Relocation: Where Do We Fit In
 

I know theres no such thing as a perfect place, but how close can we get?

My husband has multiple health issues and the "Health Care System" here in Oklahoma (Health + Care = Oxymoron in this state) is not good at all. Not even a little bit. He has sustained a brain/neck/back injury and had a 4-way cardiac bypass in 2004 at 38 yrs of age.

We are 48 & 49 yrs old, both on Social Security Disability with a combined income of about $40,000 yearly.

-We need a place where the heat/ humidity is low (brain injury).
-Quality medical services are of the utmost importance due to other internal health issues. He has been sick for 6 yrs and the Doctors here have done nothing to help him. So Medical is a HUGE requirement.
-Affordable rent (1bd for abt $550 mo).
-We are Democrats
-LGBTQ supportive
-No specific religious affiliation
-No children in the home
-No pets
-No illegal drugs
-No alcohol use
-Do smoke tobacco
-NO TORNADOES!

Good Health Care System (Competent Doctors), Affordable Rent, Cooler Summers, Low Humidity. These are the things we are searching for.

Have no clue where this place is.

Deb

That is a really tough one!

When I hear "cooler summers, low humidity," I think coastal California, but rents are generally very high until you get quite far inland and there... you guessed it, the weather isn't as great.

The summers in the mountains of North Carolina aren't bad, but I don't know if those communities meet the rest of your criteria; I suspect liberal politics, not so much.

That is a really tough one!

When I hear "cooler summers, low humidity," I think coastal California, but rents are generally very high until you get quite far inland and there... you guessed it, the weather isn't as great.

The summers in the mountains of North Carolina aren't bad, but I don't know if those communities meet the rest of your criteria; I suspect liberal politics, not so much.

Yes, I first thought of California but you are not going to find that rent here. I live in a working class neighborhood and my one bedroom in a security building is $850 per month, and has rent control.

I don't think anywhere along the coast is really low humidity, is it?

I'm thinking high desert or mountains, would need to be west of the Mississippi to have low humidity. Boise, Flagstaff, anything along Colorado's Front Range?

Oh, good thought, how about Boulder or Colorado Springs?

You want "Cooler Summers, Low Humidity" but you didn't give any indication to what you want during the winters.

Cooler sumers will usually be found in the northern and/or mountain states that border Canada (think Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, North & South Dakota, Wisconsin and the Upper Michigan Peninsula) but the trade off will be harsh winters.

Narrow it down to states with Medicaid.
Why is heat and humidity a requirement for brain injury?

I'm unclear what you mean by competent doctors. I can't imagine that the doctors in Oklahoma are, as a rule, incompetent, and I'd think that the ones at OU Medicine are going to be decently competent and up-to-date. Certainly, I'd rather take my chances with OU Medicine than at a non-teaching hospital like you'd get in a smaller city.

If you wanted a truly top hospital, then your options narrow a bit. Your rent numbers rule out Boston, New York, SF, LA, and probably Chicago. Houston would creep into the discussion, but the humidity requirement would seem to nix that.

So, narrowing in on top hospitals and places that I'd think might be affordable (but don't really know), Rochester (Minnesota), Pittsburgh, and Cleveland are the places that spring to my mind. I'd include Durham (NC) but the humidity probably nixes that; ditto for Atlanta (which I suspect might be too expensive) and Birmingham.

RoamsAround, the winters are not a concern. We enjoy the colder weather so even if its a harsh winter, its better than a harsh summer.

Gretchen, he sustained a traumatic brain injury (TBI) and since then, I don't remember the medical term, his "thermostat" was damaged. Does not tolerate heat very well and high humidity just really does him in.

NewBe, we checked out those areas in Colorado and the rent was a bit too high for us. We don't need anything fancy. Just a decent place, in a safe area that has some Doctors around that still put the patient first. :)

Assuming you are both on Medicaid that is really the first thing you need to look for. The benefits provided - and what percentage of MDs will treat Medicare patients - varies tremendously by state - as do the rules for qualifications.

So - start there - then look for a place with extremely low housing costs that is not far from a major medical center

I'm sure there are web sites that have this info - sorry I don;t have any details but do know from interviewing MDs that the care provided differs HUGELY by state.

If medical care is a high priority look at communities near major teaching hospitals in the "northern/mountainous" state (where you'll get cooler summers and lower humidity). You can find an extensive list here (scroll "far" down to the US section): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...sity_hospitals

Also, if being around other Democrats is a major issue for you, concentrate your search to those teaching hospitals located in the so called "Blue States" .

Lastly, although your rental budget seems low you can find rental apartments for around $550/month almost anywhere but whether or not those accommodations will meet your needs and expectations is a completely different issue and something you'll have to decide for yourself. Hint: Since your rental dollar will go further in the suburbs rather than in urban areas figure out how long a drive you are willing to reach your primary "major" medical care center or hospital (say 1 hour) then look at communities that are within that radius of one of the "teaching hospitals in the states you are considering.

Based on what you are seeking you I suggest you look at teaching hospitals in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Upstate New York, New Hampshire, Vermont or Maine.

Good luck with your search.

I agree that if winters aren't the issue, Minnesota would be a good bet. Rochester, or any of the suburbs nearer the Twin Cities have reasonably priced housing. And the civic culture is engaged and accepting. (Summers are hot, pretty humid, but also pretty short.)

Yes, I agree that understanding the. Medicaid and disability benefits in the states you are looking at is the place to begin. For those who haven't dealt with it, Medicad varies -- shockingly -- from state to state. SSDI is a Federal program but some, not all states, supplement it with transportation and/ or housing benefits.

Oklahoma is low in both programs, if I am not mistaken, The doctor issue, for those who don't know the state, is probably that many doctors don't accept Medicaid, not the quality of doctors who do.

Until you know what benefits you will receive and how long it will take you to become eligible, it will be hard to make a decision. The next step in making that decision will involve comparing costs with the benefits you get. Benefits in Boston may sound high, for example, but the cost of living is so much greater than in Oklahoma that you would be no better off.

Does the state discriminate against poor people with regressive taxes like sales taxes, taxes on groceries and clothing, high auto license fees? What is the normal mode of heating and what does it cost? Are there subsidies for people with low incomes?

This isn't the kind of information you will get from random strangers, but you can find a lot of it on the Internet, and your local public library can help.

findyourspot.com has a lengthy and interesting questionnaire that generates a list of about 10 places. While not suggesting you make a decision based on an on-line questionnaire, the questions themselves bring up all sorts of issues that I had not thought of for myself.

And reiterating a very good point above - Medicaid, and even how one qualifies, varies enormously from State to State - it is not portable.

You might consider moving out of the US. There are a lot of US expats living on social security in parts of Central and South America. Central America would not meet your humidity requirement, but mountainous areas in South America would.

Take a look at the reports on this site: http://www.liveandinvestoverseas.com...op-havens.html

Op and her husband are on SSDisability, so they receive medical care via Medicare, not Medicaid. Not sure how much of a difference that makes in finding a doctor that is able to meet their requirements.

The simple truth is there are far fewer doctors available in areas where their other conditions might be met. NM checks a lot of their boxes, but avail healthcare here is getting harder and harder to come by.

OP - do you drive/ have a car as that may matter if you find yourselves needing to live a bit further out from a city where there would be decent public transit.

Boulder, CO, is ridiculously expensive. So, not a good idea for you.

New Mexico can be inexpensive, for the most part. Maybe look at towns there, and see what you think. Maybe the northern part would have the weather you want. I don't know how expensive Taos would be, though. It definitely is not humid.

You might want to look at the Oregon Willamette Valley and the Oregon coast. Obviously Portland and Eugene are going to be higher priced (Eugene is skewed by all the students that come to the U of O) but there's a lot of inventory in Salem, and some of the smaller Valley towns, such as Lebanon, Cottage Grove, Sweet Home etc. have very affordable rents, while still being very close to excellent medical facilities in Eugene or Salem (or even Portland itself.)

The weather's rainy in the winter, but glorious in the summer; Oregon is a VERY tolerant state, it has an income tax (which probably wouldn't impact you) but no sales tax, so the cost of living can be reasonable - little need for A/C in the summer, mild winters. And of course you're very close to amazing outdoor recreational opportunities.

The coast is another idea. Coos Bay is not going to win any beauty contests, but it has a big hospital with all sorts of specialty clinics, and again, even if you didn't want to live in Coos Bay (or neighboring North Bend) itself, there are a number of smaller towns close by - Reedsport, Coquille, Bandon - that might also be attractive. Again, rainy in the winter, but wonderful summers - beaches, fishing, all sorts of activities.

<I>Central America would not meet your humidity requirement, but mountainous areas in South America would.</I>

I can't imagine the healthcare in, say, Cusco is better than what you'd receive in Oklahoma City.

<I>Upstate New York, New Hampshire, Vermont or Maine</I>

None of those places, save maybe Burlington or near Dartmouth would be likely to match, much less better the quality you'd get in OKC.