Health insurance

[stevewool]

Lots have been said about this and lots more will be said too.
Harry mentioned about this the other day so it got me thinking.
So you have the best insurance out there and all is well but what happens if you are nowhere near a hospital if something happens , what happens if there is so much traffic on the road and again you are just stuck in traffic, its not like here where everything moves to let you though,
Yes if you can walk into the hospital and have this and that done its ok,
My thoughts on Insurance is for the major things, life saving things, everything else if you have enough cash could be paid out of your savings,
Each of us have to think about what is the cost each year for the just incase, or save that money hopping the just incase dont happen, its a very hard subject to think about when everything here works well and you are near the emergency places.
I still think paying anything from £800 to over £2000 a year for the just incase, but if anything did happen well its money well spent for some,
By the way we have both agreed that if something did happen and it was terminal, we would not waste so much money but just make sure either of us are comfortable and not in pain ,
Still lots to think about before we make the jump,

[SimonH]

Just another thing you have to weigh up and do what you think is right for you.
To be honest, I think I've got to the stage where I'm over thinking everything. I've got some work being done on the house next week before it goes on the market, then as soon as it sells we're out of here.

[stevewool]

The biggest difference between you and me Simon, is you have to think about your children , i am lucky in that way having just myself and Emma to think off,
Like anything lets get over there on that back packers insurance and then see if its what we are wanting

[stevewool]

Hang about here i could be jumping the gun, i have myself and Emma, the father, the brother, the sister, the cousins,the nephews, third cousin once removed , the maid, that stupid mad dog, and old uncle Tom Cobley and all, and old uncle Tom Cobley and alllllllllllllllllll,

[SimonH]

The biggest difference between you and me Simon, is you have to think about your children , i am lucky in that way having just myself and Emma to think off,
Like anything lets get over there on that back packers insurance and then see if its what we are wanting

Like your other post, if only it were that simple

Apart from Shey and Charleigh, I will inherit her other 2 teenage kids, parents, 3 brothers and a sister, that's before the numerous nieces and nephews.
It's amazing how popular tito Simon is when we're over there

[Rosie1958]

Lots have been said about this and lots more will be said too.
Harry mentioned about this the other day so it got me thinking.
So you have the best insurance out there and all is well but what happens if you are nowhere near a hospital if something happens , what happens if there is so much traffic on the road and again you are just stuck in traffic, its not like here where everything moves to let you though,
Yes if you can walk into the hospital and have this and that done its ok,
My thoughts on Insurance is for the major things, life saving things, everything else if you have enough cash could be paid out of your savings,
Each of us have to think about what is the cost each year for the just incase, or save that money hopping the just incase dont happen, its a very hard subject to think about when everything here works well and you are near the emergency places.
I still think paying anything from £800 to over £2000 a year for the just incase, but if anything did happen well its money well spent for some,
By the way we have both agreed that if something did happen and it was terminal, we would not waste so much money but just make sure either of us are comfortable and not in pain ,
Still lots to think about before we make the jump,

My brother, who was wealthy and only 47 at the time, thought he had plenty of money to cover any eventuality and became complacent about health insurance. During his unexpected illness and treatment, his bank account had to be completely emptied and all his possessions were also sold to pay for his healthcare costs in Philippines and repatriation back to the UK. As well as having to deal with the severity of the illness, this made an extremely stressful situation almost unbearable and was an additional unnecessary burden for loved ones and family desperately trying to help, without the support of health insurance.

Best of luck with your decision but I recommend that you also consider whether you really can afford NOT to take out health insurance, both financially and emotionally .

[marksroomspain]

My brother, who was wealthy and only 47 at the time, thought he had plenty of money to cover any eventuality and became complacent about health insurance. During his unexpected illness and treatment, his bank account had to be completely emptied and all his possessions were also sold to pay for his healthcare costs in Philippines and repatriation back to the UK. As well as having to deal with the severity of the illness, this made an extremely stressful situation almost unbearable and was an additional unnecessary burden for loved ones and family desperately trying to help, without the support of health insurance.

Best of luck with your decision but I recommend that you also consider whether you really can afford NOT to take out health insurance, both financially and emotionally .

Excellent point Rosie and well said.

Completely agree with this as my ex travelled to Spain without declaring a underlying health condition, was hospitalised with pancreatitis due to gall stones and was hit by a hospital bill of £2,400 for a weeks admission and that was 12 years ago.

Take note that maybe 99 times out of a 100 you will be fine but then one day it can hit you big time and not having that proper cover could ruin your life.

I myself have extra cover on my annual policy for hypertension which costs just an extra £15 per year, small change for life's eventualities.

A well deserved rep Rosie...

[Michael Parnham]

Well said Rosie

[stevewool]

My brother, who was wealthy and only 47 at the time, thought he had plenty of money to cover any eventuality and became complacent about health insurance. During his unexpected illness and treatment, his bank account had to be completely emptied and all his possessions were also sold to pay for his healthcare costs in Philippines and repatriation back to the UK. As well as having to deal with the severity of the illness, this made an extremely stressful situation almost unbearable and was an additional unnecessary burden for loved ones and family desperately trying to help, without the support of health insurance.

Best of luck with your decision but I recommend that you also consider whether you really can afford NOT to take out health insurance, both financially and emotionally .

I understand all you are saying Rosie,
And while life is going along just fine nobody thinks anything could happen, its preparing for the just incase,
Its down to each of us to work out what is best,
It is funny you can insure everything here and the cost is very little, but try to insure yourself for medical cover abroad thats when you have to think very very hard,
Not there yet so lots of planning still to do ,

[stevewool]

Excellent point Rosie and well said.

Completely agree with this as my ex travelled to Spain without declaring a underlying health condition, was hospitalised with pancreatitis due to gall stones and was hit by a hospital bill of £2,400 for a weeks admission and that was 12 years ago.

Take note that maybe 99 times out of a 100 you will be fine but then one day it can hit you big time and not having that proper cover could ruin your life.

I myself have extra cover on my annual policy for hypertension which costs just an extra £15 per year, small change for life's eventualities.

A well deserved rep Rosie...

£15 extra charge for the extra cover, is very good, but when the charge is in the hundreds or thousands , then you do have to gamble, maybe its best to stay here and get it all for free,

[Harry T]

Reading the Thread How much to live in Phills, for me Steve, this Healthcare question may be the biggest obstacle to living in Phills, Many times we have heard the saying, whats wealth without Health.

[stevewool]

Maybe the next best thing Harry, is half and half ,but I am sure if something goes wrong and you have to come back what are they going to do to you, turn you away,
It is not my number one thing to do yet this health insurance, I want to enjoy myself and not have to worry, but I do understand others will think different, enjoy today tomorrow takes care of itself, better if you have a few Bob though

[stevewool]

Would be interesting if any members who are over in the Phil's or have been over what did they pay or did they not bother, and please don't say you paid back in the day just over 5 shillings

[Terpe]

Would be interesting if any members who are over in the Phil's or have been over what did they pay or did they not bother, and please don't say you paid back in the day just over 5 shillings

Like most ex-pats I've met here, we have some savings for the 'everyday' needs regarding healthcare. Not a huge amount just enough for not such serious stuff.
That said, if I have any health issue that will require huge financials to guarantee a good quality of life for a quite some time then I'll return to UK, take the treatment and live out a good life.
Otherwise I'm prepared to face the consequences here.
It's a serious question that needs to be thought out properly.

As has been intimated, there's excellent healthcare facilities here in the Philippines. But it's only helpful if you're close by.

I met many who would travel 4 or 5 hours by bus to get to a decent medical centre. When asked what would happen if they didn't make it they all said "so be it".
If I suggested living in the city, they had a million reasons not to.

We choose a life we want to live and accept all that goes with that.

Life is finite.

[Michael Parnham]

P200 for a consultation with a Doctor and p1100 for an Ultrasound, that was the price in 2011 at Dumaguete and for Maritess eye operation in Cebu the cost was p80,000

[stevewool]

Thank you Peter ,
Again its down to each of us to think hard about this, and Michael the price was 5years ago i am sure the prices have gone up since that time

[Terpe]

P200 for a consultation with a Doctor and p1100 for an Ultrasound, that was the price in 2011 at Dumaguete and for Maritess eye operation in Cebu the cost was p80,000

When we lived in Davao City a consultation with a good Doctor at a good hospital was between P200 - P300
As I recall the chest X-Ray's for my wife were P175

The foreigners living in our village in Davao would pay between P300 - P500 for a full check up.

We've covered plenty of medical expenses of family members here from minor to major issues and have never paid a lot.

Even my BP medications here are far less cost than in UK under NHS prescription charges for exactly the very same brands.
How does that work ?

[fred]

I guess some people are very happy to live their lives in the UK with free healthcare and some hate living in the UK for years just waiting to become sick to benefit from from it..
Sometimes life is a gamble and happiness is the trade off.
You decide.

[stevewool]

I guess some people are very happy to live their lives in the UK with free healthcare and some hate living in the UK for years just waiting to become sick to benefit from from it..
Sometimes life is a gamble and happiness is the trade off.
You decide.

Give that man a STAR, Fred i think i have broke my rep star trying to give you hundreds

[Michael Parnham]

Still the same because Maritess grandma has just returned home from a couple of weeks in hospital and her consultations were p220 each so hardly any difference. The thing that did surprise me was the daily rate for a bed in hospital p11,000 and if your white they charge half that again

[Doc Alan]

Even my BP medications here are far less cost than in UK under NHS prescription charges for exactly the very same brands.
How does that work ?

It’s good that it DOES work !


~3/4 of people with high blood pressure live in countries such as the Philippines, with limited health resources, and low awareness of the condition.


Lack of access to health facilities, bad dietary habits, and expensive drugs contribute to poor blood pressure control - risking heart failure, heart attacks, strokes, and kidney disease.


Similar or identical drugs DON’T cost the same worldwide, but health systems are still strained by such costs in rich and poor countries alike.


Ultimately people in the Philippines will need better access to screening programmes and medical centres if they are going to benefit from much needed cheaper - not fake - drugs.


Companies HAVE recently been improving track records in enabling access to drugs in the Philippines and similar countries - especially for treatments of infectious diseases ( TB, malaria, other tropical diseases, hepatitis C, and HIV/AIDS ).


Now GlaxoSmithKline has unveiled patent policies which could make access to CANCER drugs easier in poorer countries of the world. Their plan is to stop filing for patents, or grant licences, to generic manufacturers.


Other firms will hopefully follow - making it easier to supply generic versions without litigation.


Progress on cancer drugs should lead the way to improving access to drugs for treatment of MORE non-communicable diseases.

[Michael Parnham]

Placebo?

[stevewool]

The thing that did surprise me was the daily rate for a bed in hospital p11,000 and if your white they charge half that again

I had better tell Emma to stop using that stupid soap whitener then ,

[fred]

Thanks for reps..(takes bow)

[SimonH]

Found another health insurance company that seems more suited to life in the Philippines.

http://www.bluecross.com.ph/

[stevewool]

Found another health insurance company that seems more suited to life in the Philippines.

http://www.bluecross.com.ph/

Thanks again Simon