Healthcare in many other parts of the world isn't as big of a burden as it is in the US.
This is what I’m trying to figure out. Medicare is kind of an advantage, but your out of pocket medical expenses in Thailand aren’t that bad unless you get cancer or something, then you just relocate back? American basic healthcare prices are just really messed up, so your insurance doesn’t really pay off until something serious happens.
I don't know about Thailand, but in France you can apply to join their healthcare system after 3 months. In the meantime you must have private insurance but it's a fraction of what it is here.
Spain is similar. I don’t understand how they are allowing retirees to just move there, but I have friends doing it. I’m not counting on it being that way when I retire since it sounds to good to be true (so it eventually probably won’t be true).