I immigrated to the u.S.A. From canada at age 68 and found out that I have to pay taxes here for 10 years before I can apply for medicare. Or I could pay 360.- per month to belong. This would severely cut into my little income. I am pretty healthy, thank god! So, just in case something very serious happens I took out a type of travel insurance for which I have to renew every year. It has a 2500.- deductible and costs 1700.- per year. Should I have a claim of course, they would not renew. I hardly go to the doctor, so my basic expenses are minimal. The one prescription I take is cheap and subsidized by a state program.
Is there anyone else out there in the same situation? How do you cope? I guess I could join up and put out that 360.- for medicare each month if I should, god forbid, come down with a chronic condition.