What would be the disadvantages of living in Point Roberts? (Seattle: health insurance, buy)

[601halfdozen0theother]

Housing in Point Roberts looks astoundingly affordable for the location. Why not live there as an American, especially now with everything opening up again post Covid border closings? I wouldn't mind showing my passport every time I go in and out. Wouldn't it be just like living in a gated community? And I'm retired, so don't have to get to a specific place at a specific time. Tell me what the downside would be to living in Point Roberts?

[SusVelo]

I think the border closing is probably the big issue lately. I’d also want to know more about emergency medical care. Also grocery shopping.

[Hemlock140]

Not much downside if you have a big enough boat or a private plane to cross over to Bellingham for a U.S. hospital, or your drive would take over an hour. Unfortunately we tend to need medical care more later in life. I don't know that Canadian Hospitals in Tsawwassen would accept your U.S. based medical or medicare plan.

[Bluefox]

Originally Posted by 601halfdozen0theother

Housing in Point Roberts looks astoundingly affordable for the location. Why not live there as an American, especially now with everything opening up again post Covid border closings? I wouldn't mind showing my passport every time I go in and out. Wouldn't it be just like living in a gated community? And I'm retired, so don't have to get to a specific place at a specific time. Tell me what the downside would be to living in Point Roberts?

Well, you need to pass two border crossings if you have US health insurance and need to see the doctor in the US or, I don’t know, shop anywhere besides the one grocery store there. So a round trip visit to the doctor, even in Blaine, will be a 40 minute drive each way plus waiting times at 4 total border crossings. And if you had a medical emergency, you’d probably need to be airlifted or you have to go to Canada so either way you’re looking at some mighty hefty medical bills.

Functionally speaking, it’s a small island with few amenities and it just doesn’t make financial sense for most people.

[Natnasci]

Originally Posted by Hemlock140

Not much downside if you have a big enough boat or a private plane to cross over to Bellingham for a U.S. hospital, or your drive would take over an hour. Unfortunately we tend to need medical care more later in life. I don't know that Canadian Hospitals in Tsawwassen would accept your U.S. based medical or medicare plan.

No they would not. No more than a hospital in Blaine would accept BC's MSP plan.

There is a clinic there apparently, but for anything major...probably Bellingham is where they have to go if they want to use US coverage.

[Arcos]

Would there be ‘hefty medical bills’ if you went to a Canadian hospital?

Also, I saw this discussion of issues that included problems at point Roberts.

https://housedemocrats.wa.gov/shewma...point-roberts/

[Natnasci]

Originally Posted by Arcos

Would there be ‘hefty medical bills’ if you went to a Canadian hospital?

Also, I saw this discussion of issues that included problems at point Roberts.

https://housedemocrats.wa.gov/shewma...point-roberts/

There certainly will be bills. Operating costs are cheaper in Canada because of UHC, so the costs of care are cheaper, but just because something is $30,000 instead of $50,000 ( not real numbers ) doesn't mean it isn't a burden to foreigners who have to pay.

Travel insurance only covers emergencies, and you have to be in the country where the emergency is happening, so there is no health insurance an American can buy to cover themselves for Canadian healthcare while living in the US.

[509]

When I was a graduate student at UBC I almost moved to Pt. Roberts.

Cheap housing in winter. Pretty spot. Easy commute to UBC.

Plus UBC was a commuter campus, so no reason to live close by to the University.

I don't know the situation today, but in the early 1970's I do regret not moving to Pt. Roberts as a American graduate student at UBC.

[pnwguy2]

Nobody has mentioned the weather. Windier than mid-Puget sound and a bit snowier. Average high also lower than mid Puget. More similar climate to Vancouver than Seattle.