Lifestyle feasibility for 70+ with health problems

[PilbaraWanderer]

Hi,

I'm what's referred to as a solo senior, no connections family or otherwise. I'm over 70 yrs old and was drawn to this in large part by what I saw in the film Nomadland. I have to stay in Arizona because it and California are the best states for elderly without support or contacts. Quartzsite isn't that far from Mayo Clinic so I am womdering if this lifestyle does in fact make mutual medical support possible? Just me and my dog and she's getting old too.

Any thoughts appreciated.

Thanks

PS: got the user id from the film Red Dog about the Australian Kelpie.

 

[user 423]

Welcome to the forum!

Can you explain what you mean by 'mutual medical support'?

 

[bullfrog]

First of all what leads you to think those states are better. Escapees.com is the way to connect with their Care center in their facility in their headquarters park Rainbow's End in Livingston Texas. Membership is less than $50 a year. They have an extensive assisted living in your own RV where they clean, do laundry, feed you by providing meals at the center along with wellness and medicine dose checks and transport you in their handicap van as well as assist you getting treatment in Houston if required. Most are volunteers there so the people are just outstanding. Last I checked costs were between $800 and $1200 for a couple a month if they have room. They accept volunteers from the club membership year round and supply a full hook space and meals is anyone is interested. We worked for the Escapees when we first started out many years ago and have never been treated any better anywhere else.

 

[landyachtman]

Welcome to the CRVL forums! To help you learn the ins and outs of these forums, this "Tips, Tricks and Rules" post lists some helpful information to get you started.

Most of our rules boil down to two simple over-riding principles: 1) What you post should provide good information (like your introductory post), and 2) Any response to someone else's post should make them feel glad they are part of this forum community.

We look forward to hearing more from you.

 

[mattvei]

just make sure you have old-school Medicare plan A which allows you to go anywhere in the country for medical care you should also have a Medigap policy Plan B and if you are impoverished you can work with your local Human Services to get a Medicaid backup and also to have them pay your medicare premiums. if you have a Medicare plan C Advantage plan you are geographically Limited. also if you qualify for SNAP benefits formerly called food stamps you can use that funding anywhere in the country not just in the area where you qualified

 

[PilbaraWanderer]

Welcome to the forum!

Can you explain what you mean by 'mutual medical support'?

Nothing specific, just looking out for one another. Maybe back each other up in emergencies. A ride to the doctor perhaps. It would all be reciprocal.

 

[DiANA R]

just make sure you have old-school Medicare plan A which allows you to go anywhere in the country for medical care you should also have a Medigap policy Plan B and if you are impoverished you can work with your local Human Services to get a Medicaid backup and also to have them pay your medicare premiums. if you have a Medicare plan C Advantage plan you are geographically Limited. also if you qualify for SNAP benefits formerly called food stamps you can use that funding anywhere in the country not just in the area where you qualified

Hi mattvei, thanks for this info. I have been on Medicare. But my advisor never really explained it so I could understand it....and just like that you gave me the skinny!

 

[shadowmoss]

Mayo doesn't like Medicare patients. I went there when I had cobra insurance and had breast cancer. Went back once I transitioned to Medicare and they didn't want to see me. Don't put a lot of trust in Mayo to save you if you don't have a.lot of money to throw around.

 

[barleyguy]

Mayo doesn't like Medicare patients.  I went there when I had cobra insurance and had breast cancer.  Went back once I transitioned to Medicare and they didn't want to see me.  Don't put a lot of trust in Mayo to save you if you don't have a.lot of money to throw around.

One of the interesting things about our medical system is that nobody pays the same price. "In network" insurance negotiates one price, the general public pays a different price, and medicare pays a standardized price that's lower than any of them. Also, if the hospital or doctor makes a tiny mistake in the billing, medicare will refuse to pay at all.

I'm not saying Mayo or anybody else is justified in not doing their job of helping people. But understand that when they take a medicare patient they are working at a significantly discounted rate and incurring significant extra paperwork.

 

[shadowmoss]

Actually, I was told that first of all, I had to file all of the billing paperwork with Medicare, they point blank refused to deal with it. Also said that their prices are 20% higher than Medicare pays and I would be responsible for that difference. Your mileage might vary.

They also are not sympathetic to lack of money. The social worker I talked to about the fact that I would be going onto ACA insurance for awhile until I turned 65 once cobra ran out simply said they didn't take any of it. No offers of help or attempt to work with me from that point on.

I was actively discouraged from trying to use my Mayo doctors once I went back when I finally got Medicare. I may have some baggage from the experience.

 

[barleyguy]

Actually, I was told that first of all, I had to file all of the billing  paperwork with Medicare, they point blank refused to deal with it.  Also said that their prices are 20% higher than Medicare pays and I would be responsible for that difference.  Your mileage might vary. 

They also are not sympathetic to lack of money.  The social worker I talked to about the fact that I would be going onto ACA insurance for awhile until I turned 65 once cobra ran out simply said they didn't take any of it.  No offers of help or attempt to work with me from that point on.

I was actively discouraged from trying to use my Mayo doctors once I went back when I finally got Medicare.  I may have some baggage from the experience.

That's good information about ACA. My plan is actually to do a year of Cobra when I early retire and then switch to ACA when my income drops the next year. I wasn't aware that there was any problem with acceptance.

Side note: I think that charging medicare for a service at their rate and then billing you for a difference is actually against the law. I heard that from a reliable source regarding Medicaid, but I don't know if the same law applies to Medicare.

 

[barleyguy]

I did a quick search on this, and it appears Balance Billing is regulated by state law, not federal. It's illegal in some states but not others.

https://www.bbgbroker.com/in-what-states-is-balance-billing-illegal/

 

[Zmann]

...cast your bread upon the waters...

 

[bullfrog]

Don't forget Classic Air medical transport service. Less than $100 a year covers most of the southwest US as long as you have some form of medical insurance. Average fees are in the thousands in remote BLM areas.

 

[LERCA]

Los Angeles has 3 of the top ten hospitals in the United States (UCLA USC and Cedars Sinai) and I’m blown away at the care given to my soon to be 86 year old mother (especially since she’s alone in there due to Covid) Our little local hospital is in the top 8% of nursing care in the country. So yes, California has excellent care not even naming some that didn’t make the list that are fantastic like Loma Linda etc That’s why I stay here no place else has the variety, sheer number and quality of doctors and hospitals. If you’re healthy it doesn’t matter where you are but I’ve had a lot of major health issues.

 

[WanderingRose]

Hi,

I'm what's referred to as a solo senior, no connections family or otherwise. I'm over 70 yrs old and was drawn to this in large part by what I saw in the film Nomadland. I have to stay in Arizona because it and California are the best states for elderly without support or contacts. Quartzsite isn't that far from Mayo Clinic so I am womdering if this lifestyle does in fact make mutual medical support possible? Just me and my dog and she's getting old too.

As a 71 year old senior female, who travels these days maybe 6 months out of the year, I am acutely aware that medical issues can derail you quickly, wherever you happen to be.

If you need supportive services, and/or if your medical issues are unstable or requiring close attention from providers, think carefully about leaving your established community and setting out on the road.

I think it would be iffy to try to rely/depend on strangers in an ever changing nomadic community to fill needs currently met where you are.

If you’re experiencing some wanderlust, take some trips and see how it works for you.

Good luck.

 

[maki2]

People do associate the Mayo Clinic as being very good but it is in reality among a wider group of excellent cIniic systems. For instance in Washington state Virginia Mason and the University of Washinton clinic systems are also top notch and they are associated with Cancer Care Alliance which is also cutting edge. The Houston area in Texas also has some top tier medical clinic groups. Johns Hopkins on the East Coast is another one. Do not let yourself fall into thinking  Mayo Clinic is the one and only one best medical care group.

When making a choice of clinics you will need a primary care doctor in that group. I suggest you choose one that list geriatric care as one of the focal points of their practice. That doctor will be more aware of age related issues. For instance my primary care physician at Virginia Mason wants her senior pstients to have dome extra weight on them, of course not to the point of obesitity. That is because seniors are more at risk of fractures if they fall. And that extra padding helps prevent fracture. But my experience with other doctors is they focus on a patients weight being very low body fat index. So choose carefully. A doctors clinical group that has senior care physicians is of course going to have no issues with accepting medicare or medicaid. So do that, look for a group with a GP who as a focus specialty of  geriatric care and you will find no descrimination against medicare.

As to traveling with people who watch out for you and help wityh thongs like appointments. Van dwellers are mo different in that regard as other friends, friends help friends. I have camped eith seberal groups where such things were going on. The group I am currently hanging out with is doing exactly that. so have other groups I have stayed near by to and gotten to know. both younger and older groups of people do that. you will see a lot of that stuff going on in various youtube channels, most recently on both Campervan Kevin who had cancer issues and on panda Monium who had a back injury. Their frinds went right into support group mode to help with transportation issues.

But it is up to you to get out there and form those friendship bonds that make your life work on a daily basis. It is a give as well as take friendship in such groups just as it is among groups of friends who live in a neighborhood.

 

[jimindenver]

Yes there are people out here that you might get together with and have it be just as you say. Helping each other, watching each others back, rides, etc.

Just because these people exist doesn't make it so that you should depend on that being the situation. You must be able to handle everything that is needed in your day to day care because until you find that person or group and at times even after you find them you will be alone and relying only on yourself. Not being able to handle it on your own can leave you in a bad situation. This lifestyle isn't for sissies and far too often the downsides are overlooked by those that promote it. See it with rose colored glasses and you might find out that everything isn't as rosy as you thought.

 

[maki2]

You could possiblly live in an RV park where there is some type of public transport assistance to local medical facilities.
But relying on the kindness of strangers for transportation to essential appointments is downright dangerous as well as stressfull.

 

[LERCA]

Actually I reread all the posts on here because I have health problems but will still travel. It may be too personal but if you want to post what’s going on maybe we can figure it out. For example diabetes and heart disease are manageable. Most states (not all) have decent healthcare systems. Stay away from very isolated areas and I wonder about those necklaces if they have any that allow you to leave your local area. Or as Rose suggested take shorter trips. It’s also time to make one good friend. I’m dead serious. It’s hard to find real friends and it’s a give and take but it’s not good to be entirely alone. I hope you made arrangements for the dog even putting a trustworthy rescue in your will/trust in exchange for keeping her.