General Discussion

If it could even be called that.

I have Medicare A, my U.S. employer-provided BC-BS and employer-provided Humana for dental. In practical terms, as far as I can determine from past experience, this means I have no coverage at all. I have no idea what Medicare A would provide in case of drastic illness or injury, especially to someone living in Germany. Germany offers no coverage at all to residents like me. When I moved there, the government suggested I try a “Privatversicherung,” or “private health insurance,” which quoted me €30,000 ($35,000) a year—in 2011!—and they covered no dental. I said, “Danke, aber nein, danke.”

I have no idea how much the Germans would quote me today for health insurance, but I think it’s a fair bet they would not quote me less than they did fifteen years ago.