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Seniors, as well as those who are considering a move to warmer areas on a part time basis, should carefully consider the pros and cons of insurance and health care in countries outside of their home state.
Older Americans have been migrating to Sunbelt, despite the pandemic and other obstacles. This was true for those who were born between 2020 and 2021.
You can retire sooner than you can transplants from the past.
You can work remotely and relocate in cooler climates.
Colder areas were traded (because of increased coronavirus exposure in densely populated metropolitan areas) to make way for warmer, less-populous environments
Insurance coverage and trading states
William H. Frey, of The Brookings Institution, analyzed U.S. Census Bureau data between 2012 and 2017, and found that the Phoenix metropolitan area of Scottsdale, Mesa, and Mesa saw the highest numbers of people 55 years or older. Florida had the highest annual average net migration of this age group.
Read more: Is it logical to retire early?
HealthCareInsider.com, a HealthCare.com company, recently compared 28 metrics for the New York and Florida health care systems covering quality, access, providers and cost. According to the analysis, people aged 65 and under who move across state lines need to remember that they cannot bring their existing health insurance with them. They must enroll in a new plan if they leave their home state.
Jeff Smedsrud is the president of Insurance at HealthCare.com. Original Medicare is a federal program and can be used in states other than those it covers, he said.
He said that if the person has a Medicare Supplement plan, they should enroll where they live. A Medicare supplement will pay for treatment if they visit a Florida doctor. However, this is not true if the individual has a Medicare Advantage plan. You may have to pay more if you travel outside the network.
See also: Four major changes the Social Security 2100 Act would make to benefits
Florida vs. New York
Health Care Insiders compares Florida's health care system to New York. Mixed results. Both states received high marks from patients for their hospitals and the communication with doctors. Floridians were less likely to spend time in the emergency room and lived farther away from hospitals than New Yorkers.
This comparison also shows that Florida has significantly higher medical costs, such as gall bladder removals, knee/hip and renal failure.
According to Smedsrud, our study showed that New York is a great place for patients to save money as the costs are lower. However, costs can vary greatly from one provider to the next within each state. Patients should carefully consider the cost of elective procedures in states where they have choices.
Smedsrud also says that transplants from the Empire State should be prepared for less access to healthcare, a lower level of insurance coverage, and lower per capita ratios.
Smedsrud stated that people with low incomes should think about their health insurance coverage before moving to Florida. Florida was supposed to expand Medicare in 2020, but this has been delayed until 2022.
Similar: Seniors in certain states will pay higher for medication
Health Care Insider will explore other patterns of migration in health care in the Sunbelt. The Sunbelt is made up of 15 states according to the Kinder Institute for Urban Research.
Location is also important when it comes to longevity
According to a study published in August's American Economic Review, certain locations within the Sunbelt are more likely to increase longevity than others. The research team examined records from 6.3 million Medicare beneficiaries between 1999 and 2014. They focused on U.S residents aged 65 to 99.
Amy Finkelstein, an economist at MIT, co-authored Place-Based drivers of mortality: Evidence from Migration. It found that both cities, including New York City, San Francisco, and Miami, have positive effects on the longevity of older transplants who move there. This was also true in some major Midwestern cities like Chicago.
The study found that areas with positive place effects on life expectancy have lower levels of pollution, more extreme summer and winter temperatures, and less automobile deaths. These areas also have higher incomes and education which may reflect a greater need for high-quality health care.
However, the study showed that older immigrants are less likely to live longer if they are located in the Deep South or the Sunbelt, which includes large portions of Alabama, Arkansas and Louisiana. This is also true for large parts of the Southwest, which includes Arizona, Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and New Mexico.
David M. Cutler, a Harvard professor and author, was the inspiration for the study. He said that behavior is key. How Americans act is the main factor behind health disparities between geographical regions. Healthy areas tend to smoke more, drink more, and eat more than others. Healthier areas are more likely to avoid these habits.
Constance Brossa is a great fan of storytelling. When she was in grade school, her affinity for narratives began. It continues to this day. After being a newspaper editor and writer for almost a dozen years, her passion for narratives developed when she was in grade school. She then launched an independent editing/writing company that evolved into a marketing agency focusing on brand storytelling. She continues to edit trade publications and digital media websites.
This article was reprinted with permission from NextAvenue.org, Inc. 2021 Twin Cities Public Television, Inc.
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