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Last Updated on January 8, 2019 - by Panama Relocation Tours

Panama: There’s No Place I’d Rather Be

PanamaRelocationTours.com — Condo in Gorgona Panama

Of the many travels I’ve had around the world and the many people I’ve talked with during the Panama Relocation Tours, I’ve found something in common among people, and that is, the desire to live one’s dreams! Many of us simply want to live in a place where we can truly relax and enjoy what life has to offer without stress. Many yearn for a simpler life. Living that kind of life though is not readily available for everyone. Most of us need to explore and travel to different places in order to find the best place to live in. I’ve travelled far and wide in order to arrive at the best place I can be right now. I think I’ve found the best place to retire in the world and that is the beautiful country of Panama. There’s just no place I’d rather be.

Panama was love at first sight for me, and that kind of love and contentment continue to grow each day. Living in Panama and seeing it grow in lots of different ways have truly convinced me that I made the right decision of moving here way back in 2010. The economy is booming and the country has various infrastructure projects such as buildings, highways, bridges, a subway system, and the Panama Canal expansion.

My favorite part about Panama is the huge savings I’ve made ever since I got here. In Panama, the cost of living is low. As an expat with a residency Visa, I’m also entitled to various discounts when I eat at restaurants, watch a movie, buy medicine, travel and many more. Think of the money that you can save here and how you’ll be able to afford the things that you’ve always wanted to buy. I pay less for “international” health insurance than most people pay for health insurance in their city or even Medicare. After having two surgeries in Panama, I know the quality of health care is excellent.

Speaking of savings… I earn a between 1.5 to 2.5% interest in a simple savings account in Panama.

Another thing that I love about Panama is the weather! It’s springtime all year round in Boquete, Panama, which I just love. I don’t need an air conditioner so I can breath fresh air every day. Having majestic mountain views and being surrounded by tropical plants every day is added bonus. If I want to be by the beach at the Pacific Ocean, it is a short 1 1/2 hour drive from my house. I’m having my adventure of a lifetime and it’s happening in one of the most beautiful places in the world.

I know that making that big move can be scary. I was scared too. However, you wouldn’t know if Panama is a good fit for you unless you visit Panama. You really need to come to Panama here to see what the country is like and determine if the kind of lifestyle that you envision can take place in Panama. I traveled to several other countries before I picked Panama. It wasn’t easy but my sacrifices paid off in the end.

I’ve always encouraged friends who are considering retiring in Panama, to visit the country first before making any decision. It is important to experience the good and the bad, the upside and the downside, and the positive and the negative in order to make a well-informed decision. Panama is right for me but it may not be for you. Visiting the country can help you assess how suitable it is for you as well as make the necessary preparations for a possible move.

Thinking of reinventing yourself? Dreaming of a lifestyle that will take many years for you to achieve in your current country? Planning to have an adventure of a lifetime? Panama is the answer!

Now, you don’t need to do all the research and the planning on your own. It is far easier and cheaper if you get the help that is available for you. You can join a 6-day all-inclusive Panama Relocation Tour so you can get a feel of what it’s like to live in Panama, explore the different areas of the country suitable for retirees and even get the chance to speak with expats who have already made the move to Panama. By joining a Tour, you are able to make a well-informed decision about Panama because the tours are specially designed to provide an objective view of Panama living and give you a “boots on the ground” experience of the country. You save yourself the trouble of making plenty of trips to Panama. Joining one Panama Relocation Tour is all you need to do to gain contacts and valuable information, and experience the true Panama. You save a lot of money too!

Februar 2016 Panama Relocation Tours — February 2016 Panama Relocation Tours

Surfing the net will give you lots of information about Panama. However, how can you be sure which one is talking about the “real” Panama? Nobody can tell you what Panama is like but yourself. You need to get a feel for it. You need to travel around the country in order for you to decide if Panama is right for you. You simply cannot experience what life is like in Panama by sitting in a hotel conference room in Panama. The idea of what Panama is like should come from you and only you!

Panama is a small country but packed full of diversity. From the metropolitan Panama City, to the beach areas around Coronado, to the mountain towns of El Valle, Boquete and Volcan or even the island life in Bocas Del Toro.. Panama has sometime for everyone. Come discover which part of Panama is a good fit for you.

I’d like to share with you a favorite quote of mine by Mark Twain. “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” Think about that! Visit Panama and see what living in the country is like. Join a Panama Relocation Tour which specializes in retirement and relocation planning, so at the end of the day, you can finally decide if Panama is the place you’d rather be.

Last Updated on April 16, 2020 - by Panama Relocation Tours

Why People Move to Panama

When I first started doing Panama Relocation Tours in 2010, many of our tour guests moved to Panama because they were looking for great weather and a more affordable place to live. Everyone is looking for a new adventure. Fifty percent of tour clients came from the United States. Eleven years ago, the majority of my tour guests were over 60 and ready for retirement.

People from all over the world come on a Panama Relocation Tour. About 50% of our clients come from the United States and about 25% are Canadians. We also have clients from England, Germany, France, Poland, Russia, Italy, Spain, Turkey, China, Singapore, South Africa, Egypt, Sri Lanka, United Arab Emirates (Dubai), New Zealand, Australia, Bahamas, Cayman Islands, and more! It’s fun for me and it’s fun for everyone on the tour to meet people from other countries who are also considering relocating to Panama.

Over the last 3-4 years the reasons for moving and the demographic have changed.

We still get plenty of retirees looking for great weather, affordable living and a new adventure. You can find all of those things in Panama. Panama is the number one country that retirees move to. It’s understandable for retirees and others to move to Panama because it offers so much!

But now, we have people in their 30s 40s and 50s coming on Panama Relocation Tours and relocating to Panama. These people are obviously not retirees. They are also looking for that new adventure but they are looking for business opportunities which are plentiful in Panama. Some already have online businesses which they can run from anywhere there is an internet connection.

WHAT ATTRACTS PEOPLE TO PANAMA?

Proximity! Panama is close to the United States. Miami is only a 2 hour flight. From Panama, it is a quick flight to Ecuador, Colombia, Chile, Argentina, Costa Rica, Belize, Mexico, etc. Living in Panama makes it easy to explore and enjoy adventures in other countries too.

Even though Panama is a small country it is packed with a lot of diversity. Drive an hour in any direction and you can completely change your environment. Panama City is a very cosmopolitan city where you can find anything you’d every want. There are first class restaurants, fancy malls, opera, ballet, a subway, and some of the best hospitals in Latin America.

Beach lovers can enjoy 1547 miles of coast line from two oceans. The Pacific Ocean is to the south and the Atlantic and Caribbean Sea is to the north. There are many islands off both coasts. Snorkeling, scuba diving and deep sea fishing are favorites of sun lovers. Those who prefer cooler weather will enjoy Spring-like weather year round in mountain towns like Boquete, Volcan and El Valle. It’s not just the weather, the scenery is just spectacular.

Another huge benefit for retirees in Panama is the world’s best retiree program, the Pensionado Visa. With this visa you need to prove a lifetime income of $1000 for singles or $1250 for a couple. Then you qualify for discounts on eating out, prescription drugs, 25% discount on airfare or cruises to anywhere in the world and many other discounts.

It’s easy to start a business in Panama and there is much less regulation compared to other countries. There are many tax advantages to living in Panama too.

The Panama Relocation Tours demographic is changing

In August, a family from Seattle came on the tour and decided to stay instead of flying back to the United States. Within 2 weeks, they had a nice rental house, a car, bank account, a visa and a corporation set up. A few months later, they opened a new restaurant after hiring contractors to completely renovate the building, getting all the permits and health certificates, and hiring employees. Try doing all that so fast anywhere else!

Panama makes it easy to start and run a new business.

There are several Visa programs available for people who want to work or start a business in Panama. The easiest is the Friendly Nations Visa which only requires $5,000 in a Panama bank account then a corporation set up with the intent of doing business in Panama… someday. You do not need to prove any income. You can also get this Visa if you have a job offer.

Most people from other countries are not taxed on their worldwide income. US citizens are taxes on their worldwide income but you do get a $105,000 per person tax exemption. That means a single person from the United States,who lives overseas full time, can make more than $100,000 in income (after expenses)… and not pay a penny in taxes! You still have to file a tax return but you will not owe any taxes if you keep your income below $100,000 a year.

That’s a really good reason to move to Panama! And it is why many younger adults are moving to Panama.

If your income is not sourced in Panama, you don’t owe any taxes in Panama either. So, it is possible to move to Panama and not pay ANY taxes. Even if you do have to pay taxes in Panama, taxes are much less than the United States, Canada, or other countries. You can live in Panama but not have income sourced in Panama if you do not sell a product or service in Panama. An online business if ideal.

Let’s face it, a Social Security or a pension payment will not go very far in North America. But you can easily live on just your pension payment or Social Security in Panama. Yes, you can retire on what you have right now instead of working to save more for retirement. You may even be able to retire early!

Some people who move to Panama don’t have a pension or Social Security so they need to find a way to make a living in Panama. My free book Fund Your Freedom Overseas will give you plenty of ideas about how to make a living or supplement your retirement income when you move to Panama. And during a Panama Relocation Tour, you’ll learn even more ways to make money with an online business when you relocate to Panama.

Affordable health insurance and quality health care are another reason people move to Panama.

I have international health insurance which covers me at any hospital or doctor anywhere in the world. I pay $2200 a year with no deductible in Panama and a $1000 deductible for procedures done outside of Panama. My insurance would be much less if I were only covered in Panama. I’ve had two eye surgeries in Panama. Insurance covered every penny. This insurance is the price for a 64 year old. If you are younger it would be less. If you are older, it would cost more.

Two 52 year old November tour clients who live in the United States told me their Obamacare insurance has a $6,000 deductible and is $750 per month per person. That’s $1500 a month for a couple or $18,000 a year for health insurance that they cannot use until they pay $6,000 out of pocket first.

You can see why affordable health insurance is a big reason why people move to Panama.

PANAMA IS SAFER!

Panama has no military. Panama does not go around the world occupying other countries or telling them what to do or not do. Therefore, Panama has few, if any, enemies. There is no big divide between political, religious or ethnic groups like there is in other countries. So, it just feels much safer in Panama. There are no terrorist threats in Panama.

Panama offers something for everyone. Whether you are looking for a more affordable lifestyle, better weather, business opportunities, or just a new adventure– Panama has what you are looking for.

Come check out Panama during a 6-day all-inclusive Panama Relocation Tour.

Last Updated on September 26, 2020 - by Panama Relocation Tours

Health Care Costs and Medical Emergencies in Panama

One of the biggest concerns about moving overseas are health care costs, the quality of service and the availability of affordable health insurance. You’ll be delighted to know that in Panama healthcare costs are low, the quality of service is excellent and affordable health insurance is readily available. Of course, like anything in Panama, it can vary greatly depending on where you go.

Your health insurance probably won’t travel with you outside of your country, and Medicare does not work overseas. So, you’ll need to get health insurance in Panama unless you decide to self-insure. Luckily, healthcare and health insurance are very affordable in Panama as you will see below.

Are you thinking about moving to Panama? Check out our guide to living in panama and learn more about our relocation tours.

HEALTH CARE EXPERIENCES..

Following are my personal experiences, the experience of tour guests, and the experiences of friends who have come to Panama to seek medical care.

About 3 months after I moved to Boquete Panama, I experienced a lot of pressure in my ear so I went to one of the local doctors. No appointment necessary. After a thorough examination, he told me I had a sinus infection and an ear infection. He gave me a 7 day supply of antibiotics and ear drops. Plus he told me to take a teaspoon of local honey every day for a month, then at least one teaspoon per week after that. He also “prescribed” eating 2-4 kiwi fruit every day for 7 days because they are high in Vitamin C. Total cost for the doctor visit and meds…. $10. That was in 2010 price. But now, he charges $15 unless you have a Visa, then it is only $12

That’s $10 total. Not a $10 co-pay for insurance.

One time I had to go to the emergency room at Hospital Chiriqui in David because I had sharp pain in my right side. I thought my appendix was busting. I was seen right away. They took blood tests, urine tests and got an IV started with pain meds. I was there several hours. The doctor determined that it was not my appendix.

The total cost was $44.80. Not a co-pay!

The reason medical costs are so affordable in Panama is because the price is based on what the average Panamanian can afford to pay. Malpractice lawsuits are rare because Panamanian law doesn’t allow frivolous lawsuits so malpractice insurance is very low cost. The doctors don’t have to spend a fortune on insurance. Many doctors in Panama live a simple life. Most doctors in Panama don’t live in a McMansions or drive Mercedes like the US doctors who charge a fortune for their services. Most doctors in Panama have a no-frills office.

In Panama, a routine doctor visit is $15 – $25 depending on where you live. A specialist is $40-$50. Many of the doctors were trained in the United States and speak very good English.

It’s $40-$50 to get your teeth cleaned. My daughter got a crown last year, it was $495 total costs. To get a crown in Texas would have cost $1500 minimum.

Affordable and quality healthcare costs in Panama are one of the many reasons people move to Panama. And it is the reason some expats who do not have preexisting health problems decide to self-insure instead of buying health insurance.

Unlike other Latin American countries, Panama does not require foreigners with a Visa, or Panamanians, to pay monthly fees to use the public hospital. Instead, you just pay when you go. At the public hospitals, also called Social Security hospitals, it is $2 for a doctor visit or $5 for a specialists. You’ll likely see the same doctor you would visit at a private hospital because doctors in Panama are required to work a certain number of hours each week in the public hospitals.

However, even health insurance is affordable. I have worldwide medical insurance which covers me in Panama, in the United States, and any other country and any hospital. I paid $2500 a year with a zero deductible in Panama and a $1000 deductible outside of Panama. My insurance also covers $750 a year in prescriptions but I rarely take any medications. To keep the costs down, you could pay a higher deductible. International health care companies will allow you to sign up if you are under 74.

There are a variety of different international health insurance companies. Their prices vary greatly! It pays to shop around. We will give you a list of companies during the tour. If you buy health insurance through a broker, it will cost much more than buying directly from the insurance company. Therefore, I recommend buying directly from the company instead of using a broker.

I used my worldwide medical insurance for two eye surgeries in Panama. Prior to the surgery, the $40 eye exam was the most thorough eye exam I ever had. The doctor’s office filed all the insurance paperwork. I had zero out of pocket expense.

To get lab work done you do not need a doctor’s prescription. During the recent tour, I needed to meet some of the tour guests at the bank so they could open a bank account. I didn’t have time for breakfast or coffee. The lab is on the same street as the bank. Since I had been fasting, I decided to get a complete lab work done. I got the 25% pensionado discount. See the costs….

If you are a woman over 55 or a man over 60, you get a 10-20% discount on most healthcare costs including prescriptions, doctors, dentist, lab work. Even tour guests, who do not have a residency visa, have been able to get these pensionado discounts by simply showing their passport (which shows their age).

You can get health insurance which covers you only in Panama. This is more affordable than international insurance.

Many of the private hospitals offer a a medical reimbursement plan. If you are 60, it will costs about $90 a month. This plan does not cover 100% of most medical costs but they do cover 85%. Preexisting conditions are not covered the first year but they are usually covered after the first year at about 50%. There is no age restriction. With this plan, you have to pay for the service first, then submit the paperwork to get reimbursed.

I’ve been told by people who live in Volcan that the new hospital in Volcan offers a healthcare plan for $10 a month and 50 cents a doctor visit or $1.50 for an emergency room visit. Sorry, but I have not been able to find any information online to verify these details.

Every medical specialist is available in Panama but they may not be available in the town where you live. You may need to to go David or Panama City for certain specialists.

ARE YOU A VETERAN?

Are you a US Veteran? You’ll be pleased to know that some hospitals and pharmacies in Panama work with the VA to provide medical care and prescriptions for Veterans. If you’re a retired Veteran, Tricare or TriCare for Life covers most inpatient and outpatient care that’s medically necessary and considered proven.

LEARN MORE ABOUT VETERAN BENEFITS HERE If you are a Veteran, but not retired from the military, you could be covered too. I have spoken with several veterans who are not retired but get mostly free healthcare and prescriptions in Panama.

MEDICAL TOURISM IN PANAMA

Affordable and quality health care is the reason some of my friends have come to Panama for medical care even though they don’t live in Panama

After a Panama Relocation Tour a few years ago, Brian Mann came back to Panama for hernia surgery, dental implants and some dermatology work. YOU CAN READ ABOUT HIS EXPERIENCE HERE.

This year Christina Poodt broke a bridge then wanted to get dental implants but it is cost prohibitive in the USA. She said the cost for implants in Panama is 90% less than what it would have cost her in Atlanta Georgia. She also added that the doctors in Panama consulted together in the same location and did everything they could to save as many teeth as possible to help reduce her costs. The dentist in Panama had to pull 3 teeth. The dentist in Atlanta wanted to pull 7 teeth. Big difference… in pain… and costs!

Another friend from Texas reported …

Just got back from a family reunion. 2 of my cousins went to Panama in April for stem cell therapy. It is not permitted in the US but legal in Panama. One had rheumatoid arthritis and he says he is 1000% better. The other cousin had back pain for the last 20 years and it was GONE!! It cost $17,000 for each of them. Insurance not used. Best money they ever spent. The hospital where they were said the Mel Gibson’s dad, who is 93 was treated there about a month earlier. He got out of his wheelchair that he had been in for 4 years !!!

A good friend in Florida had to pay $125,000 to have a stent put in his heart last year. The same procedure is less than $15,000 in Panama at Hospital Punta Pacifica, the Johns Hopkins affiliate!

Tim moved to Gorgona Panama last year. In Tennessee, he suffered from severe arthritis which made it impossible to work some days. But since he has been living near the Pacific Ocean, his arthritis has almost completely disappeared.

Just yesterday, January 2019, a lady who came on a Panama Relocation Tour, and who lives just down the road from me, fell and broke her wrist. Another neighbor took her to Hospital Mae Lewis in David which is 30 minutes South of Boquete. This is how she explained her experience:

The service and care that I got at that hospital was absolutely phenomenal. I walked in at within five minutes I walked into the triage room and then about five minutes after that I had my x-rays and 10 minutes after that I saw the orthopedic surgeon and he put a cast on me and set an appointment for me for a month from now gave me my pain med prescriptions, which I was able to go and fill right there at the hosptial pharmacy. She was an x-ray technician in the US and said that Mae Lewis has better x-ray equipment then she had in the departments in the US. TOTAL COST, without insurance, was $212 for the ER and $30 for pain medications.

PANAMA IS GOOD FOR YOUR HEALTH TOO!

MEDICAL PROBLEMS DURING/AFTER THE TOUR

During the Panama Relocation Tours, we rarely have a medical emergency but they do occur occasionally. These are the emergencies we have had…

Water Taxi Bocas el Toro Panama — Water Taxi Bocas del Toro Panama

About 10 years ago, when we still went to Bocas del Toro during the tours, Soup Campbell cut his finger on a sharp screw on the water taxi. I didn’t even know about it for 24 hours. He went to a doctor who cleaned up the area and stitched it up. The total cost was $50.

Speaking of Soup….about 6 months after Soup moved to Volcan Panama from Fairbanks Alaska, he had a stroke. He was in Hospital Chriqui for 5 days. He had CAT Scans, MRIs, 3 different doctors including a neuro-surgeon. His total cost was a little over $3000. With no insurance.

Sandra had a tooth fall out of her partial. This is what her experience was..
While on tour and dining in a restaurant eating Pad Thai, I bit down on a peanut and broke the eye tooth off my partial. The next morning Jackie took me to a dentist in Bojo Boquete but her lab is located in David so she referred me to Dr Rivera in Boquete.

Dr Rivera’s office and lab are located in a building next to his home. He took one look at the bridge and the tooth and said no problem. The tooth had to be fused back onto the bridge and I was only there one hour.

He did a perfect job and the cost was only $20! I would not hesitate to go to him again.

After moving to Boquete, Jim was visiting a friend’s garden when a pet parrot bit his ear. It was bleeding profusely. He went to the local social security medical clinic where it was cleaned up then stitched up for $1.50

On another tour, a man had been quoted $9000 to get his bridge replaced in Florida. After the tour he went to my dentist in David to see what the cost would be. The dentist told him he could fix it for $50… the dentist said no need for a replacement. That’s a $8950 savings!! Why didn’t the US dentist offer to fix it?

During the February 2015 tour one of the guys enjoyed a little too much free booze at one of the resorts where we stay. He then took too many Ambien which caused him to have a very rapid heart rate and faint feeling. The resort called an ambulance to take him to the emergency room in Coronado. It was $50 for the 15 minute ambulance ride (which included taking him back to the resort). His 5 hour emergency room visit was $128. No insurance.

On the June 2015 tour, Melanie had a crown come lose. This is what she experienced

While on the Panama Relocation tour, my husband and I had rented a car to explore Boquete. Suddenly a crown just fell out! We called Jackie and within 10 minutes she had us in a local dentist office. Unfortunately, they were very busy. She then lead us to another office. The female dentist came out and greeted us in English and apologized because she couldn’t see me for another 45 minutes. We came back later and she took me into a very modern and extremely clean room. She was so friendly and actually sang to me while working on the crown! Thirty minutes later she was done. She walked me to the front and charged me $30! No paperwork, no forms, no insurance..nothing but great service! How refreshing! Back home, I’d spent that much time filling out the same forms I filled out the last visit, and spending more than that on my co-pay!
Melanie Beighle

Tim Fong came on that June 2015 tour too. He had not been feeling well ever since the day he arrived in Panama. He thought it was something he ate but later found out it was kidney stones. Read about his almost daily experience and costs for emergency room visits…NOTE… he got a pensionado discount even though he does not have a visa yet….

Clinica in Panama City: Emergency visit with MD: about $26.00 with senior discount plus meds.

ER in Coronado (extremely modern and clean facility, ER doctor spoke perfect English) costs: $52.91 after senior discount.

ER in Santiago (not as modern as Coronado, but I felt the care level was acceptable) total costs for x-rays, blood tests, IVs, and doctor’s exams: $44.00. Taxi ride to ER was $2.50. The hotel employee stayed with me the entire 2 hour visit and made sure everything was taken care of. I expressed my deep gratitude for his kind attention towards my needs and tipped him $100.00 (I asked him to buy something nice for his children)

Visit with Doctor Chen in Boquete for stomach pain: $10.00

Blood tests at modern lab in Boquete: $26.00 after senior discount.

ER in David: ER exam, blood tests, and x-rays, total costs: $75.36 not including meds. Private car service by Elmer was top notch. We got to David in less than 20 minutes. Elmer was apologetic when he requested $75.00 for the round trip fare to David and back to Boquete. He also stayed with us during the entire hour or so at the hospital. I expressed my gratitude to him and tipped him $25.00.

Follow-up visit with Dr. Chen to review blood tests: $10.00

Tim said….Like many others, I was curious about Panama’s medical system. Be careful what you wish for. I feel the level of services and care ranged from good to excellent.

To be fair, I’m sure you can find articles about people complaining that the medical care in Panama is not so good or that it is not customer service oriented. You will probably find people who have not received good health care in Panama. Bad healthcare can, and does, happen in the United States, Europe and Canada every year too.

Before seeing a doctor, it is always best to ask other expats who they recommend. You will usually hear the same doctor’s name come up over and over again… that is the doctor you want to go see.

It has been my experience, and the experience of my friends and all tour guests, that the customer service and medical care in Panama is as good, if not better, than the United States. The cost is certainly a LOT better!

Doctors in Panama really put the CARE back in healthcare. They listen to you, do a thorough exam, and spend as much time with you as it takes to diagnose your problem. After any visit to a doctor office or an emergency room it is common for the doctor to give you their cell phone number or home phone number so you can call them directly if there is a problem. If they have a business card, their cell phone is printed on the card.

Of course it is best to PREVENT medical problems! That’s easier to do in Panama because there is less stress from all the high costs of medical care and health insurance in other countries.

When you move to Panama, if you switch to a diet of fresh fruits and vegetables and fresh fish… you can improve your health, reduce your waistline, and keep health care costs to a minimum.

Many who have moved to Panama have reported improved health, weight loss, and getting off all the medications they took prior to moving to Panama.