| The number-one question people ask us is,
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| | shreds and our lives along with it. We
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| "What possessed you to move to Mexico?"
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| | began to look to other alternatives to
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| The number-one answer we give is that we
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| | purchase our prescription drugs and found
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| simply could no longer afford to live in
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| | them.
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| America, so we found a country where we
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| | Other Americans are finding themselves in
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| could, and moved there.
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| | the same boat with not many options from
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| We found ourselves in a position not
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| | which to choose. I was reading the other
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| unlike many Americans: A major illness
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| | day where a married couple from Illinois
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| strikes, unexpectedly, and though insured
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| | sued the Federal government for the right
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| and with incomes, the cost of funding the
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| | to import prescription medications from
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| illness simply becomes too much. It
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| | Canada.
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| becomes, essentially, impossible. We were
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| | They lost. The judge dismissed the case.
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| not alone.
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| | Maybe they should sell everything and
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| It turns out that more than 50% of
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| | move to Mexico as we did.
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| bankruptcies filed in 2001 were medically
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| | Moving to another country-one with a
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| related and were filed by middle-class
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| | different language and culture-can offer
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| homeowners who not only had an income but
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| | many new challenges that can surprise
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| also health insurance. The prevailing
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| | you, shock you, and delight you. It takes
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| myth that most bankruptcies are due to
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| | a bit of getting used to, to say the
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| credit card debt is not true. Less than
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| | least.
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| 1% of filed bankruptcies are due to
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| | One such shock was the first time I got
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| credit card debt.
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| | all my needed prescriptions refilled. I
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| Researchers found that, in those
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| | knew from our research to expect cheaper
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| surveyed, 1.9 to 2.2 million U.S.
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| | prices but I did not know how cheap!
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| residents filed a "medical bankruptcy".
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| | I went to the ATM and secured a fist full
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| The average person filing for bankruptcy
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| | of pesos then trudged onward to the
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| during the 2001 period spent $13,460 on
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| | Farmacia. They were helpful and cheerful
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| co-payments, deductibles, and uncovered
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| | but when they told me the total price, I
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| services even though they had private
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| | had to re-ask, in my terrible Spanish, if
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| insurance.
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| | they were sure of the price.
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| "Our study is frightening. Unless you're
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| | You see, I was able to get all my drugs
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| Bill Gates, you're just one serious
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| | refilled for the price of one, count it,
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| illness away from bankruptcy. Most of the
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| | one co-pay of a name-brand drug in
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| medically bankrupt were average Americans
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| | America! I am not making this up. A
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| who happened to get sick. Health
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| | month's supply of generic Prozac is less
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| insurance offered little protection,"
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| | than $16.00 USD!
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| said Dr. David Himmelstein, an associate
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| | We stepped into a new reality where
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| professor of medicine at Harvard Medical
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| | everything--prescription drugs, housing,
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| School who led the study.
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| | utilities, food, transportation,
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| Another one of the study's authors,
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| | entertainment--is 25-75% less than it is
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| Elizabeth Warren, said, "It doesn't take
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| | in America. My Social Security Disability
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| a medical catastrophe to create a
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| | income adequately covers our expenses
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| financial catastrophe. A larger share of
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| | here in Guanajuato, Mexico.
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| American workers are going to have
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| | Moving to Mexico--an alternative for
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| insurance that's like a paper umbrella.
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| | everyone? I doubt it. The solution? I
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| It looks good, and it might even protect
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| | don't know. What I do know is that we,
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| you in a sprinkle, but it melts away in a
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| | and many other Americans, cannot sit idly
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| downpour."
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| | by waiting for our elected officials to
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| In the fall of 2002, we began to feel the
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| | work it out. We had to take
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| sprinkle on our paper umbrella turn into
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| | action--drastic as it was.
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| an unstoppable downpour. We had to do
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| | That paper umbrella wasn't going to last
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| something before the full brunt of the
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| | long!
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| downpour tore the paper umbrella to
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|
