Just under 400,000 American retirees are now living abroad, according to the Social Security Administration. Retirees most often cite the cost of living as the reason for moving elsewhere said Olivia S. Mitchell, director of the Pension Research Council at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School. Viviana Rojas, an associate professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio, says the biggest obstacle is not speaking the language or knowing the culture. While retirees still can receive Social Security benefits, Medicare is not available to those living abroad, Mitchell said. The former military language and intelligence specialist said he pays $350 annually to be part of Japan's national health insurance. The rest is covered by a secondary insurance program for retired military personnel. Japan experienced biggest growth, 42 percent, of American retirees than any other country between 2010 and 2014, according to data from the Social Security Administration. The presence is so large that in the island of Okinawa, the U.S. military occupies about 19 percent of the area, according to Ellis S. Krauss, professor emeritus of Japanese politics and policy-making at the University of California, San Diego. Roginski, who volunteers for the Misawa Air Base Retiree Activities Office, said he helps connect more than 450 retirees and their families living in Northern Japan with resources. EDITOR'S NOTE — Maria Ines Zamudio is studying aging and workforce issues as part of a 10-month fellowship at The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, which joins NORC's independent research and AP journalism.
Reported by SeattlePI.com 2 days ago.
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