Phil Health Price Increase

[JJReyes]

6 hours ago, mogo51 said:

That is very expensive health cover.

Before qualifying for Medicare, I was paying $650 a month (P32,500 or P390,000 a year) for healthcare.  The reason was a pre-existing condition. As a cancer survivor, my status was "high risk." The Republican healthcare proposal will be a return to high premiums. Many Americans won't be able to afford it. 

My back-up position is to go back to the Philippines. if the Republicans messes around with Medicare.

 

[robert k]

43 minutes ago, JJReyes said:

Before qualifying for Medicare, I was paying $650 a month (P32,500 or P390,000 a year) for healthcare.  The reason was a pre-existing condition. As a cancer survivor, my status was "high risk." The Republican healthcare proposal will be a return to high premiums. Many Americans won't be able to afford it. 

My back-up position is to go back to the Philippines. if the Republicans messes around with Medicare.

 

I lost my healthcare under the ACA, I couldn't afford it any longer after it doubled in cost. I was not the only one either. I just paid the $1,000 fine for not having insurance.

Edited May 24, 2017 by robert k

[sonjack2847]

2 hours ago, jpbago said:

That is good if the hospital allows it and if the meds are real meds and not fakes. Some hospitals have had troubles with fakes so they only buy from a reliable supplier. Some people have brought in meds that did not remedy the problem at hand. I would think that St. Lukes would not allow outside meds.

I bought the meds at rose Pharmacy.The hospital charges more because PH pays half or there about but if it is allowed buy yours outside and still save money.

[JJReyes]

18 minutes ago, robert k said:

I lost my healthcare under the ACA, I couldn't afford it any longer after it doubled in cost. I was not the only one either. I just paid the $1,000 fine for not having insurance.T

There are many popular overseas retirement destinations offering low-cost healthcare. In Ecuador foreign retirees pay $75 a month for universal coverage. Except for complex surgery like a triple bypass, the quality of care is more than adequate. 

 

[JJReyes]

17 minutes ago, sonjack2847 said:

3 hours ago, jpbago said:

That is good if the hospital allows it and if the meds are real meds and not fakes. Some hospitals have had troubles with fakes so they only buy from a reliable supplier. Some people have brought in meds that did not remedy the problem at hand. I would think that St. Lukes would not allow outside meds.

I bought the meds at rose Pharmacy.The hospital charges more because PH pays half or there about but if it is allowed buy yours outside and still save money.

Hospitals are profit centers and you are a captive customer. 

Florida cruises include 3 days trips to the Caribbean that are popular with seniors. There are pharmacies located right at the docks where you will see lines of seniors buying prescription medication at greatly reduced prices. The law permits buying a 3 months supply to bring back to the USA, but many buy more. The savings are nearly sufficient to pay for the cruise. 

Quality? Same as the United States. The reason for the reduced price is pharmaceutical companies practice "local market" pricing. If they were to charge USA rates, no one can afford it. 

 

[sonjack2847]

9 hours ago, JJReyes said:

Hospitals are profit centers and you are a captive customer. 

Florida cruises include 3 days trips to the Caribbean that are popular with seniors. There are pharmacies located right at the docks where you will see lines of seniors buying prescription medication at greatly reduced prices. The law permits buying a 3 months supply to bring back to the USA, but many buy more. The savings are nearly sufficient to pay for the cruise. 

Quality? Same as the United States. The reason for the reduced price is pharmaceutical companies practice "local market" pricing. If they were to charge USA rates, no one can afford it. 

 

The price difference is not only on meds is it,they do it on a lot of other things as well.I know people who travel to buy meds not just from the US.

My take on PH even at the increased premium is it is better than nothing at all.It will get you into a hospital and maybe save your life.

[Tukaram (Tim)]

12 hours ago, JJReyes said:

Hospitals are profit centers and you are a captive customer. 

Florida cruises include 3 days trips to the Caribbean that are popular with seniors. There are pharmacies located right at the docks where you will see lines of seniors buying prescription medication at greatly reduced prices. The law permits buying a 3 months supply to bring back to the USA, but many buy more. The savings are nearly sufficient to pay for the cruise. 

Quality? Same as the United States. The reason for the reduced price is pharmaceutical companies practice "local market" pricing. If they were to charge USA rates, no one can afford it. 

 

I used to do a lot of Mexico visits. The border was always amusing.  In the 80s there were girlie bars all along border. In the 90s pharmacies. 2000s dentist offices.  You can always tell what the Americans are looking for ha ha

[JJReyes]

3 hours ago, sonjack2847 said:

The price difference is not only on meds is it,they do it on a lot of other things as well.I know people who travel to buy meds not just from the US.

My take on PH even at the increased premium is it is better than nothing at all.It will get you into a hospital and maybe save your life.

Philippines is trying to join countries offering medical tourism. The selling point is quality medical care including surgery at a lower price. Most popular destinations include Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and India. Haven't tried medical at this time. We have done dental and vision tourism.  My wife did buy a tube of prescription skin cream in the Philippines during our last visit at a lower cost. The same cream in the United States was priced at $222.

I agree the increased premium is less important than your life. I prefer to pay.

 

[Dave Hounddriver]

56 minutes ago, JJReyes said:

Philippines is trying to join countries offering medical tourism.

It cannot succeed so long as their best doctors become OFWs and go to other countries to practice.  It would take dull witted person to come here and pay half the cost of medical treatment to a doctor that only got 50% on his medical exam and thus does not qualify to follow his colleagues to another country.  What about the ones who are bright and stay here for love of country?  They are overworked and underpaid and the last thing they need is more customers.

Such is my opinion, based on common knowledge rather than links to any internet site 

[jpbago]

4 hours ago, sonjack2847 said:

My take on PH even at the increased premium is it is better than nothing at all.It will get you into a hospital and maybe save your life.

Even though I do complain about PH, I, too, still take it out as "insurance" on top of Pacific Cross.