I was living in Italy when I got pregnant and chose to do the private route because I was very specific about what I was looking for. I also wasn’t in their system so I had to pay for everything, including bloodwork, out of pocket. My friends in the US were shocked at how little I was paying (myself included), whereas my Italian friends were appalled that I paid anything at all. A lot comes down to perspective I guess!
Wow, yes perspective but also what you would have had to do if you were in the US instead! I feel like we (US citizens) can't compare the other way around because we grew up and only experienced the for-profit system. I'm so glad you had such a great experience there and thank you so much for sharing some of it here :)
I'm 80,have lived in France for 11 years and have nothing but praise for French health care. My family and friends still live in the States and know well the inequities and problems with US healthcare. There will always be the defenders, but I think the problems are widely enough known that there is little about the US system to defend. I didn't move to France because of the health care system here, but it's a big reason why I wouldn't return to the States.
Hi Janice, thank you so much for your comment, I know other people will find this very helpful! My sister lived in France for 20 years and is moving back this year, also in a large part due to the health care. I'm so happy to hear how well it's working for you! I think many people in the US don't understand how much better it is elsewhere because they've never experienced it and thus have nothing to compare it to.
My wife and I moved from the Dallas, TX area to The Netherlands in 2016. I, too, have no plans to return to the US for many of the same reasons you list.
Just as an FYI our healthcare coverage here is €4200 a year for both of us with an annual €385 deductible. Everything medically necessary is covered with no hassles.
Hi and thank you so much for your comment! That's so amazing to hear--both that you moved to the Netherlands (and must love it) and that your health coverage is so affordable there!!!! It really is night and day!!!!
Really enjoying this series. I want to move to Costa Rica but can't--right now--due to aging parents. It sucks that you were getting hate comments while writing this series, but I agree with you in thinking that you're doing something right if it's causing these comments. And yes, TOTALLY agree that the healthcare system is broken here. Like a lot of other things.
Thank you so much for saying that you're enjoying this series :) That makes my heart leap!
Costa Rica is a great option! I guess you "have" to be there for your parents? My parents are aging as well, but it sounds very different because I don't have to be near them. And as I always say: even if you have to wait to start your adventure, you can still be proactive and spend your time planning, researching and daydreaming!!!!
Re: the hate comments, they helped the algorithms!!! YAY!!! hahahaha
Re: the healthcare system, something needs to change!!!
I have a friend who has been in Costa Rica well over ten years now. She has retired there. She just pays cash for any medical needs. You can actually afford to do that there. I went to visit her in 2020 right as the Covid pandemic was making itself known. So glad I got to go! It was amazing. People are super friendly. Food is fantastic. They love the environment and animals. My friend was paying $700 a month for a two bedroom cottage, all inclusive for bills and high speed internet. She’s in the middle of the country near a small town. I can’t remember the name of it right now. Best to learn some Spanish but lots of English spoken there.
Hi Beth, thank you for your comment! That's super awesome to hear about your friend there, thank you so much sharing! Wow, her rent is so affordable!!!! :) What a wonderful thing to hear firsthand!!!
Yes, have to be here. Co-caregiver of a parent with advanced dementia. My older sister and I live with them, and we trade out every week. I'm guessing I should actually at least TRY to visit CR first. Like a discovery trip or something.
Oh wow, that sounds so challenging. I'm really happy to hear you have help though (from your sister).
I didn't visit Portugal before moving here because I couldn't afford to and I love it. CR is closer though and I always say, "if you don't like where you land, you can try somewhere else!" I have a friend who is in love with Medellín and she's a full time digital nomad and has traveled much of the world. She's also a POC. If you're on FB and interested I can send you a link to her FB group. She's AMAZING and super helpful!!
Hi Rae, thank you so much for your comment. I'm so sorry to hear about your health and hope you can proceed when it's better or maybe even find alternative elsewhere that may work better for you!
I left the US and became a resident of Panama 3 years ago- never looked back. 🌴👍
I forward these well-written pieces to my daughter and nephews, hoping to spark more than an urgency to leave the dangerous regime, but to seek joy elsewhere! Thank you for the excellent resource.
I am so impressed you were a trapeze artist- how cool is that?!? I imagine it was (is) tough letting go of the risky and challenging physical feats. Aging is not for the weak-hearted! I’m starting to feel the achy joints of RA that runs in our family, so take lots of turmeric! Osteoporosis is just not fun to deal with either. You seem like the kind of badass woman who just won’t let anything stop you! Maybe it re-routes you to new ways of being in the world? That’s how I try to see the roadblocks 😊
Our community is a small residential beach and town with a lovely mix of Panamanians and folks from Canada, Turkey, France Germany and the US and everyone is fun, kind, helpful and living with intention. They organize snorkel trips, bike, pickleball etc. and we are some of the youngest! 💪
I teach once a week classes at a local outdoor studio along with little wellness retreats. Its the coolest situation I fell backwards into. I was taking Jana’s class and when she moved to Germany she asked if I would want to take her place. So I got certified and voila! 🧘♀️
SNAKES! Sadly, the giant beautiful boa was fat with one hen when we relocated her off our property. I never kill anything and regularly relocate Cane toads and scorpions, too😁
When I lived on a farm in Nebraska, I made my first husband rescue over 50 snakes from the old brick well before we dismantled it- it was like the scene from Indiana Jones and they were amazing! Rat snakes, garters, fox snakes ribbon snakes- it was a village! I took a few to my science classroom for kids to meet. I invited the kids to have lunch and watch them hunt goldfish in a bowl. Then I released them back home.
RATS! I’ve had so many as pets- they are SO misunderstood. Smart, affectionate, loyal, mischievous and playful! My very favorite was a large Dumbo rat I named Possum. He rode around on my shoulder and got to free-range in my classroom. He would fetch a paper ball and come when called. He loved to curl up on the couch when we watched tv💖💖💖. Saddest day ever when he died on my lap. 😢
I was an animal rights activist, too. I miss being in the fight but the America I loved is gone. I felt 100% betrayed by the legacy media and the complacency of so many democrats over the last decade. It is absolutely why I’m here now even though I loved living in Truckee. It was a beautiful bubble of kind conservation-minded people, humanitarian, activists- I never wanted to leave but I could see the tide turning 5 years ago and got my escape plan ready- it paid off 3 years ago when we made the leap!
Now I’m applying my activist energies trying to get my daughter out as well. Strange and terrible times!
How about your family? How did they handle your move and do you have family you worry about?
Hi Reenie! Thank you so much re: my being a trapeze artist (in my 40's the 50's no less LOL). It was amazing and I really wish I could have kept doing it. I miss it so much! But I still work on my handstands and splits regularly!
Ooo RA is super serious! Turmeric is great, I also take it regularly and I LOVE how you look at roadblocks!!! I try to think of each one as a way to grow, learn and overcome as well :) The first time I injured my fingers while I was doing trapeze (I fell off), I immediately switched to handstand classes for a year and then went back to trapeze. But if I hadn't switched to handstand I would have never met my BEST FRIEND!!!
OKay, your community sounds AMAZING!!! I really want to come visit LOL. I know nothing is perfect but WOW, it sounds close to! I'm so flipping tired of the rain and cold here right now. And... if you want to come visit here, you're invited!! I have a guest room and guest bathroom!!
I've really been wanting to try pickleball but never seem to manage it. I love that you have snorkel trips and all of that fun and that you are some of the youngest people there!!!
I'm also super impressed that you got certified to be a yoga teacher in order to take over Jana's classes. That's a true "meant to be" story!
I'm glad you were able to relocate the boa but :( about the hen. Cycle of life :(
I also love that you never kill anything! I can't say the same. I have a terrible issue with fruit flies here in the summer and my partner is always trying to shoo them out of the house while I'm trying to kill them 😳 I really need to follow their lead on this!
The great Nebraska snake rescue sounds fantastic!
I love hearing about your rat pets, I had them as pets too! I always say they were the best pets I've ever had and I loved every single one! Luther, Spike, Georgie, Zoot... I even drew a "rat tree" at one point so I wouldn't forget them all because, as you know, they only live for 2 years 😫
Possum sounds truly amazing!
I hear you about the America you love being gone and I also hear you about the heartache of not being able to fight. I used to go to political marches and rallies (especially in 2016) but those made no difference. I felt like I was helping during the Occupy movement when I would donate free acupuncture treatments to the people living on the streets.
Thank you for being an animal rights activist for as long as you were! Sometimes living the way we do (vegan and vegetarian) has a much bigger impact than we know.
I love that you're positively influencing your daughter, it's the younger generation we need to focus on. They're the ones who will change the world!
My family: that's a very complicated answer. My sister paved the way when she moved to France in the 90's. She lived there for 20 years, then went back to Los Angeles for 10 but is now moving back to France this year or next. I'm so happy! My cousin, who I'm very close to, moved to France last year. I haven't spoken to my father in 10 years because we have opposite values but he was a full-time traveler into his 90's which is cool. And then there's mom who hates that I moved to Portugal but she is trying to find peace with it.
I'm not worried about them so much because they all have partners who help them.
Yes, if you get a whim to try Panama, check us out! You can find the place on Airbnb as Casa Del Sueño, Panama. Lots of pics. (Trying to dump all meta connections - IG, FB etc but haven’t found an Airbnb replacement yet). It would be a pleasure to have you!
As to family and the situation, I’m happily married to hubby #2 and we have three girls between us- aged 27,28,29.
His youngest in Alabama with a family of 5, 3 boys under 3😯, his oldest single in Maine getting certified as a sonographer, and mine is in Olympia,WA starting nursing school prerequisites. I have been helping Fiona ( mine) prepare to leave the US. Her dad moved to Singapore days after the inauguration and I’ve been in Panama for almost three years, so she’s very open to it and knows time is ticking. My husband doesn’t share my sense of urgency (but I send links to all the girls😜)
My mom is 86 and lives in SC- a blue rose among red thorns and wants us all to live safely abroad. I have two nephews who are politically aware and We are actually gathering at the end of the month for her birthday - and to support the expat ideas.
I took the day completely off the news and just took a yoga class, walked the dogs, and sat in the sun. Hope you are also finding self-care time 🤗
Wow, I looked you up on google maps, it looks gorgeous!!! So you're offering on airbnb, that helps with income!
I'm glad to hear you stopped your Meta accounts. I haven't but I don't post. I use IG only for comedy videos (my trained algorithm is awesome) but also try to use YT more often now. I use FB for expat groups and research but since I hate it and rarely posted anyway, I ONLY post political things now, which all get suppressed. LOL
Awwwww, thank you! This made my day! I haven't written a memoir yet but have started and outlined 4 so far! All my published novels (20) are fiction which is often easier to write.
Oh how awesome! Truckee is gorgeous!!!! I love it, you're active, outdoorsy people :) It must be such a difference to go from a snowy area to a tropical one! And thank you sooooo much for listening to the podcast!!!!
Hi Reenie!! Thank you so much for your comment!!!! How do you like/love Panama??? That was pretty high on my list :) I am so glad you ended up there and never looked back!!!
Thank you so much for forwarding my articles to your daughter and nephews, and saying they're well-written, that is so incredibly kind and very much appreciated!!!
I do love Panama 🇵🇦 and I’m grateful every day I get to live on the beach, in a tropical country with affordable food and health care! My husband and I saw this coming and turned it into a chance to upend our lives and live a playful adventure. We quit our jobs, sold our house, and brought nothing but 2 dogs, bikes and paddle boards with us.🤪 I love reading other people’s life adventures abroad and your writing is so engaging. ☀️
That's so awesome Reenie! I'm going to put Panama on my Plan B list! LOL. I'm always looking for alternatives even though I love it here in Portugal so much!!
I look forward to the day where I can quit my jobs! I did too, initially but a huge loss in passive income has "forced" me back into the workplace. Though, I'd rather be working in Portugal than in the US!
Did you fly with your two dogs and all your gear or did you drive?
I also love hearing the food and health care are affordable there! Is the health care better than what were receiving in the US?
And thank you SO MUCH for saying that about my writing!!!!!! 🥰🥰🥰🥰
So my lovely cousin moved her young family to Lisbon, Portugal last year-they moved farther north recently - not sure where. She’s a remote school counselor with 5 -year-old twins. They love it there for the sense of warm, welcoming community, the culture - well, you know! 😊 I do read her posts about the challenges of being an American expat and they parallel ours in Panama. Living as a resident in a new country is an amazing experience both great and not-so. I have so much respect and admiration for those willing to make or take that opportunity.
Our Plan B was Ecuador ( nope!), then Medellin, Columbia( just visited-very impressed). To answer your questions, we flew with the dogs and toys- stupid expensive and stressful- but we all survived 😂 and we added a Panamá puppy and 5 lovely red hens to the family.🐓🐕
The local clinics and hospitals are free, and many of the docs are US-educated. The quality of care varies and we’ve found with everything-car repair, dental work, furniture shopping- we are better off doing our own research first. It’s an interesting shift in thinking, to be so self-sufficient by necessity. I miss convenience and leaning in to “expertise” but I’m more confident of my decisions because I have to stay informed.
Private hospitals provide low-cost care- here’s an example- the same week I injured my knee, my husband fell off scaffolding and trashed his ribs and elbow. We both went to the ER( no appointment needed) saw an orthopedist, had x-rays and an MRI, antibiotics. Cost: $2.85
We do t have insurance because we can afford care! Husband had a gut issue- 2 nights in hospital, 4 IV meds for 48 hours, private room, MRI, CAT scan and meals. Cost:$1200
The food is interesting-the vegetables and fruits are amazing and abundant. They sell 5-gallon bags of mixed fresh veggies on the roads for $10 and we eat fruit seasonally with free mangoes, limes, papayas, and avocados from wild trees on our roads. Local cuisine is terrible- all restaurants serve exactly the same food- meat, rice, fried things, no flavor, lol! Rough for me, the vegetarian animal rights activist😂
Gosh, this is turning into a long conversation-seems like we should be having it over coffee ☕️😁.
Oh that's wonderful about your cousin moving here with her twins!
And it's so interesting to hear about all the places you were looking at before you chose Panama. I also had Quito on my list and a friend of mine found that she resonates with Medellin the best and spends a large portion of her time there now. But she's a digital nomad (in her 70's, yes!) and traveled all first.
Wow, I admire the fact that you flew with the dogs and your fun toys, but in the end, it's important, especially to bring the dogs of course! I love hear you adopted a Panama puppy and have hens!!! I'm assuming you don't live in the city?
I have a fantasy/dream of buying property in the countryside/ish someday just so I can have more dogs and hens!
We are also similar in our vegetarianism and being animal rights people! I'm (mostly) vegan do switch to vegetarian when I travel. Being vegan in Porto has been a complete dream. I've never experienced so many amazing vegan restaurants anywhere else in the world, including in SF or LA.
I really appreciate you sharing your healthcare experiences, would it be okay for me to share with (tell) others who ask about healthcare in Panama?
Especially hearing about your husband's hospital stay! I had a similar experience here in Portugal (I also have low cost-to me) private insurance. I had 2 surgeries and each was €200 with an overnight hospital stay!
I hope your knee has recovered and I hope he's recovered too from the rib and elbow fall and gut issues!
WOW, 5 gallon (do they use the imperial or metric system?) bags of mixed veg sounds like a dream! And that yummy fruit!! Here I go to my local frutaria and everything tastes so much better!!
I would love to sit down over coffee or a huge veg meal!!! :) Maybe if you come here to visit your cousin or if I go on a scouting trip there!?
May I DM you to ask where you live and how you ended up in (chose) Panama?
I'm a verbose writer and long-winded chatter so long conversations work for me!! LOL
I think yes! We definitely should meet one day in either country and talk over a grand vegan/vegetarian meal 🍽️ …and 🍷 …and dessert 🍨 !
I’m impressed by your 70-something friend’s tenacity in nomad life. I remember thinking, when I was very young, how disappointing it would be to get old because life just gets more limited and now that I’m in my 60s, I’m actually in the best physical, energetic, and emotional shape since college! It’s been a revelation😊.
We actually live on the beach but our property is large and private, so plenty of protected space for my chickens and the dogs just free-range the beach. It’s a very relaxed life ( in between fixing roofs, dealing with constant salt corrosion, boa constrictors in the chicken pen ….😂)
You can certainly pass on our medical experiences here👍. I’m so glad to hear yours are similar. Isn’t it incredible to leave the US bubble and discover countries that care about easing life’s challenges for their citizens? Free college! Affordable healthy food! Free healthcare! What a concept…
I’m off to teach a yoga class- hoping you meet the day with love, light, and strength💕
Shoot, I mistyped!! My digital nomad friend is in her 60's, not 70's!! I know two in their 60's (mid+) but am also part of a group for digital nomads over 50 and I believe there are people in their 70's there.
I love that you're in your 60's and in the best physical shape since college! There's hope!! I'm almost 60 and was in great physical shape but then took 3 years "off working out" and spiraled downward quickly. I work out regularly now but unfortunately I developed severe osteoporosis and have to be very careful not to fall, which is affecting my fun level for sure as I was a trapeze artist into my 50's and a highly daring person.
As for the emotional health, YES! Same 😄
I also love, love, love that you live on the beach with free range dogs and chickens!! You really ARE living the dream!! Even if the dream entails salt corrosion and things breaking down. I am somewhat familiar with the downsides as my grandfather and father lived on a beach. They had to replace their electronics often 😕
Whoa, a boa in the chicken pen, did he/she eat any? I'm a huge snake lover, I hope it was able to be saved!
I had a rattler on my back patio for months in Northern California without realizing it. It was hiding under a small deck and before she arrived I'd had a pretty severe rat problem. But I love rats so much and they didn't come into my apartment so I just let them be. They would come up to the sliding glass door while I was meditating, stand up on their back legs and put their little paws on the glass. It was adorable! Months later, I didn't notice the rats had gone. One day my pup (he was the size of large rat!) was sunning himself outside when I saw the biggest snake I'd ever seen in my life, sunning next to him! I'm so lucky (and grateful) that the snake had her fill of rats and didn't eat my pup. I called animal care and control and they came and got her and let her go in the woods near me. The guy actually screamed when he picked her up "this is the biggest rattlesnake I've ever seen!!!" A steady rat diet will do that. 😬
Thank you for letting me share your medical experiences and yes I agree, other countries (not all but many) have it right... where college and healthcare and food and taking care of their citizens is not a "for-profit" business run by millionaires and billionaires. America is definitely not anywhere close to being "the greatest country in the world". I feel like I was brainwashed and lied to my entire life but in fact, I was merely ignorant.
Yoga is awesome!!! Do you teach in-person classes?
Also--I wanted to ask if your community there is more expat or locals or a mix of both?
I tried to subscribe to you. I really need your input on how to make this move happen. Not sure if my subscription went through. I didn’t get a confirmation.
This is AMAZING! I had no idea it was this stark of a difference. My desire to move to Europe has increased tenfold after reading this. Thank you, as always, for all the info - and for laughing in the face of the haters! 😂
awww thank you! though I did hear just today that there's a gang of portuguese boys holding people up at knife-point in a local park at night to rob them and the police (even when it was caught on video) won't do a thing... so that sucks! I still think it's safer than the US though. When a girl asked for advice on how to protect herself when walking through this park at night, we all responded: DON'T WALK THROUGH THE PARK AT NIGHT! I followed my response up with: I don't walk through ANY parks at night, ever, no matter where I am!!!
I had the best insurance in the USA possible—state employee. And yet, when I had strep throat, they couldn’t see me. My temperature spiked, and I just showed up at the clinic, and said, I can pass out on your floor and you can get an ambulance, or you can get me a throat swab and some antibiotics. Your choice. They saw me, reluctantly, until they saw how high my fever was. Murmured apologies, swab, antibiotics.
I couldn’t believe that even being fully insured I was having to put up with this. I don’t blame you at all for moving. I am in the UK permanently now and being able to use the NHS, for all its problems, gives me great peace. I’ve been very happy with my doctor.
Hi Anna Marie, I'm so sorry to hear that happened to you in the US but so happy to hear that you're receiving great care in the UK!!! Thank you so much for sharing your experiences!!!!
My wife and I recently returned from two weeks in Italy where she developed a bad cold leading up to Christmas Day. It got to a point where I was concerned that she would need to consult with a physician in the very least for potential antibiotics. In the end she powered through without the need for medical attention, but I did do some research on what we would need to do as Americans. It really could not have been more simple, and inexpensive! I actually am kind of weirdly disappointed that we didn't get to experience the ease of it all.
Meanwhile, I returned home on January 2nd to my mom telling me how her 91 year old aunt, whom she is the caretaker for, had a medical emergency on New Year's Eve that resulted in a trip to the ER and tests for a potential blood clot in her foot. In the end it turned out to be a stress fractured heel, and because of how the orders were written by the hospital, the insurance company refused to pay for a stint in rehabilitation-something that would be essential for her to continue living on her own as a mentally sharp, independent person. Instead it was going to cost $17,000 out of pocket. For one month. Unconscionable doesn't even begin to describe it!
Oh wow, just wow, there are no words! I'm soooo sorry to hear this about your aunt but very glad to hear your wife is okay!!! My sister has a heart attack last year and the hospital tried to saddle her with $200k in fees but she fought them and fought them and fought them. She asked for proof of everything. They were charging for things they never did, just adding a bunch of made up stuff to the bill. She would call and say, "they never did this procedure, show me the proof". She fought them for six months and in the end they dropped it. I'm sure your aunt doesn't have that kind of patience but maybe someone can advocate for her? Again, I'm so sorry to hear this, they are sharks. :(
I had knee replacement surgery in Mexico last year for $7000 and my surgeon made 2 house calls to check on me afterward and never charged me. I had an outstanding experience - better (overall care, my comfort, genuine sympathy, and excellent facilities) than when I had my gallbladder out in Washington, DC. I knew the US health care system was broken, but that experience brought it home.
Hi, and thank you so much for your comment! Wow, that's amazing and I'm so glad to hear how well your surgery was there! And I love how empathetic they were!
I noticed a huge difference in empathy between the public hospital here in Portugal vs the private hospital. In the public hospital they rolled their eyes at me and refused to give me any pain meds as I sat screaming in pain for six hours with one finger sticking up backwards and the other twisted around. But when I finally did get help and surgery, in a private hospital, it was a great experience.
Terrific post, Kimberley, and some excellent insights.
As a non-US citizen, I've often heard horror stories about American 'healthcare' but your examples provide even greater perspective. I was appalled by the stories you've shared, and send you my condolences on the loss of your dear friend.
When I was younger, I coveted an American Green Card (but never got one). Subsequently, I travelled to the US many times, always with health/medical cover - although I wonder now if it would ever have been enough! - but have no plans to visit again. I can only vote with my feet and my tourist dollar. It is not only the healthcare system that is broken in America.
Please keep on with your brave and thoughtful series. I've learned a lot - and have been given a lot to think about - through your writing, and enjoy the honesty, authority and the social proof of your content.
Hi Jan! I'm copying what I wrote on your restack :) thank you soooo much for your kind words about my writing and series and your readership Jan! It seems that health insurance in the US is mostly for emergency coverage and I still get it too whenever I return for a visit. It may not cover “everything” if something catastrophic were to happen but at least it would cover something! I have one friend who was in debt to her hospital bills for five years because she insisted on working extra to earn more to pay off the $200,000 bill!!! And she was barely treated for this. So many stories, not all, but many of them devestating.
And you’re absolutely right, there are a lot of things broken in the US and sadly more will break in the next 4 years. It’s insane to hear the facts about how the economy is better now than before, how employment is at its highest, etc. and to know that everything everyone has worked for will be gone soon. Not to keep getting political but… yes I agree and I think the “American Dream” that everyone’s been “sold” is dead :(
Wow. Yep, this is the main, and really only, reason we left the US. After Hubby's back was broken in a car wreck, his insurance company tried to kill him. It took years of litigation, and finally, a Senator's involvement, to keep them from succeeding. We remained in the US until I could retire with a minimum pension (I retired on disability due to cancer complications), and then we got out. I told Hubby that I would dedicate the remainder of my life to getting him out of the US. We are also in Portugal. We get great healthcare - he gets the pain meds he needs to be functional, and I get the meds I need post-cancer.
I was living in Italy when I got pregnant and chose to do the private route because I was very specific about what I was looking for. I also wasn’t in their system so I had to pay for everything, including bloodwork, out of pocket. My friends in the US were shocked at how little I was paying (myself included), whereas my Italian friends were appalled that I paid anything at all. A lot comes down to perspective I guess!
Wow, yes perspective but also what you would have had to do if you were in the US instead! I feel like we (US citizens) can't compare the other way around because we grew up and only experienced the for-profit system. I'm so glad you had such a great experience there and thank you so much for sharing some of it here :)
I'm 80,have lived in France for 11 years and have nothing but praise for French health care. My family and friends still live in the States and know well the inequities and problems with US healthcare. There will always be the defenders, but I think the problems are widely enough known that there is little about the US system to defend. I didn't move to France because of the health care system here, but it's a big reason why I wouldn't return to the States.
Hi Janice, thank you so much for your comment, I know other people will find this very helpful! My sister lived in France for 20 years and is moving back this year, also in a large part due to the health care. I'm so happy to hear how well it's working for you! I think many people in the US don't understand how much better it is elsewhere because they've never experienced it and thus have nothing to compare it to.
My wife and I moved from the Dallas, TX area to The Netherlands in 2016. I, too, have no plans to return to the US for many of the same reasons you list.
Just as an FYI our healthcare coverage here is €4200 a year for both of us with an annual €385 deductible. Everything medically necessary is covered with no hassles.
Hi and thank you so much for your comment! That's so amazing to hear--both that you moved to the Netherlands (and must love it) and that your health coverage is so affordable there!!!! It really is night and day!!!!
Really enjoying this series. I want to move to Costa Rica but can't--right now--due to aging parents. It sucks that you were getting hate comments while writing this series, but I agree with you in thinking that you're doing something right if it's causing these comments. And yes, TOTALLY agree that the healthcare system is broken here. Like a lot of other things.
Thank you so much for saying that you're enjoying this series :) That makes my heart leap!
Costa Rica is a great option! I guess you "have" to be there for your parents? My parents are aging as well, but it sounds very different because I don't have to be near them. And as I always say: even if you have to wait to start your adventure, you can still be proactive and spend your time planning, researching and daydreaming!!!!
Re: the hate comments, they helped the algorithms!!! YAY!!! hahahaha
Re: the healthcare system, something needs to change!!!
I have a friend who has been in Costa Rica well over ten years now. She has retired there. She just pays cash for any medical needs. You can actually afford to do that there. I went to visit her in 2020 right as the Covid pandemic was making itself known. So glad I got to go! It was amazing. People are super friendly. Food is fantastic. They love the environment and animals. My friend was paying $700 a month for a two bedroom cottage, all inclusive for bills and high speed internet. She’s in the middle of the country near a small town. I can’t remember the name of it right now. Best to learn some Spanish but lots of English spoken there.
Hi Beth, thank you for your comment! That's super awesome to hear about your friend there, thank you so much sharing! Wow, her rent is so affordable!!!! :) What a wonderful thing to hear firsthand!!!
I forgot to include that you also don’t need to own a car there. You can take a bus or very affordable taxis everywhere.
Ohhh that's great to know!! Thank you :)
Yes, have to be here. Co-caregiver of a parent with advanced dementia. My older sister and I live with them, and we trade out every week. I'm guessing I should actually at least TRY to visit CR first. Like a discovery trip or something.
Oh wow, that sounds so challenging. I'm really happy to hear you have help though (from your sister).
I didn't visit Portugal before moving here because I couldn't afford to and I love it. CR is closer though and I always say, "if you don't like where you land, you can try somewhere else!" I have a friend who is in love with Medellín and she's a full time digital nomad and has traveled much of the world. She's also a POC. If you're on FB and interested I can send you a link to her FB group. She's AMAZING and super helpful!!
Very interested in this but afraid my health is already too compromised. I am looking forward to your future posts!
Hi Rae, thank you so much for your comment. I'm so sorry to hear about your health and hope you can proceed when it's better or maybe even find alternative elsewhere that may work better for you!
I left the US and became a resident of Panama 3 years ago- never looked back. 🌴👍
I forward these well-written pieces to my daughter and nephews, hoping to spark more than an urgency to leave the dangerous regime, but to seek joy elsewhere! Thank you for the excellent resource.
I am so impressed you were a trapeze artist- how cool is that?!? I imagine it was (is) tough letting go of the risky and challenging physical feats. Aging is not for the weak-hearted! I’m starting to feel the achy joints of RA that runs in our family, so take lots of turmeric! Osteoporosis is just not fun to deal with either. You seem like the kind of badass woman who just won’t let anything stop you! Maybe it re-routes you to new ways of being in the world? That’s how I try to see the roadblocks 😊
Our community is a small residential beach and town with a lovely mix of Panamanians and folks from Canada, Turkey, France Germany and the US and everyone is fun, kind, helpful and living with intention. They organize snorkel trips, bike, pickleball etc. and we are some of the youngest! 💪
I teach once a week classes at a local outdoor studio along with little wellness retreats. Its the coolest situation I fell backwards into. I was taking Jana’s class and when she moved to Germany she asked if I would want to take her place. So I got certified and voila! 🧘♀️
SNAKES! Sadly, the giant beautiful boa was fat with one hen when we relocated her off our property. I never kill anything and regularly relocate Cane toads and scorpions, too😁
When I lived on a farm in Nebraska, I made my first husband rescue over 50 snakes from the old brick well before we dismantled it- it was like the scene from Indiana Jones and they were amazing! Rat snakes, garters, fox snakes ribbon snakes- it was a village! I took a few to my science classroom for kids to meet. I invited the kids to have lunch and watch them hunt goldfish in a bowl. Then I released them back home.
RATS! I’ve had so many as pets- they are SO misunderstood. Smart, affectionate, loyal, mischievous and playful! My very favorite was a large Dumbo rat I named Possum. He rode around on my shoulder and got to free-range in my classroom. He would fetch a paper ball and come when called. He loved to curl up on the couch when we watched tv💖💖💖. Saddest day ever when he died on my lap. 😢
I was an animal rights activist, too. I miss being in the fight but the America I loved is gone. I felt 100% betrayed by the legacy media and the complacency of so many democrats over the last decade. It is absolutely why I’m here now even though I loved living in Truckee. It was a beautiful bubble of kind conservation-minded people, humanitarian, activists- I never wanted to leave but I could see the tide turning 5 years ago and got my escape plan ready- it paid off 3 years ago when we made the leap!
Now I’m applying my activist energies trying to get my daughter out as well. Strange and terrible times!
How about your family? How did they handle your move and do you have family you worry about?
Hi Reenie! Thank you so much re: my being a trapeze artist (in my 40's the 50's no less LOL). It was amazing and I really wish I could have kept doing it. I miss it so much! But I still work on my handstands and splits regularly!
Ooo RA is super serious! Turmeric is great, I also take it regularly and I LOVE how you look at roadblocks!!! I try to think of each one as a way to grow, learn and overcome as well :) The first time I injured my fingers while I was doing trapeze (I fell off), I immediately switched to handstand classes for a year and then went back to trapeze. But if I hadn't switched to handstand I would have never met my BEST FRIEND!!!
OKay, your community sounds AMAZING!!! I really want to come visit LOL. I know nothing is perfect but WOW, it sounds close to! I'm so flipping tired of the rain and cold here right now. And... if you want to come visit here, you're invited!! I have a guest room and guest bathroom!!
I've really been wanting to try pickleball but never seem to manage it. I love that you have snorkel trips and all of that fun and that you are some of the youngest people there!!!
I'm also super impressed that you got certified to be a yoga teacher in order to take over Jana's classes. That's a true "meant to be" story!
I'm glad you were able to relocate the boa but :( about the hen. Cycle of life :(
I also love that you never kill anything! I can't say the same. I have a terrible issue with fruit flies here in the summer and my partner is always trying to shoo them out of the house while I'm trying to kill them 😳 I really need to follow their lead on this!
The great Nebraska snake rescue sounds fantastic!
I love hearing about your rat pets, I had them as pets too! I always say they were the best pets I've ever had and I loved every single one! Luther, Spike, Georgie, Zoot... I even drew a "rat tree" at one point so I wouldn't forget them all because, as you know, they only live for 2 years 😫
Possum sounds truly amazing!
I hear you about the America you love being gone and I also hear you about the heartache of not being able to fight. I used to go to political marches and rallies (especially in 2016) but those made no difference. I felt like I was helping during the Occupy movement when I would donate free acupuncture treatments to the people living on the streets.
Thank you for being an animal rights activist for as long as you were! Sometimes living the way we do (vegan and vegetarian) has a much bigger impact than we know.
I love that you're positively influencing your daughter, it's the younger generation we need to focus on. They're the ones who will change the world!
My family: that's a very complicated answer. My sister paved the way when she moved to France in the 90's. She lived there for 20 years, then went back to Los Angeles for 10 but is now moving back to France this year or next. I'm so happy! My cousin, who I'm very close to, moved to France last year. I haven't spoken to my father in 10 years because we have opposite values but he was a full-time traveler into his 90's which is cool. And then there's mom who hates that I moved to Portugal but she is trying to find peace with it.
I'm not worried about them so much because they all have partners who help them.
What about yours?
I love how parallel our experiences have been😊.
Yes, if you get a whim to try Panama, check us out! You can find the place on Airbnb as Casa Del Sueño, Panama. Lots of pics. (Trying to dump all meta connections - IG, FB etc but haven’t found an Airbnb replacement yet). It would be a pleasure to have you!
As to family and the situation, I’m happily married to hubby #2 and we have three girls between us- aged 27,28,29.
His youngest in Alabama with a family of 5, 3 boys under 3😯, his oldest single in Maine getting certified as a sonographer, and mine is in Olympia,WA starting nursing school prerequisites. I have been helping Fiona ( mine) prepare to leave the US. Her dad moved to Singapore days after the inauguration and I’ve been in Panama for almost three years, so she’s very open to it and knows time is ticking. My husband doesn’t share my sense of urgency (but I send links to all the girls😜)
My mom is 86 and lives in SC- a blue rose among red thorns and wants us all to live safely abroad. I have two nephews who are politically aware and We are actually gathering at the end of the month for her birthday - and to support the expat ideas.
I took the day completely off the news and just took a yoga class, walked the dogs, and sat in the sun. Hope you are also finding self-care time 🤗
Wow, I looked you up on google maps, it looks gorgeous!!! So you're offering on airbnb, that helps with income!
I'm glad to hear you stopped your Meta accounts. I haven't but I don't post. I use IG only for comedy videos (my trained algorithm is awesome) but also try to use YT more often now. I use FB for expat groups and research but since I hate it and rarely posted anyway, I ONLY post political things now, which all get suppressed. LOL
I hear you about airbnb though, I feel the same way but still use it at times. If I travel alone I check booking.com first but airbnb is often more affordable but not always. You could look into VRBO but I'm sure you know about what's out there. Still, this article my friend Nora wrote may give you a few ideas? https://www.theprofessionalhobo.com/how-to-book-monthly-digital-nomad-accommodation-alternatives-to-airbnb/?fbclid=IwAR08-2T75jIjFsWhuG0Ogaxyk6IwKQs8_p8AmbQ9dDLUEJz_E2l-s705JOk_aem_AcJBA2vAIruajtA9eAtGPs5bjznqVZ47KBa10zdxoEuCMXn9hC9jZW-dpqLeT8ijU5Q
I love how supportive your family is!!! Your mom is the same age as mine!!
I hope Fiona is able to take the jump soon and I hope you enjoyed your day off!!!! :)
LOL, if you haven’t written a memoir yet, please do! I’ll buy an advanced copy!
Awwwww, thank you! This made my day! I haven't written a memoir yet but have started and outlined 4 so far! All my published novels (20) are fiction which is often easier to write.
BTW, I was listening to your podcast and was excited to hear you lived in CA. We lived in Truckee, California for 11 years before coming to Panama.👍
Oh how awesome! Truckee is gorgeous!!!! I love it, you're active, outdoorsy people :) It must be such a difference to go from a snowy area to a tropical one! And thank you sooooo much for listening to the podcast!!!!
Hi Reenie!! Thank you so much for your comment!!!! How do you like/love Panama??? That was pretty high on my list :) I am so glad you ended up there and never looked back!!!
Thank you so much for forwarding my articles to your daughter and nephews, and saying they're well-written, that is so incredibly kind and very much appreciated!!!
Hi Kimberly Anne! 😊
I do love Panama 🇵🇦 and I’m grateful every day I get to live on the beach, in a tropical country with affordable food and health care! My husband and I saw this coming and turned it into a chance to upend our lives and live a playful adventure. We quit our jobs, sold our house, and brought nothing but 2 dogs, bikes and paddle boards with us.🤪 I love reading other people’s life adventures abroad and your writing is so engaging. ☀️
That's so awesome Reenie! I'm going to put Panama on my Plan B list! LOL. I'm always looking for alternatives even though I love it here in Portugal so much!!
I look forward to the day where I can quit my jobs! I did too, initially but a huge loss in passive income has "forced" me back into the workplace. Though, I'd rather be working in Portugal than in the US!
Did you fly with your two dogs and all your gear or did you drive?
I also love hearing the food and health care are affordable there! Is the health care better than what were receiving in the US?
And thank you SO MUCH for saying that about my writing!!!!!! 🥰🥰🥰🥰
I really appreciate you and your comments!!!!
So my lovely cousin moved her young family to Lisbon, Portugal last year-they moved farther north recently - not sure where. She’s a remote school counselor with 5 -year-old twins. They love it there for the sense of warm, welcoming community, the culture - well, you know! 😊 I do read her posts about the challenges of being an American expat and they parallel ours in Panama. Living as a resident in a new country is an amazing experience both great and not-so. I have so much respect and admiration for those willing to make or take that opportunity.
Our Plan B was Ecuador ( nope!), then Medellin, Columbia( just visited-very impressed). To answer your questions, we flew with the dogs and toys- stupid expensive and stressful- but we all survived 😂 and we added a Panamá puppy and 5 lovely red hens to the family.🐓🐕
The local clinics and hospitals are free, and many of the docs are US-educated. The quality of care varies and we’ve found with everything-car repair, dental work, furniture shopping- we are better off doing our own research first. It’s an interesting shift in thinking, to be so self-sufficient by necessity. I miss convenience and leaning in to “expertise” but I’m more confident of my decisions because I have to stay informed.
Private hospitals provide low-cost care- here’s an example- the same week I injured my knee, my husband fell off scaffolding and trashed his ribs and elbow. We both went to the ER( no appointment needed) saw an orthopedist, had x-rays and an MRI, antibiotics. Cost: $2.85
We do t have insurance because we can afford care! Husband had a gut issue- 2 nights in hospital, 4 IV meds for 48 hours, private room, MRI, CAT scan and meals. Cost:$1200
The food is interesting-the vegetables and fruits are amazing and abundant. They sell 5-gallon bags of mixed fresh veggies on the roads for $10 and we eat fruit seasonally with free mangoes, limes, papayas, and avocados from wild trees on our roads. Local cuisine is terrible- all restaurants serve exactly the same food- meat, rice, fried things, no flavor, lol! Rough for me, the vegetarian animal rights activist😂
Gosh, this is turning into a long conversation-seems like we should be having it over coffee ☕️😁.
It’s a pleasure chatting! ☀️🌴
Hi Reenie!
Oh that's wonderful about your cousin moving here with her twins!
And it's so interesting to hear about all the places you were looking at before you chose Panama. I also had Quito on my list and a friend of mine found that she resonates with Medellin the best and spends a large portion of her time there now. But she's a digital nomad (in her 70's, yes!) and traveled all first.
Wow, I admire the fact that you flew with the dogs and your fun toys, but in the end, it's important, especially to bring the dogs of course! I love hear you adopted a Panama puppy and have hens!!! I'm assuming you don't live in the city?
I have a fantasy/dream of buying property in the countryside/ish someday just so I can have more dogs and hens!
We are also similar in our vegetarianism and being animal rights people! I'm (mostly) vegan do switch to vegetarian when I travel. Being vegan in Porto has been a complete dream. I've never experienced so many amazing vegan restaurants anywhere else in the world, including in SF or LA.
I really appreciate you sharing your healthcare experiences, would it be okay for me to share with (tell) others who ask about healthcare in Panama?
Especially hearing about your husband's hospital stay! I had a similar experience here in Portugal (I also have low cost-to me) private insurance. I had 2 surgeries and each was €200 with an overnight hospital stay!
I hope your knee has recovered and I hope he's recovered too from the rib and elbow fall and gut issues!
WOW, 5 gallon (do they use the imperial or metric system?) bags of mixed veg sounds like a dream! And that yummy fruit!! Here I go to my local frutaria and everything tastes so much better!!
I would love to sit down over coffee or a huge veg meal!!! :) Maybe if you come here to visit your cousin or if I go on a scouting trip there!?
May I DM you to ask where you live and how you ended up in (chose) Panama?
I'm a verbose writer and long-winded chatter so long conversations work for me!! LOL
I hope you have a fantastic day!!
Good morning, Kimberly Anne-
I think yes! We definitely should meet one day in either country and talk over a grand vegan/vegetarian meal 🍽️ …and 🍷 …and dessert 🍨 !
I’m impressed by your 70-something friend’s tenacity in nomad life. I remember thinking, when I was very young, how disappointing it would be to get old because life just gets more limited and now that I’m in my 60s, I’m actually in the best physical, energetic, and emotional shape since college! It’s been a revelation😊.
We actually live on the beach but our property is large and private, so plenty of protected space for my chickens and the dogs just free-range the beach. It’s a very relaxed life ( in between fixing roofs, dealing with constant salt corrosion, boa constrictors in the chicken pen ….😂)
You can certainly pass on our medical experiences here👍. I’m so glad to hear yours are similar. Isn’t it incredible to leave the US bubble and discover countries that care about easing life’s challenges for their citizens? Free college! Affordable healthy food! Free healthcare! What a concept…
I’m off to teach a yoga class- hoping you meet the day with love, light, and strength💕
Hi yes yes, it would be great :)
Shoot, I mistyped!! My digital nomad friend is in her 60's, not 70's!! I know two in their 60's (mid+) but am also part of a group for digital nomads over 50 and I believe there are people in their 70's there.
I love that you're in your 60's and in the best physical shape since college! There's hope!! I'm almost 60 and was in great physical shape but then took 3 years "off working out" and spiraled downward quickly. I work out regularly now but unfortunately I developed severe osteoporosis and have to be very careful not to fall, which is affecting my fun level for sure as I was a trapeze artist into my 50's and a highly daring person.
As for the emotional health, YES! Same 😄
I also love, love, love that you live on the beach with free range dogs and chickens!! You really ARE living the dream!! Even if the dream entails salt corrosion and things breaking down. I am somewhat familiar with the downsides as my grandfather and father lived on a beach. They had to replace their electronics often 😕
Whoa, a boa in the chicken pen, did he/she eat any? I'm a huge snake lover, I hope it was able to be saved!
I had a rattler on my back patio for months in Northern California without realizing it. It was hiding under a small deck and before she arrived I'd had a pretty severe rat problem. But I love rats so much and they didn't come into my apartment so I just let them be. They would come up to the sliding glass door while I was meditating, stand up on their back legs and put their little paws on the glass. It was adorable! Months later, I didn't notice the rats had gone. One day my pup (he was the size of large rat!) was sunning himself outside when I saw the biggest snake I'd ever seen in my life, sunning next to him! I'm so lucky (and grateful) that the snake had her fill of rats and didn't eat my pup. I called animal care and control and they came and got her and let her go in the woods near me. The guy actually screamed when he picked her up "this is the biggest rattlesnake I've ever seen!!!" A steady rat diet will do that. 😬
Thank you for letting me share your medical experiences and yes I agree, other countries (not all but many) have it right... where college and healthcare and food and taking care of their citizens is not a "for-profit" business run by millionaires and billionaires. America is definitely not anywhere close to being "the greatest country in the world". I feel like I was brainwashed and lied to my entire life but in fact, I was merely ignorant.
Yoga is awesome!!! Do you teach in-person classes?
Also--I wanted to ask if your community there is more expat or locals or a mix of both?
I hope you're having a fantastic Sunday!!! 🤩
Yes! Welcome to the club!
Healthcare, safety (guns), free education, roads, trains, public transportation, healthy food. So many things the US lack in..
It's heartbreakingly true. Thank you so much for your comment!!!
Where can I read Part #1?
I need to do this!
Hi David!
It looks like you left your comment on one of my articles about the differences between the US and Portugal and this was the first in that series. If you're looking for the How to Move Abroad Series, you can find that here: https://open.substack.com/pub/expatonabudget/p/want-to-move-abroad-start-here?r=9fb7x&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
If you're looking for the Why I Left the US Series, the first one is here: https://expatonabudget.substack.com/p/why-i-left-the-usa-and-wont-ever?r=9fb7x.
If you're looking for something different please let me know! You can also check the archives :) https://expatonabudget.substack.com/archive
I tried to subscribe to you. I really need your input on how to make this move happen. Not sure if my subscription went through. I didn’t get a confirmation.
Hi David, I don't see your subscription either. You should be able to here: https://expatonabudget.substack.com/p/subscribe-to-the-newsletter
Let me know if you can't and I can add you directly if you DM me your email :)
Also: every newsletter I send is available to read on my main page! Thank you so much for your interest!
This is AMAZING! I had no idea it was this stark of a difference. My desire to move to Europe has increased tenfold after reading this. Thank you, as always, for all the info - and for laughing in the face of the haters! 😂
awww thank you! though I did hear just today that there's a gang of portuguese boys holding people up at knife-point in a local park at night to rob them and the police (even when it was caught on video) won't do a thing... so that sucks! I still think it's safer than the US though. When a girl asked for advice on how to protect herself when walking through this park at night, we all responded: DON'T WALK THROUGH THE PARK AT NIGHT! I followed my response up with: I don't walk through ANY parks at night, ever, no matter where I am!!!
I am so very sorry to hear that about the gang and do hope that will be a short-lived thing!
Yeah
I had the best insurance in the USA possible—state employee. And yet, when I had strep throat, they couldn’t see me. My temperature spiked, and I just showed up at the clinic, and said, I can pass out on your floor and you can get an ambulance, or you can get me a throat swab and some antibiotics. Your choice. They saw me, reluctantly, until they saw how high my fever was. Murmured apologies, swab, antibiotics.
I couldn’t believe that even being fully insured I was having to put up with this. I don’t blame you at all for moving. I am in the UK permanently now and being able to use the NHS, for all its problems, gives me great peace. I’ve been very happy with my doctor.
Hi Anna Marie, I'm so sorry to hear that happened to you in the US but so happy to hear that you're receiving great care in the UK!!! Thank you so much for sharing your experiences!!!!
This was such an interesting comparison of various healthcare systems around the world. Thank you for taking the time to break that all down for us!
You're so welcome! It seemed important, I'm so glad you found it helpful :)
My wife and I recently returned from two weeks in Italy where she developed a bad cold leading up to Christmas Day. It got to a point where I was concerned that she would need to consult with a physician in the very least for potential antibiotics. In the end she powered through without the need for medical attention, but I did do some research on what we would need to do as Americans. It really could not have been more simple, and inexpensive! I actually am kind of weirdly disappointed that we didn't get to experience the ease of it all.
Meanwhile, I returned home on January 2nd to my mom telling me how her 91 year old aunt, whom she is the caretaker for, had a medical emergency on New Year's Eve that resulted in a trip to the ER and tests for a potential blood clot in her foot. In the end it turned out to be a stress fractured heel, and because of how the orders were written by the hospital, the insurance company refused to pay for a stint in rehabilitation-something that would be essential for her to continue living on her own as a mentally sharp, independent person. Instead it was going to cost $17,000 out of pocket. For one month. Unconscionable doesn't even begin to describe it!
Oh wow, just wow, there are no words! I'm soooo sorry to hear this about your aunt but very glad to hear your wife is okay!!! My sister has a heart attack last year and the hospital tried to saddle her with $200k in fees but she fought them and fought them and fought them. She asked for proof of everything. They were charging for things they never did, just adding a bunch of made up stuff to the bill. She would call and say, "they never did this procedure, show me the proof". She fought them for six months and in the end they dropped it. I'm sure your aunt doesn't have that kind of patience but maybe someone can advocate for her? Again, I'm so sorry to hear this, they are sharks. :(
I just arrived in Tijuana from LA for dental work.
Hi Manon! That's great!! I have several friends who went to Mexico for dental work and had good experiences!!!
I had knee replacement surgery in Mexico last year for $7000 and my surgeon made 2 house calls to check on me afterward and never charged me. I had an outstanding experience - better (overall care, my comfort, genuine sympathy, and excellent facilities) than when I had my gallbladder out in Washington, DC. I knew the US health care system was broken, but that experience brought it home.
Hi, and thank you so much for your comment! Wow, that's amazing and I'm so glad to hear how well your surgery was there! And I love how empathetic they were!
I noticed a huge difference in empathy between the public hospital here in Portugal vs the private hospital. In the public hospital they rolled their eyes at me and refused to give me any pain meds as I sat screaming in pain for six hours with one finger sticking up backwards and the other twisted around. But when I finally did get help and surgery, in a private hospital, it was a great experience.
Thank you sooooo much for sharing your story!!!
Terrific post, Kimberley, and some excellent insights.
As a non-US citizen, I've often heard horror stories about American 'healthcare' but your examples provide even greater perspective. I was appalled by the stories you've shared, and send you my condolences on the loss of your dear friend.
When I was younger, I coveted an American Green Card (but never got one). Subsequently, I travelled to the US many times, always with health/medical cover - although I wonder now if it would ever have been enough! - but have no plans to visit again. I can only vote with my feet and my tourist dollar. It is not only the healthcare system that is broken in America.
Please keep on with your brave and thoughtful series. I've learned a lot - and have been given a lot to think about - through your writing, and enjoy the honesty, authority and the social proof of your content.
Jan
Hi Jan! I'm copying what I wrote on your restack :) thank you soooo much for your kind words about my writing and series and your readership Jan! It seems that health insurance in the US is mostly for emergency coverage and I still get it too whenever I return for a visit. It may not cover “everything” if something catastrophic were to happen but at least it would cover something! I have one friend who was in debt to her hospital bills for five years because she insisted on working extra to earn more to pay off the $200,000 bill!!! And she was barely treated for this. So many stories, not all, but many of them devestating.
And you’re absolutely right, there are a lot of things broken in the US and sadly more will break in the next 4 years. It’s insane to hear the facts about how the economy is better now than before, how employment is at its highest, etc. and to know that everything everyone has worked for will be gone soon. Not to keep getting political but… yes I agree and I think the “American Dream” that everyone’s been “sold” is dead :(
Wow. Yep, this is the main, and really only, reason we left the US. After Hubby's back was broken in a car wreck, his insurance company tried to kill him. It took years of litigation, and finally, a Senator's involvement, to keep them from succeeding. We remained in the US until I could retire with a minimum pension (I retired on disability due to cancer complications), and then we got out. I told Hubby that I would dedicate the remainder of my life to getting him out of the US. We are also in Portugal. We get great healthcare - he gets the pain meds he needs to be functional, and I get the meds I need post-cancer.
Hi Elaine, I responded to this on your note!!! (as you've seen) :)