MEDICARE

M

Member 131497

Hi again...

Once again we're in the period of do paperwork for the government. As a liveaboard address is a weird subject since some of us don't live in a marina, ect. How do others solved this?

Thx in advance

C
 
Jan 19, 2010
1,169
Catalina 34 Casco Bay
I can't remember the term, but the Post Office has a program for people that travel around ( RV'ers and the like) They notify the PO of where there would be on such and such a date. All or their mail would catch up with them them there..
 
Jan 11, 2014
11,323
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
I can't remember the term, but the Post Office has a program for people that travel around ( RV'ers and the like) They notify the PO of where there would be on such and such a date. All or their mail would catch up with them them there..
If properly addressed a post office will hold mail for a transient. Check with the USPS about how to address the mail, I think it is addressed to the Postmaster at Post Office, hold for transient boat or something like that.

The USPS will forward mail forward mail on a temporary or permanent basis, from a residential address, but I don' think they provide the kind of mail forwarding service described above. St Brendan's Isle does provide that service. They collect your mail, you tell them which pieces to forward, and to which post office. They address it properly and send it.
 
Feb 17, 2006
5,274
Lancer 27PS MCB Camp Pendleton KF6BL
Someone asked about a permanent address before, but not regarding Midicare. I can't remember what the request was, but I think it was determined that if one uses a relative's address it should work. But what if one's relative is out of state? Not sure how that would impact Medicare. Just a thought.
 
Apr 8, 2011
768
Hunter 40 Deale, MD
What about a service like this - they provide a real, physical address for each customer for their mail to be sent, and then they scan the envelopes and ask what you want done with the mail - to include opening and scanning for you to read from wherever you happen to be. Sounds like a cool service if you're travelling a lot. FYI I have no connection to them - but I've been in the military and an expat overseas and having something like this would've been fantastic:

Mail Scanning, Virtual Mailbox & Mail Forwarding Services (travelingmailbox.com)
 
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Jan 11, 2014
11,323
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
S
What about a service like this - they provide a real, physical address for each customer for their mail to be sent, and then they scan the envelopes and ask what you want done with the mail - to include opening and scanning for you to read from wherever you happen to be. Sounds like a cool service if you're travelling a lot. FYI I have no connection to them - but I've been in the military and an expat overseas and having something like this would've been fantastic:

Mail Scanning, Virtual Mailbox & Mail Forwarding Services (travelingmailbox.com)
Pretty much the same as St Brendan’s Isle. SBI started as a service oriented towards sailors, hence the name.
 
Jan 1, 2006
7,039
Slickcraft 26 Sailfish
I think my brother does something like this with USPS. He lives in Georgia and has a place in Islamorada. I think the USPS scans the envelops and sends him the scans. He then tells them the disposition of each. Hold, forward or discard. Or something like that.
But I think the OP was more about establishing a domicile with the gov'mint. Your address is now part of your identity. I can imagine how difficult it would be to do very much without that information being known.
 
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capta

.
Jun 4, 2009
4,766
Pearson 530 Admiralty Bay, Bequia SVG
We're lucky. We have a family member who will receive, open, and if it is important, scan it and email it to us.There are companies that handle your problem by giving cruisers a permanent address and hold or forward mail to you. I hear it is not expensive. I don't know any companies that will open your mail and email it to you.
 

LloydB

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Jan 15, 2006
806
Macgregor 22 Silverton
Maybe I'm a bit paranoid but when I looked at the advertisement for traveling mailbox I noticed that one of the users that praised this service had a Nigeria address( not that there's anything wrong with that). I also read a couple of suggestions by other posters in this thread that implied what they thought the post office did for somebody's brother-in-law. Having proven myself to be my own worst enemy I decided to call USPS and find out what they actually do rather than sign up to a service and find out that I wished I hadn't. USPS told me I could sign up with the USPS for informed delivery and they would send a scan of each piece mailed to my address on my phone.(or email I think but i didn't ask specifically) USPS told me I could have my mail forwarded to a different address and it would take about a week or so and about the same length to bring it back to my permanent address. They said the mail could also be held at the post office for 30 days only. The post office didn't say anything about a fee for informed delivery or mail forwarding so I don't think that they charge for that in fact I'm pretty sure that they don't, as the PO is usually pretty quick about letting you know about any costs up front. Travel mailbox will shred, sort and forward for a small fee or a large one depending upon what you have them do. I've got kids that could do that. I've even got an ex wife do that could do that and one that could not. Thinking to sign up for informed delivery to see how it works for a month or so for when I go on that three or six week vacation. I am not so sure I can handle robo mail any better than I can handle robo calls. And I just realized need to ask how to turn it off once turned on although that may be just a personal fault.
 
Jan 11, 2014
11,323
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
Maybe I'm a bit paranoid but when I looked at the advertisement for traveling mailbox I noticed that one of the users that praised this service had a Nigeria address( not that there's anything wrong with that). I also read a couple of suggestions by other posters in this thread that implied what they thought the post office did for somebody's brother-in-law. Having proven myself to be my own worst enemy I decided to call USPS and find out what they actually do rather than sign up to a service and find out that I wished I hadn't. USPS told me I could sign up with the USPS for informed delivery and they would send a scan of each piece mailed to my address on my phone.(or email I think but i didn't ask specifically) USPS told me I could have my mail forwarded to a different address and it would take about a week or so and about the same length to bring it back to my permanent address. They said the mail could also be held at the post office for 30 days only. The post office didn't say anything about a fee for informed delivery or mail forwarding so I don't think that they charge for that in fact I'm pretty sure that they don't, as the PO is usually pretty quick about letting you know about any costs up front. Travel mailbox will shred, sort and forward for a small fee or a large one depending upon what you have them do. I've got kids that could do that. I've even got an ex wife do that could do that and one that could not. Thinking to sign up for informed delivery to see how it works for a month or so for when I go on that three or six week vacation. I am not so sure I can handle robo mail any better than I can handle robo calls. And I just realized need to ask how to turn it off once turned on although that may be just a personal fault.
I have used USPS Informed delivery for years. It is a great security feature and has helped track down misdelivered mail. As mail goes through the sorting machines, it is scanned for address and postage, the USPS will send you copies of those scans if you enroll in Informed Delivery. However, it does not even come close to what a mail service like St. Brendan's Isle does.

Everyone should use Informed Delivery for security purposes. When I signed up for the service there was no real verification of my identity. Thus, I could have signed up for the service at random addresses and get notified fo the mail being delivered. When checks or credit cards come through, I could just intercept them. Only one email address per street address can enroll in informed delivery, thus, if you sign up no one else can.

With USPS you can not select which items to be delivered, which to be held, or which to be forwarded. It is an all or nothing deal, all mail gets held or all mail gets forwarded (except for junk mail). We use this when we travel or will be away from home for shorter periods of time. It is not suitable for the OP's purpose or anyone else cruising for extended periods of time.

St Brendan's Isle Mail Service has a long and respected history in the cruising community. It is what we use. In addition to scanning envelopes, they handle package delivery, opening and scanning documents, can assist with establishing residency in Florida. This kind of service is needed for the OPs intents.
 
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Brazil

.
Aug 16, 2017
26
Hunter 37C Forked River, NY
I also have used Informed Delivery for years. No reason not to. You might search "Digital Nomad" status. My son tells me people that live in RVs use it to establish address. It may vary by state, depending on your driver's license or passport.
 
Jan 19, 2010
1,169
Catalina 34 Casco Bay
We utilize the Informed Delivery. Started after Porch Pirates had become active locally. Interestingly we will get notified of a piece of mail with it's picture on say Monday... then it doesn't dhow up for 10 days...