Even if You Never, Ever Plan on Leaving the U.S.—
This is Still Need to Know Information

Dear Reader,

As you edge closer to your dream retirement, there are critical issues to consider.

One matter that's especially important is healthcare.

The good news is that spending time overseas can actually be beneficial to your health, as you'll likely choose a better climate where you can be more active and have access to healthier, straight-from-the-farm food.

In many cases, healthcare costs are so low that you can cover them out-of-pocket.

Even so, if you are a U.S. citizen, there is one important safety net you should not overlook. 

And that's Medicare. (This applies even if you are already enrolled)

If you've paid into Social Security over the years, you've likely already paid for this healthcare coverage and many of its primary benefits are free for you.

I’m Dan Prescher, for International Living.

Not too long ago, I turned 65 myself—the age to qualify for Medicare—and I know for sure there’s a lot much we need to understand about our Medicare benefits.

There’s the free Part A, there's Part B, and all kinds of supplemental plans you can pick and choose from to increase the robustness of your coverage.

Athough many of us have been led to believe that you can’t use Medicare overseas, there are, indeed, many instances now when you can.

The problem is, there’s not a lot of reliable information out there about how to do this, and especially not about how to make it work best for your personal situation.

Sure, you can find some details on government web pages, but good luck trying to decipher the legal and academic jargon.

And yes, you can attend seminars or ask friends for advice.

You can hire an insurance specialist (who will likely want to sell you a few cherry-picked supplemental plans) to create a blueprint for your special circumstances.

But you don’t need to do that.

Because International Living has commissioned an important book, written just for readers like you who are exploring their overseas options.

It has just been completely updated for 2023. And it provides dependable details about how to decipher your Medicare options—in plain, accessible, understandable language.

Whether you’re looking to retire overseas full-time or part-time, or just travel now and again, this book is for you.

In fact, if you never, ever plan to leave the U.S., this book is for you.

And it is essential whether you are already enrolled in Medicare or will be soon.

It's called Medicare Made Easy: What Expats, Frequent Travelers, and You Need to Know, and it’s written by Ron Elledge, a U.S. Medicare and health insurance specialist who has devoted his career to understanding the intricacies of U.S. health insurance options. (No small task)

Thankfully, Ron has a passion for helping those of us of Medicare age make sense of what’s available to us.

This book demonstrates his unique forte in helping expats and travelers determine the very best Medicare options.

I'm so impressed with the guidance he shares in the book that I lobbied International Living publisher Jackie Flynn to offer it to you, right now.

Let me explain why Medicare Made Easy: What Expats, Frequent Travelers, and You Need to Know belongs in your library if you’re currently or soon will be on Medicare and you’re considering spending any time at all overseas.

First off, all the basics are covered...In an easy-to-understand manner, Ron explains how Medicare works, when you become eligible and how to sign up, your important beneficiary rights...and why, even if you are still working and have a healthcare plan, you must contact the Social Security Administration on a specific date.

Part A is almost always yours free, as you likely know—so there is no reason not to have this. And you’ve earned it, so why not?

Even so, keep in mind that there are important obligations you need to consider. But when should you opt into Part B? And when might you want to delay that, without paying a penalty later? Ron explains...and this is just the beginning.

Supplemental coverage and all moving “Parts” are addressed in detail. Medicare Part A, B, C, D, Medigap, coverage for long-term care, Tricare, the “Donut Hole,” veteran’s options ...

All of this is explained in detail to help you determine the type of coverage that works best for you.

And this is where this book really shines... It’s “need to know” information for all Americans at this critical point in age, but it’s even more important if your plans include any kind of international travel or spending any extended time overseas.

Now is the time to make changes to your coverage so you can use Medicare overseas.

If You Plan to be an Expat (or Already Are) or Plan to Do Any International Traveling, Here’s What You Need to Know...

• If you are living abroad when you turn 65, and don’t apply for Medicare at that time and you eventually move back to the U.S., you'll likely be subject to late penalties or delayed Medicare coverage. And there can be some other catches. Ron offers some real-world examples to help you understand your options and avoid problems.
• And if you are in the overseas planning stage...while there is no residence requirement for original (or basic) Medicare,” Ron says that where you live “makes a massive difference in how you approach enrollment.” This is need-to-know stuff if you plan to eventually go overseas.
• Whatever you do, don’t drop Part A, Ron says, because if you do, you will become ineligible for Social Security or Railroad Retirement Board benefits and be required to pay back all previous benefits received. (Note that Social Security administers Medicare, not the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. So you must abide by their rules.)
• Again: This is need-to-know information that will help you better understand your Medicare options if you plan to spend time overseas. If you’re living overseas when you hit your eligibility date, Ron explains why you want to reach out to the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate for an in-person appointment to discuss your best Medicare options.
• And if you are working overseas and are covered by an employer’s health plan, your options are covered in the book, too. This is especially important if you plan to retire from active employment while living in a foreign country. You have a different set of circumstances in these situations, and you’ll want to understand your options and obligations.

Medicare: You Earned It. Now Put it to Work.

The most important thing to keep in mind is that you want to make your benefits work for your personal situation. And you don’t want to be without them should you need them.

After all, you paid for them during a lifetime of work.

You deserve the full benefits Medicare provides to you.

Medicare Made Easy: What Expats, Frequent Travelers, and You Need to Know showcases various scenarios to help you easily identify and assess your options for healthcare coverage anywhere you might choose to travel or live.

Importantly, it also shows you what not to do if you are living overseas. You don’t want to risk running afoul of government regulations, no matter how inadvertently.

Do that, and you may have a tax fraud case filed against you.

How and When Can You Use Your Medicare Overseas?

Recent changes to some Medicare plans have expanded coverage networks, allowing wider coverage and longer stays out of the country.

They also provide for emergency and urgent care services overseas. This is a big benefit for travelers and part-time expats.

In Medicare Made Easy: What Expats, Frequent Travelers, and You Need to Know, you’ll get details about which Medicare plans provide this global coverage and how this all works, without having to spend hours combing the Medicare website.

As Ron says, “It’s important to know exactly what you’re covered for before you leave the country.

“It may be worth the effort to change your insurance carrier in order to take advantage of worldwide services.”

For example, for some options, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) requires that you maintain residence within their coverage area.

But CMS requirements for Supplement Plans only require that you are a resident in the coverage area at the time the policy is issued.

So it’s important to have a strategy—before you leave the States—to ensure two things: that your coverage will never be interrupted wherever you choose to live and that it won’t be adversely affected if you decide to seek legal residence status in another country.

Rita’s Story...

To help you better understand this issue, Ron tells the story of Rita, who has made Panama her part-time home for the past 12 years. (She has been covered by Medicare for the last five.)

A few years ago, she decided to get her Panama residence visa to relieve herself of the tax burden imposed by her state and in order to benefit of the discounts and incentives offered through Panama’s renowned Pensionado (Retirement) Program.

This program is one reason for Panama’s popularity among expat retirees. There is no requirement that you live in the country for any length of time once you obtain a resident visa.

Because she moved her legal residence to Panama, Rita can maintain Medicare Part A and B, but will be disenrolled from all Advantage and/or Part D Plans anywhere from six months to one year after her official residence change takes place.

However, if she was enrolled in a Supplement Plan before the residency change, she will not be disenrolled, as long as she continues to pay the premium.

“It is always best to check with your insurance carrier before the change, so you know what your options are,” Ron cautions.

And if Rita were not to pursue a residence change...well, then she has far more options, as Ron weighs in on in Chapter 7 of Medicare Made Easy: What Expats, Frequent Travelers, and You Need to Know.

As he says, “Careful consideration should be given.” And in this newly updated book, he helps you understand exactly what those considerations are and helps you make informed decisions.

Are You Ready to Get Your Hands on This
Important Information?

One of the things I most appreciate about this comprehensive book, as I’ve said before, is that the information is presented in a simple, easy to understand manner.

As I also mentioned, I turned 65 not long ago. Unfortunately for me, that was before Ron had written this book.

So I toughed it out and cobbled together an approach on my own. I can’t even begin to tell you how much easier the process would have been had I had this book to refer to.

Not only does Ron explain things in layman’s terms, he also offers hypothetical scenarios based on proven strategies and situations similar to what you and I are likely facing.

These examples showcase people in their 60s and 70s...some looking to craft their first Medicare solution and others who have been using Medicare for years.

Thanks to Ron’s guidance, they've found ways to make changes that upgrade and enhance (and in some cases, save money on) their coverage.

I’ve done the same. With Ron’s input, I have now changed my original strategy.

Ron’s advice is worth its weight in gold. No matter if you’ll be eligible for Medicare in the coming year or you’re already enrolled, you’ll want this valuable reference book.

There are even five Appendixes in the book, newly updated for 2023, including specific, must-have information for expats and travelers, and contact information for many, many assistance programs and information resources.

There is nothing else out there like this book. Believe me, I've looked.

Whether you’re looking to retire or invest overseas, or just spend time exploring the world full- or part-time, Medicare Made Easy: What Expats, Frequent Travelers, and You Need to Know hands you a blueprint to follow in crafting the best Medicare strategy for your personal needs now and in the future.

Take advantage of the solutions and strategies Ron lays out for you and you could save thousands of dollars on medical expenses.

As always, your satisfaction is guaranteed.

Our Good-Will, Good-Value Guarantee

If you decide the information shared in Medicare Made Easy: What Expats, Frequent Travelers, and You Need to Know doesn’t work for you, just return the book to us within 30 days and we’ll issue you a refund. No hassle, no fuss.

But I don’t think that will happen. This information is just too important. And understanding your rights—and the policy changes recently made by Medicare—can help you make decisions and changes to your Medicare strategy that can save you money and increase your peace of mind.

As soon as you order, we’ll immediately send access to a digital copy of your book straight to your email inbox.

I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised with your options for using Medicare in overseas. And you’ll enjoy the easy-to-understand style Ron Elledge uses to explain and help you sort through those options.

Medicare Made Easy: What Expats, Frequent Travelers, and You Need to Know is a must-read before you make a critical and costly mistake with your Medicare coverage when planning your overseas move or travel.

And it’s yours now for just $59.

Remember, it’s been completely updated for 2023 so you can be sure the information provided is as current, reliable, and actionable as possible.

It’s not offered anywhere else at a lower price.

Sincerely,

Dan Prescher
Senior Editor, International Living
January, 2023

P.S. Ron’s contact details are also in the book so you can reach out to him for guidance or answers to any questions you may have.

Remember, if you're at all disappointed...and I can't imagine you will be...feel free to ask for a refund within 30 days for a full refund.

P.P.S. Over the years, the strategies Ron has shown would-be expats and international travelers have proven to be true money-savers...and sometimes even life-changing...

As one told Ron:

“Commend you for your book “Medicare Made Easy.” Been reading this week and have to say I would otherwise never have known about topics such as MOOP and the Social Security 12 Criteria for establishing “Convincing Evidence of Residency.” And when my future income level drops, I will definitely inform the IRS of my status change. That info alone could be worth 100X the price of your book.”
—Robert M.

Another said:

“Thank you for your excellent help. I put in an application for an Advantage plan. Now waiting for their approval. Looks like I'll have to return here every 6 months for a routine checkup, but I believe it will work for me. Annual medication cost with the Plan is under $900, whereas it would be over $6,000 otherwise.”
—John M.

And don't forget, you’ll get Ron’s contact information inside your new book. He has graciously offered to answer emails and consult with you by phone.

As another IL reader noted:

“It was very nice to speak to you about my mom’s situation on Monday. Thank you for taking the time to talk to me. You are providing valuable insights to expats that no one else offers out there in the market. “
—Barbara S.

Let Ron Elledge help you, too, define your own money-saving, life-changing Medicare.

Medicare Made Easy: What Expats, Frequent Travelers, and You Need to Know  is only from International Living, and available to you now.

Just click the "Add to cart" button now...