Health Insurance To Supplement Philhealth?

[jpbago]

Actually, it looks like a BC travel insurance plan for 6 months may be the best bet.

 

  In this post, you are referring to travel insurance. In your OP, you referred to health insurance. They are different. Most of the replies were referring to health insurance. Travel insurance is usually for a number of days up to 180 while health insurance is for 1 year.

   Health insurance can be taken out while in PI but travel insurance has to be taken out before you arrive. The reply that I put in #9 was for travel insurance for me. I have health insurance for my wife and two daughters. I was in the BC office yesterday to renew for 1 year at 22,200 p  for all 3, BC Select Standard semi-private 500k plus personal accident 500k (co pay 20/80.) After the 1st year, my wife got a free medical including x-ray and pap smear.

[jkeenan213]

JP, I am looking at both but really only interested in the medical piece (though the liability and some other coverages are nice on the travel).  If I went the travel route, it would be 180 days max and PI travel only.

 

I am essentially weighing "biting the bullet" and buying a year of medical now, from here, vs. buying 4-6 months of travel (also from here) and then getting medical there once we are enrolled in PhilHealth and I find a good agent on the ground.

 

One of the issues is the reimbursement vs. no-cash-outlay piece.  I could self-pay if necessary, but it would require liquidating investments (in a down market) and that takes time.  I am also younger than the IRA 59 1/2 threshold which creates 10% tax penalty implications (medical costs are excluded, but not sure PI ones would be accepted).  So, weighing the additional premium for the ACCESS plan, the discount of the 80/20 copay leaving me with 20% of cost (which I could handle in cash), the cost of time and penalty in liquidating investments...that's one helluva "what-if" spreadsheet.

 

Then, of course, as you do I could split the policies:  travel for me and health for wife and kids, which may actually be a great idea.  Another spreadsheet.   :1 (103):

[earthdome]

JP, I am looking at both but really only interested in the medical piece (though the liability and some other coverages are nice on the travel).  If I went the travel route, it would be 180 days max and PI travel only.

 

I am essentially weighing "biting the bullet" and buying a year of medical now, from here, vs. buying 4-6 months of travel (also from here) and then getting medical there once we are enrolled in PhilHealth and I find a good agent on the ground.

 

One of the issues is the reimbursement vs. no-cash-outlay piece.  I could self-pay if necessary, but it would require liquidating investments (in a down market) and that takes time.  I am also younger than the IRA 59 1/2 threshold which creates 10% tax penalty implications (medical costs are excluded, but not sure PI ones would be accepted).  So, weighing the additional premium for the ACCESS plan, the discount of the 80/20 copay leaving me with 20% of cost (which I could handle in cash), the cost of time and penalty in liquidating investments...that's one helluva "what-if" spreadsheet.

 

Then, of course, as you do I could split the policies:  travel for me and health for wife and kids, which may actually be a great idea.  Another spreadsheet.   :1 (103):

 

In the Philippines regardless of what insurance you might have I would always ensure you have access to a minimum of $10,000 USD better $20,000 USD in cash or credit card to ensure treatment can start in event of a major illness or accident which requires immediate care. Cash talks in the Philippines and often you have to pay the bills and wait for reimbursement.

[MikeB]

No matter what the law states or what the insurance company tells you your credit card could be the difference between life and death.

Edited January 18, 2016 by MikeB

[Dave Hounddriver]

One more word on credit cards used in hospital.  When I was laid up in Silliman hospital a year and a half ago, I gave Yvonne my credit card to take to the admin office and have them take an imprint to secure a private room for me.  Nope, she could not do it without the P.I.N. number and at that time I was reluctant to give it to her so I asked her to just give them cash.

 

Point is, if you are unconscious and she does not have your P.I.N. number then your credit card may be useless.  This may not work the same for all kinds of credit cards.  Mine is CapitalOne from Canada and that's how they roll.

[jpbago]

   More on credit cards. You should have more than one. We came here last September and then last week, when I tried to purchase our return tickets, "Credit was Denied", I had not used my Visa card for 6 months or more and it had zero balance. I got an email from the agent for me to call her. I could not get through to PAL's two numbers on either Globe nor PLDT. I asked her to call me but she could not get through to me on either of my lines. I tried to call my bank but could not get through on a toll free # (number not hash tag) so we called PLDT to ask how to call collect. Usually just start with zero but he said to start with 108 but when we tried, it said that it could not complete the call. I then went online to my bank and sent a secure email. Their answer was that an attempt to compromise my card was made last October 15 so they cancelled my card and sent a new one to my address in Canada which would have been cancelled by now as you have to call within 2 weeks to activate it. They offered to courier me a new one but I still would need to call to activate it so I said no and that I will wait until we are in Canada. I used my Mastercard for the purchase. Next time, I will have 3 cards. Imagine if this would have happened in the ER.

[Huggybearman]

One more word on credit cards used in hospital. When I was laid up in Silliman hospital a year and a half ago, I gave Yvonne my credit card to take to the admin office and have them take an imprint to secure a private room for me. Nope, she could not do it without the P.I.N. number and at that time I was reluctant to give it to her so I asked her to just give them cash.

Point is, if you are unconscious and she does not have your P.I.N. number then your credit card may be useless. This may not work the same for all kinds of credit cards. Mine is CapitalOne from Canada and that's how they roll.

Very good point. You may not be in a position to gives insurance or credit card details. This is probably better.......

Edited January 19, 2016 by Huggybearman

[jpbago]

 

One more word on credit cards used in hospital. When I was laid up in Silliman hospital a year and a half ago, I gave Yvonne my credit card to take to the admin office and have them take an imprint to secure a private room for me. Nope, she could not do it without the P.I.N. number and at that time I was reluctant to give it to her so I asked her to just give them cash.

Point is, if you are unconscious and she does not have your P.I.N. number then your credit card may be useless. This may not work the same for all kinds of credit cards. Mine is CapitalOne from Canada and that's how they roll.

Very good point. You may not be in a position to gives insurance or credit card details. This is probably better.......

 

 

   They will need just a little more....

[Huggybearman]

One more word on credit cards used in hospital. When I was laid up in Silliman hospital a year and a half ago, I gave Yvonne my credit card to take to the admin office and have them take an imprint to secure a private room for me. Nope, she could not do it without the P.I.N. number and at that time I was reluctant to give it to her so I asked her to just give them cash.

Point is, if you are unconscious and she does not have your P.I.N. number then your credit card may be useless. This may not work the same for all kinds of credit cards. Mine is CapitalOne from Canada and that's how they roll.

Very good point. You may not be in a position to gives insurance or credit card details. This is probably better.......

 

   They will need just a little more....

Quite probably..........but it might be enough for a deposit.......:)

[stevewool]

You have all this great insurance cover, but what's happens if you can't get to that best hospital,the one that is near don't have the right equipment or the right doctors/ nurses to help.

Just another thought to ponder on