Just my shoulder hurts can't put my arm up at the side and back. My fingers are okay but I can't grip anything heavy. Don't know if any Viking blood in me, my grandparents are from the North East so who knows.
At Philhealth cost, p17,000, and their minimal and length of time for reimbursement, my wife and I are at a decision point for keeping it. We don't have sufficient funds to cover any very serious problem. My alternative, if capable, would be to fly to the VA hospital in Seattle where I am registered. Anyone else facing the Philhealth decision?
I will renew again. The payback is not fantastic unless you have something very expensive done, but, on balance, I think it's worth having the coverage.
The flight alone to Manila will cost you 2500 that's one way then return another 2500 as you cant buy a return ticket as you have no definite return and all the crap in between before the international flight and all the drama that will entail with worry and anxiety about passports and family, not travelling as that's an extra expense and then from the airport in Seattle to the hospital and all the paperwork and then all the same crap getting back to dumaguete............time to be practical (hope im saying that correctly) im not being sarcastic as my time too will come
Points taken. I am referring to a catastrophic issue, high cost, perhaps need long term stay. VA hospital free, relatives in Seattle. I don't want my wife to have to sell house and assets in order to maybe keep me going.
You also need to consider whether an airline will accept you for travel if your fitness to travel is in question - as a "catastrophic issue" would probably be noticeable. Just a thought Pat O
Good point. My wife and wheel chair would have to fly with me. My preference in that situation would be to last it out at home until .... Hear Jim Morrison's, 'The End'
Sadly, health insurance, or rather substantial lack thereof, is one of the downsides of living in the Philippines as a retiree from most western countries. However, that doesn't put us in a material different situation as almost all of the locals. My personal attitude is that I won't cripple myself financially by getting a crazy expensive Pacific Cross policy, which will likely hide behind pre-existing condition arguments when push comes to shove anyway. Rather than paying half my income in insurance premiums I'll pay health expenses out of pocket (Philhealth doesn't make more than a minor dent in most bills anyway). In the situation where I may need very expensive major surgery that I can't afford then I'll either travel to the Netherlands and get it done there after re-registering for insurance, or, if I can't travel anymore, I'll do the same as the locals, I'll die.
