⌛ Health Insurance???????To buy or Not?

Hi Blodgee,

Its an interesting question, which I do not think you asked, “what will the Philippines be like in 5 years time” when you plan to settle here ?
The news is not too good. While I do not have a crystal ball there are some things you may or may not be aware that are important, and to an extent health insurance is not one of them.

For example: the Philippine population, now about 90 mil. will probably be about 100 million, those additional people will be added to the already large numbers of uneducated, unemployed Filipinos. Growth is 2> % compares to other Asian countries .02%
By any measure the country is still going backwards, from being one of the most dynamic and prosperous in Asia to one of the poorest. About 35 years ago countries like Singapore would look to the Philippines for economic and social guidance. Singapore is now one of the least corrupt, the Philippines one of the most corrupt.

Living costs are not particularly cheap here compared to other Asian countries, there being a very poor infrastructure which adds to cost. Although I noted that the previous president Arroyo gave out over 1 billion peso’s to her political friends just before the previous election for dredging works. Its hard to audit that work as its underwater.

Anyway, good luck. Before you sold up and committed to the move unless you have had several years Asian experience, perhaps move here in 5 years time and rent for one or two years, might save you some heart ache.

 

Ok it may not be the cheapest place to live but it is the country where my wife came from and has strong family ties to.I can accept the increase in the pop.What I really am having a hard time rapping my head around is the premiums versus the limits set by various health insurers willing to cover you in the philippines.There is Kainos,Philippine health,Blue Cross and others I suppose. I want to plan and be prepared for something really major like a heart attack where you could be hospitalized for 2 weeks etc.I think that one will need much higher limits from the different health plans I found so far in order to be protected or should I say be insured for?Point:If I am going to pay 30,000P in a yearly premium and have a limit of 150,000-200,000P what's the point?How much is cancer,heart attack or a serious car accident going to cost for treatments?I am sure being a Kano it will be in the million range?
Is all the foriegners living in the philippines doing so with no health Insurance?
Do they think they are getting good value for there premiums?Do they think they will never have a major heath event or need in there life?I don't know but it is something I worry about a lot more than an increasing population of poor people in general or the cost of living in the philippines or the poor infrastructure or the coruption there.............

 

I would be more concerned about making it to the hospital alive more so than what health insurance I had. The chances are VERY high that you will not need your health insurance if you get my drift.

 

Hmmm...point taken...getting to the hospital alive is one issue...Surviving a provincial hospital on PhilHealth is another. We'll probably self-insure, or use travel insurance when possible, LOL....given that we only intend to spend part of the year in the country until it gets too hard...or lose interest. But Blue Cross from what I'm hearing lately is not bad. Got an email several months back from an American expat in Bacolod who had a hip replacement done there. Blue Cross was on top of it the whole time, their staff checked up on him...and when he was discharged - a Blue Cross rep was there with the checkbook. Cost him nothing. There are several plans with varying limits....If you pay more..you get more when you need it...

 

" If in doubt leave it out"
If you are so concern about a event that might or might not take place my advice would be don't take the chance. " Better to be safe than sorry"
Only you can make that decision my friend.......JB

 

Talking of “heart attacks”, I was lucky enough to have mine while visiting Australia and 3 days before my return to the Philippines earlier this year.

Its something you can not plan for, and I would have bet a sheep station I was at a very low risk of having a heart attack.

If you are really concerned and are serious about your health, consider you and you wife taking (GOOD) “first aide courses” so that at the very least you might recognize the symptoms. For example most people have serious outcomes from things like heart attacks because they do not realize what is happening and also are in denial that it is actually something serious. Again I was lucky, I guessed what the problem was, having done many first aide courses over the years, ( still not believing it was possible “why me”) and went to the hospital and was admitted to intensive care in the cardiology dept.

Do the Philippines have intensive care cardiology wards outside of Cebu and Manila ?

 

I too have had many first aid coarses as my job requires it.I hope I never have a heart attack but I want to be prepared for the worse.I have been looking again at Blue Cross in the Philippines. You can get up to 2 M US. coverage from them if you don't mind paying about $2000 per year just for myself.I find all their plans a little complicated to understand so I think I will get a presentation personally once I am there and decide which plan suites us best.I do remember reading on another site that a guy had a large claim with Blue Cross and they increased his premiums big time because of it to the point he couldn't afford them anymore.

 

I researched this a few years ago and was not impressed with the options provided by local insurers. It seemed the best option for us was a combination of PhilHealth and travel insurance. I have found quite affordable travel insurance underwritten by Allianz's Australian division, however it has a limited term, then must be renewed, but still offers high limits and medical evacuation.

 

Hi DG, I would never thought about that, My last Travel Insurance was about £70 for 50 days so that would be 7 or so policies a year, at the cost of £550 approx a year, at 34.000 php maybe that's a good deal. Do you think the Insurance Company would wear it though. It can be bought on line so no problem with the paperwork I guess. Maybe I will ask if there is a Cap on the amount of polices I can have per year, I see no reason why they should cap but we all know Insurance Companies Good Idea DG, as you say benefits are pretty good and of course, Travel would be covered as well. Have you actually done this or was it just a research?
I would be interested to know more one way or the other. I am covered with Phil Health through Azon but as already stated, lowish benefits and we are all getting older.






Jack P.

 

I assume when you say "travel insurance" that you are not living in the philippines full time?
Just the same good idea if your not a permanent resident.