One reason some people look to move overseas is that they want to have be healthier. Whether it’s a healthier lifestyle, or more affordable medical care, you can often find what you’re looking for in another country.
I haven’t had anything worse than the flu, so I can’t give you any first-hand experiences of hospitals in South America. However, here are the ways I’ve found myself living healthier and some information from the people I know who’ve needed medical care while living overseas.
Less processed foods
In most of the industrialized countries, our food is also highly industrialized. You need to make a special trip to find a farmer’s market or pay high prices to buy organic food.
In many other countries, you’ll find a street market in every neighborhood, at least once a week. You may get strange looks if you ask for grass-fed beef – because that’s the only way they would ever think of feeding cattle.
If you’re concerned about organic food, you may still need to do some searching. But just because you’re buying peaches directly from the farmer, off the back of his truck, doesn’t mean that he didn’t use chemical fertilizers or pesticides to grow them. Don’t let a picturesque fantasy get in the way of the reality.
More walking
Many of the expats I know, myself included, don’t have cars. When you move to a country with a lower cost of living, you often find that there is a public transportation system that can get you almost everywhere you’d want to go. Since the local citizens often haven’t been able to afford cars, the bus and train routes have been around for decades.
Many times, the cost of buying or importing a car is much higher than you’d be used to back home. In addition, if you do get one, you need to worry about getting a driver’s license and insurance, possibly in a language that you aren’t fluent in.
For myself, I didn’t get a car, and I’m much happier and healthier. Within the first few months of walking everywhere, I lost a lot of weight.
Of course, if you have mobility problems, this may not be a benefit. Many countries you may be thinking of moving to aren’t very wheelchair friendly. The sidewalks aren’t in good shape, and ramps are rarely present in buildings.
Lower cost of medical care
In the United States, healthcare is often very expensive. Thanks to all the overhead required by the insurance companies, and malpractice insurance costs, these costs are not likely to get lower.
Many other countries don’t have these problems, and you can end up getting good medical care at prices you can afford. Services that used to cost thousands of dollars at home may only be a few hundred overseas. I had some MRIs done in the United States. They cost $3000 each (thankfully, paid for by my insurance). In Thailand, you may pay as low as US$ 250 for an MRI.
If you’re concerned about the quality of the hospitals, you can check to see if there are any that have received JCI accreditation at their website http://www.jointcommissioninternational.org/
Lower cost of medicine
Having lived in Texas for many years, I had friends who would travel to Mexico to purchase their medication. The money they saved by making this trip every few months was more than the cost of the trip.
You’ll find that some governments put a maximum allowable price on medications, which keeps your costs down. Some countries also have regulations in place that reduce the legal liability of pharmacies, so they don’t have as high of an expense for insurance.
If you do take any medication on a regular basis, find out its availability and costs in your new country before you head there. If your particular medication is not available there, or not at a reasonable price, check with your current doctor to see if there are any good alternatives to try. You’ll be better off changing medications back home, with the doctor you’ve been seeing for years, than to suddenly rush to find a replacement after moving overseas and running out of your prescription.
Easier access to medicine
Depending on the country and the medication you need, you may not need a prescription.
So far, everywhere I’ve been, you can’t just walk into a legitimate pharmacy and start buying dangerous or addictive drugs without a prescription. However, you may be able to get common medications without the added time and expense of visiting a doctor first.
If you do manage your own medication, I’d still suggest seeing a doctor occasionally. They may notice some problems and have suggestions to improve your care.
Lower cost for assistants
If you do need ongoing medical assistance, it’s often much cheaper to hire a nurse or someone to help you when you’re living abroad.
In the US, it can easily cost hundreds of dollars per day for a full-time private nurse. Overseas, you may be able to hire someone for hundreds of dollars per week.
More alternative methods of healing
Back home, doctors often used harsh cures – surgery, chemotherapy, or powerful drugs. Holistic healing is often viewed with a skeptical eye. Depending on where you move to, you may be able to find alternative ways for you to improve your health.
However, you may also find that you can’t find your preferred type of healer in your new country. I’ve been some places where caesarean births are considered the standard way for child delivery, and chiropractors are difficult to find.
Summary
In you’re not in good health, very little else matters. Wherever you end up living, make sure you can get the medical care you need to stay healthy and enjoy life.
Be sure to include your medical needs when you evaluate the countries you are considering as your new home.
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