Regular Medicare does not cover Americans overseas (there is a Medicare HMO option with limited and not reliable expat coverage) so there is no reason medicare for all would cover us here either. But I do support a national health plan for the US, similar to EU countries, Canada and Australia. I think what stands in the way is Corporate campaign contributions to politicians on BOTH sides. I would love to be in a position to argue that our Medicare for all plan should cover expats here as it would save them money to do so (same argument I have for current Medicare where we have to travel home to use it), and we do.


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You can also self-insure in part with a foreign higher limit credit card in case costs get really high...but more likely costs are not too high for short term treatments. I see that these private hospitals do accept US MC and VISA.


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That's what I thought, just wanted to double check, thnx

 

Just look at in state and out of state college tuitions.

 

This of course is completely justified when you realize who pays state and local taxes and who do not. Those schools are funded by state taxes paid by all citizens of a given state, not just those whose kids attend the state universities. To only have to pay local tuition rates would not be fair at to those who otherwise pay the big bills year after year, whether of not they attend.


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Someone once told me they had Medivac insurance and it was only about $150 USD a year. Anyone know anything about this type of cover?

It coved if something went bad the policy holder would get all expenses paid to fly them to any hospital in the world. On his policy he had listed two hospitals he would want to be taken too.

 

Air evacuation is about $400 a year and only transports you after you are stabilized at your expense. Read a policy carefully, ignore the sellers, and then decide.

 

Yeah, but I just read where a guy had a P60,000 bill and PhilHealth paid only P5000

 

The thing is, to my understanding, if you have an emergency here, the hospital might not admit you unless you have a large cash deposit OR Phil health of other health insurance that pays the hospital directly. So even if Phil health doesn’t pay much, its value may be to get you admitted at a time when you don’t have the deposit with you in your wallet. Contradicting that, I have heard of foreigners that they let in for emergency treatment that had not enough cash or a CC at the time they came in to the emergency room but he couldn’t get out until his spouse was able to borrow some money from their friend in the USA. Maybe they are more accommodating to foreigners for admission for emergency treatment but who knows for sure? Most people don’t routinely walk around with $1K in cash and the hospital may not accept your foreign credit card for a deposit, so, the PhilHealth card may be needed for the self-insured just to get admitted. I too am under the impression that they only pay 10-25% for treatment at a private hospital. PhilHealth covers the full bill at the Provincial hospital in Dumaguete but I happened to be there once for someone else and probably would prefer Silliman or Holy Child.


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