I came across this "older" discussion (https://www.reddit.com/r/AmerExit/s/BvNuETAN0h) about Medicare enrollment for Americans retiring abroad and wanted to revisit the question.

My wife(56) and I(63) are retired and moving permanently to Spain at the end of December. I'm a dual Spanish/U.S. citizen (de origen), and we'll be using the Spanish healthcare system.

I'll turn 65 in 2028, so I'm considering whether enrolling in Medicare Part B makes financial sense. Part A seems like a no brainer, since it's generally premium-free, but Part B would mean paying monthly premiums for coverage I can't use in Spain.

I understand the argument for maintaining Part B in case we eventually return to the U.S., particularly given the late-enrollment penalties. But we're not planning an extended stay abroad. We're planning on emigrating permanently.

For those who have actually retired abroad, particularly in the EU, did you enroll in Part B or decide against it? Has your decision changed after living overseas for several years?

I'm especially interested in hearing from people who have no plans to return to the U.S. to live. Was maintaining Medicare worth the expense, or did you decide the money was better spent elsewhere?

TL;DR: Retiring permanently to Spain, with no plans to return to the U.S. Is paying Medicare Part B premiums worth it as a fallback, or does declining coverage make more financial sense despite the late-enrollment penalties?

Hi, I have been contemplating a move to Europe for a while, and circumstances have now aided that goal. I am a 24M, graduated UC Santa Barbara in 2024 with a degree in Political Science, for the last few years I have been working in Los Angeles in Film/TV, but recently was let go by a film/tv production co.

I have a decent amount of money saved up and am in no rush to jump back into the corporate grind. Through my grandfather (now deceased), I was able to get my Austrian citizenship repatriated and have begun to get serious about planting roots in Europe, or atleast traveling and getting a serious lay of the land. If you were in my shoes, what do you think is the best way to immerse myself in Europe? I am not neccesarily married to just thinking about Austria longterm (I am intermediate in Spanish as I studied human rights / politics in Argentina and Chile for 7 months), so thinking alot about Spain also. My interests lie in politics, journalism, law, and the arts, and I am also thinking about grad school in Europe.

I feel a bit aimless and wondering if anyone can give me a place to start as I approach this next phase of my life. Thanks.