An RVtravel.com reader named Daniel wrote with this question: What do folks do about medical care when full time RV living?
Do have any tips for Daniel or other readers who may be interested? We’ll compile your comments next week into an article that will hopefully provide some answers. This is a question that often comes up. So, please, leave a comment.
—Chuck, editor
The FREE RVtravel.com newsletter is filled with great RV information, advice, and news written by RV experts, delivered right to your inbox. Never any SPAM and we will NEVER sell your information! When you subscribe, you'll get three checklists that every RVer should have as a thank you!
Our most popular articles this week:
Amazon’s biggest sale is on! For four days only—don’t wait!
Everything is on sale! Well, OK, not everything, but thousands and thousands and THOUSANDS of items are on sale during Amazon’s biggest sale of the year, Prime Day! If you have something you’ve been needing or wanting, now is the time to buy. See everything that’s on sale here. We guarantee you’ll be impressed!
THE BEST WAY TO SUPPORT US?
Tell other RVers about us! If you love us and our newsletters, chances are other RVers will too! You could tell your campsite neighbors how great we are, you could post a newsletter or story you enjoyed on your Facebook, you could write us a love letter on the campground bulletin board… You get the picture. Spread the word—help us out! THANK YOU!
Please follow our rules for commenting.
The answer depends alot on whether one is on Medicare or not. If on Medicare, make sure any add on coverage is good anywhere you plan to travel. In other words, don’t buy a Medicare Advantage Policy that limits coverage to a network, unless the network is nationwide, or at least covers all the areas you plan to travel through.
If not on Medicare, this is also an issue, but there are more serious considerations. This site has great health insurance info for full timers under 65: https://wheelingit.us/category/health-care-2/
Good luck and choose wisely.
Grumpy
My husband & I personally chose a Medicare supplemental plan that is good throughout the US and Canada and Mexico. We just make sure the providers we choose accepts the plan. For 4 years we have been healthy and only have had to see an eye doctor and dermatologists, receiving our annual check ups when back in our home area. However, my husband has had a hard to define illness for the last month. We make sure we get copies of all test results and have compiled them to share when we have to go to a different Urgent Care Center. We have also scanned them into our computer so that they can be uploaded to his primary care provider. If you are moving from place to place YOU have to be responsible for coordinating care. (I happen to be a former nure so I have some medical background.)
We have been full-time RVers for over two years (and extended travelers for 10 years before that) and, so far, have not traveled back to the location of our last house — so we’ve had to find new providers everywhere we go. We haven’t had much trouble finding doctors or dentists in any state where we’ve traveled, although they are not always close to the RV park where we’re staying. Nor have we had to wait a long time to get an appointment; that was a concern when we went on Medicare. We always do our research ahead of time to make sure the medical practice, clinic, or hospital accepts both Medicare and Tricare (our supplemental medical insurance), or the dental insurance we have. There ARE challenges with continuity, however, primarily keeping good records (including x-rays and scans) and providing relevant information to each doctor or dentist so services aren’t neglected or duplicated unnecessarily. So far, so good. What might prompt us to settle in one area again, at least for a while, is when we need total knee replacements. We only have one good knee between us!
We spend a month in the Spring and again in the Fall near our last place of residence. We are able to keep our doctors and dentist that we have come to love. Unplanned visits do happen. We use Tele-medicine, Urgent Care, or Emergency Rooms as a last resort. This lifestyle also allowed me to visit a specialist in NYC by camping in the Region and commuting into the City. We have met several people who were camping to be near a long term treatment center such as Radiation Treatment. Much less anxiety than a motel for two months.
I have a kidney transplant and need to keep up with labs and exams. I always went back to my transplant center for appointments – about 1x a year at that point. I did labs on the road, even in Canada and Mexico. The mail-order pharmacy sent my meds to our mail drop and they forwarded them to me. Never had a problem in 5 years of full timing. That was a while ago tho, so am hoping not much has changed when we hit the road again next year!
If on Medicare which I assume you are switch to straight Medicare with your supplement