Experts in celebrating the next chapter in life, AARP The Magazine traveled the globe to discover the ultimate retirement destinations abroad. Factoring climate, expat community, cost of living, housing, health care, access to the U.S. and culture and leisure, AARP The Magazine reveals the top five locales in its September/October issue, available in homes and online today. See what regions in Mexico, France, Panama, Portugal and Italy have to offer—castles, palm trees, rain forests, grilled lobster—in their unique and unparalleled retirement experiences.

1. MEXICO — Puerto Vallarta

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico is the undisputed number one destination for American retirees. With its rich Indian and Spanish culture, lavish beaches and affordable real-estate, Puerto Vallarta offers the low-cost, laid back lifestyle retirees seek to find in a community.

Some Reasons we love it:

• Climate: Winters—sunny, pleasantly warm; summers—rainy, humid hot
• Expat Community: Estimated at 50,000 American retirees
• Access to the U.S.: Excellent

2. FRANCE — Languedoc-Roussillon

Once remote, the Languedoc-Roussillon region is now just three hours from the bright lights and bustling energy of Paris via high-speed train. The area is steeped in history and art. Languedoc-Roussillon is also a destination for the outdoor crowd with picturesque hills and beach along its Mediterranean seashore.

Some Reasons we love it:

• Climate: Mediterranean—hot and dry summers; cool winters
• Cost of Living: Not cheap, but a comfortably frugal life can be had for $30,000 a year
• Heath Care: Excellent. French health care has been named the best in the world by the World Health Organization

3. PANAMA — Boquete

Panama is a smart choice for retirees who want it all. Not only does it feature attractive retiree destinations, Panama also offers an unbeatable package of retiree benefits and discounts. Boquete has a unique range of back-home amenities, from a golf course to high-end gated communities.

Some Reasons we love it:

• Expat Community: An estimated several thousand
• Housing Costs: A small house goes for $175,000; in a gated community, $250,000 and up. Rentals: about $600 a month for a two bedroom house
• Culture and Leisure: Rainforest hiking, river rafting, bird watching and coffee plantation tours keep Panama a bustling location for leisure

4. PORTUGAL — Cascais

Many wonder why Portugal has long been overlooked by American retirees. A plentitude of golf, beaches, resorts and trendy cafe life makes Portugal one of Europe’s most pleasant surprises for retirees.

Some Reasons we love it:

• Cost of Living: A comfortable life can be had on $25,000 a year
• Health Care: Good. Nearby hospitals include the well-regarded British Hospital in Lisbon
• Access to the U.S.: Excellent. Direct flights to-and-from the U.S. fly out of Lisbon

5. ITALY — Le Marche

Le Marche, bordering the Adriatic, is beautiful region with vineyards, snow-capped mountains and beaches a plenty. It also prides itself on the best fish dishes in the country and is trendy enough to have snagged Dustin Hoffman as a tourism spokesperson!

Some Reasons we love it:

• Climate: Mostly sunny
• Expat Community: Relatively few; an international mix
• Culture and Leisure: An incomparable mix of open-air opera festivals, Renaissance painting and architecture, wine tasting and nature reserves

For more information and an extended list of AARP The Magazine’s “Best Places to Retire Abroad,” visit www.aarp.org.

About AARP The Magazine

With more than 35.1 million readers nationwide, AARP The Magazine is the world’s largest circulation magazine and the definitive lifestyle publication for Americans 50+. Reaching over 23.5 million households, AARP The Magazine delivers comprehensive content through in-depth celebrity interviews, health and fitness features, consumer interest information and tips, book and movie reviews and financial guidance. Published bimonthly in print and continually online, AARP The Magazine was founded in 1958 and is the flagship title of AARP Publications.

About AARP

AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization that helps people 50+ have independence, choice and control in ways that are beneficial and affordable to them and society as a whole. AARP does not endorse candidates for public office or make contributions to either political campaigns or candidates. We produce AARP The Magazine, the definitive voice for 50+ Americans and the world’s largest-circulation magazine with over 35.1 million readers; AARP Bulletin, the go-to news source for AARP’s millions of members and Americans 50+; AARP VIVA, the only bilingual U.S. publication dedicated exclusively to the 50+ Hispanic community; and our website, AARP.org. AARP Foundation is an affiliated charity that provides security, protection, and empowerment to older persons in need with support from thousands of volunteers, donors, and sponsors. We have staffed offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

www.aarp.org

original article here

Posted on July 27th, 2010 by Tropicasa Realty
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NOTE: The International Community Foundation is a public charity founded in 1990 with a mission to expand the level of charitable giving internationally by U.S. donors with an emphasis on Mexico and Central America

The International Community Foundation released its report “Housing and Real Estate Trends Among Americans Retiring in Mexico’s Coastal Communities” to make recommendations to policymakers in both the U.S. and Mexico, as well as to educate and inform U.S. retirees about key issues to consider when purchasing real estate in Mexico. The report is the third of five research studies that will be published by the Foundation.

For years, U.S. & Canadian retirees have re-located to Mexico as an alternative retirement destination that was affordable, offered desirable weather and was close to their communities of origin in North America. To further analyze these trends, especially in the context of the current economic crisis, the International Community Foundation surveyed over 840 U.S. retirees in coastal areas of Mexico over 50 years of age. Key findings include:

• Survey respondents selected Mexico for the lifestyle (79 percent), cost of living (75 percent), weather (69 percent), and proximity to the U.S. (63 percent). They also considered other overseas destinations, including Costa Rica, Panama, and Belize.

• Over 62 percent of survey respondents live in a house rather than a condo. Focus groups also voiced a clear preference for Mexican-style colonial architecture and the “village” concept as opposed to high-rise urban living.

• When considering the purchase of a home in Mexico, survey respondents noted that the availability of basic infrastructure and utilities (84 percent) and clear legal title (82 percent) were more important considerations than the price (78 percent).

• The vast majority (77 percent) of respondents owned their homes; only 16 percent were renters. Though survey respondents were not specifically asked if their home was purchased 100 percent in cash or was financed, many focus group participants confirmed that they had purchased their retirement homes with cash.

• Sixty one percent of U.S. retirees surveyed indicated that they would be willing to pay higher property taxes if they could be guaranteed better municipal services (including zoning enforcement, water, police, and fire).

• When asked to advise those would-be retirees considering purchasing a home in Mexico, 69 percent of survey respondents highlighted the need to fully understand the risks of buying a home in a foreign country. Fifteen percent of respondents noted that retirees should “take the leap of faith” and that everything will work out okay.

The  full report c an be seen at www.icfd.org/publicat10/rra.php

Posted on July 13th, 2010 by Tropicasa Realty
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Since 2000, some of California’s private health insurers, and at least one employer group, have offered binational health insurance. These plans cover services on both sides of the Mexican-U.S. border.

Both immigrants from Mexico and U.S. citizens take advantage of the lower prices of medical services across the border. Nearly one million Hispanic and non-Hispanic white Californians seek medical care in Mexico every year, according to UCLA researchers and colleagues. Their study is published in the journal Medical Care, and it is the first large-scale population-based research on U.S. residents obtaining healthcare in Mexico to be published.

Who Seeks Healthcare outside the U.S. and Why Medical Tourism Is Growing

To study this issue, researcher used the nation’s largest state health survey. That’s an analysis of 2001 data from the California Health Interview Survey. The investigators estimated that 952,000 California adults seek dental, medical, or prescription services in Mexico each year. Only about 488,000 of these 952,000 were Mexican immigrants.

Prescription drugs were the most common medical service that non-Latino whites from California went to Mexico to obtain. As expected, cost was the primary factor.

Not surprisingly, studies show that the heaviest users of Mexican-based healthcare services are people who live closest to the border. Another factor that may weigh-in is the growing shortage of primary care physicians in the U.S.

As healthcare reform allows more people the freedom to seek medical care, the primary care physician shortage is expected to become more of a problem. This shortage affects both California and the nation. The shortage is especially evident among U.S.-based Hispanic care providers. That’s another contributing factor to the growth of cross-border California health insurance plans.

Cross-border California Health Insurance Coverage

An estimated 150,000 Californians are covered by one of several private insurance companies that provide cross-border health coverage. These plans typically offer access to emergency care in California, along with routine and hospitalization services in Mexican border towns, such as Tijuana, Mexicali, Tecate and Rosarito.

Such cross-border healthcare plans are growing in popularity because healthcare costs in Mexico are estimated to be from 70 percent to 90 percent less than the same services in the U.S.

Healthcare reform may grow this cross-border market as citizens feel pressure to have California health insurance, and employers feel pressure to provide it.

How Binational Health Insurance Works

The Mexican-based Sistemas Medicos Nacionales plan was the first HMO licensed by the California Department of Managed Health Care to contract with California employers, and cover medical services in Mexico. This is the only Mexican-based HMO that covers health services provided in the U.S.

SIMNSA Medicos Nacionales contracts its network of more than 200 physicians and two clinics along the U.S.-Mexico border to Aetna and Health Net. Both insurers offer a cross-border insurance product.

In addition, Blue Shield of California’s Access Baja plan was licensed in 2000 to cover emergency services in California, and routine services in Mexico. Blue Shield of California uses its own Mexican-based provider network with members primarily located in Tijuana.

CIGNA is also reported to have filed for approval of a cross-border health insurance plan.

At present, coverage is mainly restricted to Mexican towns that are located within 50 miles of the U.S. border. People in Los Angeles or San Francisco, however, might prefer to fly to Guadalajara and Mexico City where many more health care options are available.

Growth Predicted for California Health Insurance Cross-border Plans

Dramatic expansion is expected, and a study in 2008 that was published in Health Affairs found that 62 percent of those surveyed expressed interest in a reasonably-priced cross-border health insurance policy.

Health Net’s cross-border health insurance plan, Salud HMO y Mas, has been performing well because it is more affordable than traditional plans. That gives it a particular advantage in the economic downturn.

Small employers may find that cross-border health insurance plans can be 30 percent to 40 percent less expensive than U.S. plans. For members of Health Net’s Salud HMO y Mas, co-payments for a doctor’s office visit in Mexico may be as much as 75 percent lower than co-payments in the U.S.

Medical Tourism Extends Beyond Mexico

Mexico is not the only destination of Americans traveling out of the country to receive medical treatment. High-quality treatment from U.S. board-certified surgeons can often be had for a fraction of what it would cost in the U.S. Substantial savings are available on cosmetic surgery, dental work, and even bypass surgery, and knee replacement surgery.

Americans have begun to explore, customize, and take advantage of healthcare options around the world. The need for these services is great enough that someone has stepped up to assist with medical tourism. The national leader is PlanetHospital, which has staff doctors to consult with Americans who are interested in traveling to other countries for healthcare. PlanetHospital doctors recommend appropriate surgeons and facilities, and arrange for all medical treatment.

Original Here

Posted on July 8th, 2010 by Tropicasa Realty
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* Carstens says sees “strong recovery process” (Adds quotes, background on economy)

By Luis Rojas Mena

CANCUN, Mexico, March 21 (Reuters) – Mexico’s economy, recovering from its worst recession in decades, could grow as much as 5 percent in 2010, the country’s central bank head said on Sunday, raising his outlook in line with analyst views.

Central Bank Governor Agustin Carstens told an annual Inter-American Development Bank meeting in the Caribbean resort of Cancun that Mexico’s economy could grow between 4 percent and 5 percent this year.

“We are in a strong recovery process … it’s very likely that Mexico will end this year growing between four and five percent,” Carstens told reporters. “Aggregate demand is growing faster in Mexico. That means the output gap will probably close down faster than we anticipated some months ago.”

In January, Carstens said Mexico’s economy would likely grow between 3.2 percent and 4.2 percent in 2010. In February he told Reuters he shared the finance ministry’s view that 2010 growth looked set to come in around 3.9 percent.

Economists and the government say exports, consumer demand and credit from banks are all growing faster than expected.

However, the growth still looks unlikely to make up for a 7 percent decline in gross domestic product last year, the largest in Latin America and caused largely by a plunge in U.S. demand for Mexican-made cars and other exports.

Analysts say the impact on Mexico of the recession in the United States, its main trading partner, was exacerbated by a lack of major economic reforms in areas like tax, the oil industry and labor laws.

Carstens added that the central bank could move to raise interest rates if it finds that recent tax increases are starting to push up consumer prices. (Writing by Robin Emmott; Editing by Catherine Bremer and Diane Craft)

original at: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN2114539720100321

Posted on July 1st, 2010 by Tropicasa Realty
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