Originally Posted by
iolairemcfadden
And now time for a quick trip report on dialysis is South Africa. Last November I talked my wife into heading to South Africa for a quick safari and then some time in Cape Town.
Once you move to Medicare (after 3 years) they don't cover outside of the US treatment. So far international treatments have been just under $300 per session. (That is about what Medicare pays at home, versus my insurance that is billed $5,400, and then pays a negotiated rate of $1,400.)
If you don't mind a quick clarification from someone who has worked in the wonderful world of transplant since 1993, Medicare automatically becomes primary 30 months after starting dialysis (or 33 months for those doing HD because of the 3 month waiting period) if there is active group insurance & the reason for Medicare is only ESRD entitlement. Be sure you are counting the months correctly because I can promise you, someone at Aetna is counting the days until they can say 'Medicare is prime-send the bill to them, please'.
