Health & Wellness Best Posts in Thread: Medical experience at Silliman Hospital

One good thing is to get a PhilHealth card. It covered 50% of hospitalisation costs. Doesn't cost much. But the good thing is they can't salt your bill, as PhilHealth will complain if there is anything abnormal about the charges.

 

My wife just asked (again) at SUMC's Phil Health desk the other day on our way out and was told as others have been that call Phil Health/MNL that the old rates will apply to married expat permanent residents.. Guess we'll see what happens come July?

 

Brian, $400 US is about 6 months worth of Philippine Blue Cross in an upper tier plan which has been highly recommended to me. The Philippines seems to offer good insurance that I could not buy in the US for $6k a year.

When I had my booboo as passenger on a motorcycle last year and was admitted to a clinic over night with my infected roadrash so they could administer IV antibiotics my GF stayed with me in the double bed. The Philippines seems to be strangely advanced over western medicine.:D

 

My son just got out of Silliman University Medical Center Hospital and I just wanted to share our experience with those that may have to use these facilities in the future.
It was an elective surgery on my son and was scheduled a couple weeks in advance. Dr. Ozoa is the surgeon, he has operated on three family members within the last two years. No only is Dr. Ozoa a very good surgeon he is also a very nice man.

Our pediatrician is Dr. Idelle Ada-Yurong, also a very good doctor and a very nice lady.

We were in the hospital for 51 hours total. First we were in a ward because no private rooms were available. After surgery we were in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, not because my son needed the ICU but because it was more comfortable than the ward. The ward had 8 beds, all full, with one having four people in it including the patient. That is just the way Filipinos do it here. The facilities are old and worn but clean and orderly. I think the bed my son was in, by himself, was like one in the movie Godfather.

During the second day we were finally transferred to a private room in the new wing of the facility. It was very nice with a shower and a water heater.

There were some surprising things that you need to be aware of. First there is no toilet paper which is normal for the Philippines, second, when they serve the food there are no utensils, and you also provide a thermometer. There are no tray tables like they have in the states. Our little guy urinated in one of those plastic bottles and I was surprised that I was the one that had to empty the bottle. Just glad he didn’t need a bed pan. LOL If you want extra bedding such as pillows or blankets you must provide those.

When a prescription was written we had to go to the pharmacy downstairs and either pay for it then or charge it to our acct, which we had made a deposit of 20,000 pesos. When you enter the pharmacy you take a number out of the box and wait your turn, after they fill the script you take it back to the nurse and they administer the meds. There was a very nice young lady that offered her seat, which I accepted thankfully.

The total expense, including surgeon’s, pediatrician, anthesialogist fees, operating room, ICU room was 2,500 pesos per day, medication, tubing and all misc items was 85,516 pesos. At current exchange The cost in US is $1,904.16. Which we paid in full and had to give the receipt to the guard in order to exit the hospial.

Under the circumstances is was a good experience. Overall we are very pleased with the Doctors and Hospital and staff. We were treated with typical Filipino kindness and respect.

Your Mileage May Vary

 

I have Blue Cross Federal and there is no hospital on the "in network/approved" list in Dumaguete (several in Cebu and Manila)- the last I looked -which was recently- I will definitely contact their overseas support line and see if the provider list is possibly out-of -date..

 

I am of the understanding all permanent visa holders will pay a new rate of 15,500 in July, not the old rate. A guy verified this at Philhealth at the mall a couple days ago. No more old rate for foreigners.

 

Siliman is accredited by blue cross (now Pacific Cross). Know that because I just recently got insurance there for my son and his mom. They even have "no cash outlay" plans where you are supposed to be admitted without paying anything upfront.

Regarding philhealth - they have a catalog of fixed case rates for different categories of hospitals, meaning the actual percentage of the bill that they'll pay varies. 50% is possible but not guaranteed.

 

Unfortunately, arguably the two most popular paediatricians only run a clinic, after they make their hospital checks. Painful wait in a small crowded room, if you get there early enough to get a seat, else join the crowd in the hallway. Also, some meds are very expensive, such as anti-meningitis, PHP 3000-4000. Not a complaint, just a heads up for those considering parenthood.