making drastic changes in life

[north woods gal]

Being half a couple works both ways, at least for some of us. Before I met my current husband, I was nearing retirement age and working in the Chicago area. My retirement plan" was little more than buying an old junker, pointing it west, and driving it till it fell apart and that spot would be my new home - as long as it wasn't in a big city (I'm a small town, country gal). Obviously not a brilliant retirement plan and had I not met my husband, shortly after, I might still be wandering around, looking for a place to call home. Why? I know myself well enough to admit that I am not a solo person. I need a companion on my journey though life and my partner is an integral part of what I regard as "home". I'm also a very open and flexible person, though, so it was easy enough for us to find a place we both could love.

On the other hand, I can see where it would be difficult if there is a difference in terms of where each half needs or wants.

[Pax]

Helene - an interesting thing about past choices influences future ones... we worked for the state of Illinois for so long our healthcare is attached to the plans they offer. We discovered recently that Florida refused free funding from the federal government to expand medicaid (healthcare for people with little money), since we will fall into that category when we retire we will be without affordable healthcare. By moving back to Illinois we will be in a wonderful healthcare system that is very affordable for us. So, no matter what, we'd be moving back in the next five years or so.

north woods gal - your retirement plan made me smile, mine was similar, only in a van. In many ways I'm very glad my beloved has slowed some of my wilder impulses.

[Helene2013]

We're so close as countries but yet so not the same.

Unless I am mistaking, our Canadian plan covers you no matter where you stay in Canada as it is a universal system paid through taxes. The new insurance takes effect 3 months after moving into the new province (for Ontario anyway). For instance, if I move from Quebec to Ontario, I get my new health card 3 months later, but still covered through my other province until then. It may mean that I might have to pay the doctor if I see him. But my Quebec plan will reimburse me until the new Ontario plan kicks in. Coverage varies from one province to the next.

In Quebec, most prescribed drugs are paid by government (no wonder our taxes are so high), if you have no work plan, etc. It has something like a deductible (not too sure how it works as I have a work plan and I don't use provincial one). But in Ontario, no drugs are covered at all. So I suppose someone has to make sure they have other insurance to cover this if needed (may be an Ontarian can confirm this).

Anyway, true that when you make some moves, you still have to do all the homework you can to avoid surprises. At least minimize it. And health is a biggie to think about.

[rebeccaC]

We're so close as countries but yet so not the same.

Coming from France the whole health care system in the U.S. actually bothered me in the way it works….especially with the better examples of universal health care systems and national health insurance programs in other countries, France in particular. I wish more Americans would be thinking about and working for something better for themselves and others. Always being under a universal plan I guess I don’t see the value in the insurance/ pharma profit part etc. etc. and the states that are so uncaring for political and or religious reasons.
….'so it goes' vonnegut

eta..then there is this way of finding a new home despite/through ‘urbanist scolds and bike share doctrinaires’