www.CostaRicaTicas.com

I have just used Tricare Reserve Select in FL and am pretty impressed with the level of care provided. A battery of tests and 2 visits for $24.00 in copay and 3 bucks for a month worth of HDL/LDL pills (no more red meat for me) Are any of you retired EX Pat veterans using Tricare for Life, or any of the other variations. I believe that it is usable worldwide, I was just wondering whether any retired vets have used it in CR and what the quality of care was like?

_________________
“Good people sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.” And we are the guys that keep them in Eggs & Grits

I cancelled tricare prime as I left the US in July. Now I am under an overseas Tricare program out of La clinica catolica in Guadalupe. My deductible is $150, after that I pay 25% of the medical bill, and meds are as long as they have them at the clinic. Dental is so cheap in CR I don't mind paying out of pocket.

_________________
rules are made for those that are not willing to make their own

I went to Clinica Biblica in 2007 for a second opinion. I was surprised to see the number of US healthplans honored. I believe Tricare was one of them.

_________________
Blue Devil

Pura Vida...enjoying life to the fullest...

Neither Clinica Biblica or Hospital Cima currently accept Tricare both dropped out claiming Tricare owes them a lot of reimbursement money. Hospital Catolica does but only if you preregister with Veterans Care International and arrange all appointments through them.

_________________
Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine

Bumping this old thread to see if anyone has upto date info on Tricare in Costa Rica. And also looking for some commentary on the quality of healthcare.

In the prelim stages of planning an part time move out of the U.S. for at least the winters.
I'm a retired vet with injuries and condition that would require access to decent care.

I'll be down the 23rd of apr til 4th of may if any expats want to Meet up for a beer or 3

_________________
its easier to fool people than to convince them they have been fooled- mark twain

Daddy123,

Are you over 50percent disabled from the VA? If so, the VA has a program http://www.benefits.va.gov/persona/veteran-abroad.asp. Probably better to read this and I will try to answer any specific questions. Good luck with your relocation and thanks for your service.

El-Senor-Jefe,
thank you!

yes im rated at 100%...
I use the VA here for everything and Tricare as a back up and ER. My case manager and Docs here say its "easy' for me to get care overseas, but what do they know.
Mainly, I'd like to know about the bureaucratic issues, quality of care, prods and cons of using the FMP, Tricare or even signing up for CAJA, etc... and just some general experiences and lessons learned from other vets who are Expats. My primary concern would be Emergency Services outside of the main city as one of the "gifts" I got from the Middle East was a bad reaction to the anthrax vaccine which left me Type 1 Diabetic and an insulin pump. Ive already had one low blood sugar episode at New Fantasy a couple years ago, but i caught it mid BBBJ...lol

Also, one of the places I'm exploring is the Philippines as that is where my parents are from, and the VA is set up pretty well out there. As anyplace it has its perks and drawback... mainly the over population, the fast pace, and lack of infrastructure

At this point CR and Latin America feels more like home than Asia. Ive been slowly making trips down more often and staying longer and longer. This past winter kind of the final straw...lol. Im not looking to rush into things, just opening up options.
But all this is just to gather information and start a dialog with those who have been there, done that... not just for medical, but any general advice.

thanks again

_________________
its easier to fool people than to convince them they have been fooled- mark twain