Obama healthcare plan for ex-pats

Once the Taiwan situation became a reality I started making some political jokes with people at work pertaining to how many things no longer apply to me. Higher taxes? Doesn't matter. Employment rate? Not worried. Falling dollar? Don't get paid in dollars. Healthcare reform? Ha! I'll have REAL national healthcare as nearly zero cost to me.

I AM supportive of the idea that in a country like the U.S., there should be some degree of coverage for all with the cost shared among many. Call it "socialism" if you must, but then call the interstate highway system "socialized", too. A friend astutely called the Obama plan a national insurance plan and NOT a national health care plan. Point taken. I thought the elimination of preexisting condition discrimination made sense but didn't feel like it particularly applied to me. While this blog at the NY Times points out that the Obama health care plan does not affect Americans living overseas since the ex-pat tax was removed from the bill, many commenters pointed out that, in fact, it does affect them.

By eliminating the preexisting condition, it will allow many ex-pats who want to return to the U.S. to do so. If I go to Taiwan and suffer a major illness, I might be unable to receive insurance coverage upon returning to the States. There are many Americans "trapped" overseas because of this reason. I wonder if the American voters will really lash out at the polls over healthcare.

It depends who you ask

Now that word is getting out about the move to people who do not know us well, I am starting to get more questions of curiosity about Taiwan, itself. If I can avoid the ignorance that revolves around eating pad Thai and Bangkok, I'll often get, "So, are they part of China?" to which I'll offer, "It depends who you ask."

My first recollection of Taiwan as a kid growing up in the 70's was that everything non-edible that came out of the gum-ball machine was stamped, "MADE IN TAIWAN". The next thing was their dominance in the Little League World Series. I remember them playing as "Taiwan" but Wikipedia claimed that they were called Chinese Taipei at the time.

My father-in-law recently recounted the story of his's family's exodus from Taiwan. Apparently he was on guard after Nixon's visit to China in '72 and when the U.S. decided to close the embassy in '79, he quickly moved his family to Florida.

While I was (still am) no expert on Taiwan, I think I new the difference between Taiwan and Thailand at a pretty young age. My awareness of the politics was heightened in 1996 when China launched missiles into the Taiwan Strait in retaliation for a visit to the U.S. by the Taiwanese president the year prior. Travelling to Korea, Japan and Taiwan in recent years, I've noticed that the front page in the press belongs to North Korea. I found it striking while there, the idea of confronting nuclear proliferation. Even though I grew up in the States during the Cold War, it now seems so distant. I clearly remember being shocked as a child when I asked my Mom, "So where do we go if the Russians launch a nuclear bomb?" Her response was basically, "Nowhere."

What?!?! No exit strategy?!?!

While Shirley and I have considered many implications regarding moving to Taiwan, I don't think the whole political landscape is in the mix. Am I overestimating the safety? Or am I just in that same place that my mother was 30 years ago? If I get bombed or invaded, I'll deal with it then. There's no embassy to run to but there is a embassy-esque American Institute in Taiwan.  I'm not yet sure what all of the services are there, but I do know they can get you out of jury duty. There can't possible be a more important function of that organization.

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