I have some friends (shocking, I know!) in a bit of a spot. My friends are married, and one of them got an opportunity to fill an executive slot in the corporate office in The Netherlands. The opportunity was too good to pass up despite the crappy pay, and is a major career stepping stone, one that would let my friend return to the US in a few years and get whatever job they wanted. My friends spouse is an IT god, and can work from anywhere a fast interent connection is available. So off to The NL they went.
Now, of course, even though they are both well travelled and speak multiple languages (although German & English are the strong ones), settling in over there has been…difficult. Recently, they learned that while the executive is covered by the national health plan (which is funded in part by a 52% tax burden), the spouse, who works for a US company, is not, because the spouse has a job with a US company. The NL people think the US company health plan will happily pay any medical expenses for the spouse, and the US health plan laughed quite heartily at that notion (they’ll pay for employees needing medical attention while travelling, but not for ones who are in residence).Â
So the spouse is hanging in the breeze coverage wise, especially since a few years ago, The NL eliminated private insurance.
Therefore, I ask far and wide, does anyone know of an Insurance company that offers, at the very least, a policy that covers catastrophic health coverage for expats? They can afford regular trips to the Doctor, but a serious illness or injury will wipe them out.
I was told by a rep that my policy with Mailhandlers works overseas. The downside is you have to pretend to join the postal union at a cost of about $65.00/year “dues”.
Oh, yeah, cost for wife and I after I retired is just under $400/month. That went up after the obumble gov declined to increase their portion of the rate increase.