to get around them.

The biggest problem is finding a plan that won't get you caught up in having to find doctors in your network. If you're old enough to be on Medicare (with or without a supplement plan), things are a little easier.

First of all, if you have Medicare, you are covered in all 50 states whether you have a Medicare Supplement policy or not.

Important note:

  • Do NOT change to a Medicare Advantage plan. These plans have a network of doctors and you will likely be out of the network area a lot of the time.

  • Keep your original Medicare and then purchase one of the Medicare Supplement plans. Medicare and Medicare Supplement plans cover you in all 50 states.

You will need to decide which supplement plan is best for you and your health needs. Basically, the higher the deductible and co-pay, the lower the monthly premiums.

If you have a lot of medical problems and go to the doctor often (or you think you will be) or if you expect to be having some surgery sometime within the next year, it would probably be better to go with a higher priced plan.

If you're in good health and don't go to the doctor much and don't have anything major wrong with you, go with a lower priced plan with higher deductibles. It's that simple.

If you're not old enough to receive Medicare, things get a lot more complicated when it comes to getting affordable medical care as an RVer. One option is to hurry up and get older. Another option is to check out Part 1 of this article which covers how to get healthcare when you're under 65. You can find ther article at the link below:

//www.liferv.com/public/Healthcare-on-the-Road-Part-1-over-65.cfm

Sources for more health insurance information

Kyle Henson is a licensed insurance agent and a fellow full-time RVer. I'm not associated with him in any way, but his website has a wealth of insurance information on it for RVers and I've heard a lot of RVers say good things about the services he provides. I highly recommend that you take a look at the information on his website to help you make your decision concerning what to do about finding affordable health insurance.

Here is his website:

http://www.RVerHealthInsurance.com

In addition to the above information, here is a website that allows you do comparison shopping of exchange policy plans:

http://www.TheHealthSherpa.com

Some doctors don't take new patients and some have a waiting list. So, even if you do have insurance, getting an appointment with a doctor in a city where you have never been to a doctor before could be a problem.

Here are three ways some RVers handle the situation of getting to see a doctor

  • They make use of Emergency Medical Clinics (also called a "Doc-in-a-box").

  • Use a service like http://www.Teladoc.com when they have a minor medical problem -- sore throat, etc. With Teladoc, you can place a call and a board-certified doctor will call you back (usually within about 15 minutes) and he can send a prescription to a pharmacy near you or tell you if you need a specialist, etc. You can pay their fee out of your health savings account funds and some insurance policies cover this expense.

  • A third option is that CVS and some other pharmacies now have a nurse practitioner on staff part of the time, so that you can walk in and immediately they can examine you and then write a prescription for you for minor health problems if necessary or tell you that you need to see a specialist.

One more point: Take some proactive steps to take charge of your own health and well being. Carry a blood pressure checking device and a glucose monitoring kit with you. Keep a record of your readings. Take your vitamins, get exercise and pay attention to symptoms. Don't ignore pains and

Bottom line: Your goal is to look at your health condition, your travel plans, your budget (and of course, your age) and then select the health insurance plan that meets your RVing lifestyle needs. It's not as complicated as it first seems. Just look at the facts, use the resources and guidelines outlined in this artiucle and make your decision.

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