# Another health care question **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 1, 2012, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-health-care-question/626866 "2012-07-01T00:59:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2012, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-health-care-question/626866/1 "2012-07-01T00:59:37Z")
I’m 75, I have only 34 SS quarters, not enough to qualify for medicare, and enough pre-existing conditions that I probably shouldn’t be alive. What would be my options if I moved to the US. Is there any insurance that would give me anything like the coverage I have in Canada? I would be saving $15-20K in taxes (depending on state taxes) so I could afford to pay at least that much. I guess you could say I am comfortable middle class or even a bit more. ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2012, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-health-care-question/626866/2 "2012-07-01T04:12:51Z")
Looks to me like a plan for a 75-y.o. man who doesn’t smoke can enroll in a plan with a $1000 deductible for about $800 - $900 a month, give or take. Prices go down rapidly with higher deductibles. Copays for routine visits are part of some plans but not others; same for Rx. Some insurers will have difficulty hearing you when you tell them you’re not eligible for Medicare – they’re used to shoving off those over 65 to the MediGap plans. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2012, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-health-care-question/626866/3 "2012-07-01T04:54:01Z")
> [@Nametag](#): > > Looks to me like a plan for a 75-y.o. man who doesn’t smoke can enroll in a plan with a $1000 deductible for about $800 - $900 a month, give or take. Prices go down rapidly with higher deductibles. Copays for routine visits are part of some plans but not others; same for Rx. > > Some insurers will have difficulty hearing you when you tell them you’re not eligible for Medicare – they’re used to shoving off those over 65 to the MediGap plans. I can tell you from personal experience that certain pre-existing conditions can make you uninsurable. If you have been without insurance for 6 months, you may qualify for the government-run pre-existing condition insurance program. I have no idea what the requirements are if you are not a US citizen… ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2012, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-health-care-question/626866/4 "2012-07-01T13:28:30Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > I can tell you from personal experience that certain pre-existing conditions can make you uninsurable. If you have been without insurance for 6 months, you may qualify for the government-run pre-existing condition insurance program. I have no idea what the requirements are if you are not a US citizen… FWIW, I am a citizen.