Fulltiming and Medical Care

One of the unique challenges of the full-timer's lifestyle is handling medical problems and routine care. Obviously, health care problems are going to crop up while you are traveling so some preplanning needs to be done.

The first thing we had to change when we opted to travel was our insurance coverage. Instead of a HMO plan, ours is a PPO with out of network coverage meaning we can go pretty much anywhere in the country and be treated. Of course I normally call our insurer first to see who is "in network" to obtain the best rate or we go to an Urgent Care center or Emergency room in a hospital if we deem it necessary. For our routine annual doctor/dentist/optometrist check-ups, I schedule our appointments for when we return to Ohio for Christmas and summer-time visits. Our care providers are all familiar with our lifestyle and try to work with us if any unexpected tests are needed, pushing them through quickly to have them handled before we leave town again. Our prescriptions are ordered through the mail in 60 day doses and I order them early enough to allow for the fact that they have to be forwarded to us through our mail-forwarding service. Glasses are handled by going to a one-day service or by finding a business (Wal*Mart, Pearle Vision, etc.) on the first day we arrive in town on a two-week stay so that there is plenty of time for the glasses to be ordered and finished before we have to leave.

So far, in eight years of being on the road, this has worked for us. We have met many people who have chosen to travel to Mexico for their medical, prescription, dental and optical needs and are very happy with the care they receive and the price they pay (with an ad, you can get a $10 eye exam and no-line bifocals for about $100, and dental work is similarly discounted). There again, it is simply a matter of arranging your travel schedule to have your medical needs handled in a specific area.

While it certainly helps to be in good physical condition, with the proper research and the right insurance coverage you can travel confidently despite having health problems.