PhilHealth, pay for the time you been overseas or not, to continue?

[Colsie]

On 7/9/2022 at 10:42 AM, CebuAndy said:

I always do my best to forget western logic, common sense and accept the often strange ways they do things here in Asia.

However .... to pay nearly 1,000 $ to continue membership, when only get a tiny 30-35% discount at hospitals according to expat friends, it's beyond stupid to continue then, isn't it?

Back in my country our health care system cover 100% - same do my commercial insurance policy. While philhealth just cover 1/3 in many cases, and lack any flexibility.

I accept to disagree with some, and continue only with my commercial insurance company.

For me, I've never bothered with Phil health, I looked into it many years ago and decided it simply wasn't worth the hassle and reading your post seems to vindicate that. 

Phil health is a government run system for the masses that some foreigners can enrol in and use. The GF has it and says, because she has it her whole family is covered by it (like maybe 12 people) 

What you're saying if I understand it correctly, you pay a yearly premium as your enrolment in the scheme. However, the government had travel restrictions preventing you from entering the Philippines and using Phil health Now you're being asked to pay for something that you were unable to use through no fault of your own. 

Further, you now have in effect 32k peso debt to pay, plus another 16k if you want to pay this year's fee through no fault of your own. Whereas if I decide to join philhealth tomorrow, I would simply have to pay 16k annual subscription and I'd have the same entitlement. 

This doesn't seem correct, I'm so glad I didn't bother with joining. Although, the GF has just told me I'm covered because she has it, but only if overnight hospital admission...I think her expectations of philhealth are even higher than yours (just) 

As for jumping in or jumping out of the scheme, this isn't what you have done, you had no choice in the matter. You would have thought, you would pay a yearly premium for that year alone like commercial health insurence and perhaps that's the way forward from here.

Bedtime reading

https://www.rappler.com/nation/mindanao/nbi-steps-in-philhealth-admits-bleeding-millions-northern-mindanao/

https://www.google.com/amp/s/opinion.inquirer.net/153095/philhealth-hike-amid-corruption/amp

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1585172/nbi-files-graft-raps-vs-ex-philhealth-prez-10-other-execs

Edited July 10, 2022 by Colsie

[CebuAndy]

6 hours ago, Colsie said:

Now you're being asked to pay for something that you were unable to use through no fault of your own. 

Further, you now have in effect 32k peso debt to pay, plus another 16k if you want to pay this year's fee through no fault of your own.

Whereas if I decide to join philhealth tomorrow, I would simply have to pay 16k annual subscription and I'd have the same entitlement. 

As for jumping in or jumping out of the scheme, this isn't what you have done, you had no choice in the matter. 

 

Thank you for understanding 🙏

 

[OnMyWay]

11 hours ago, Colsie said:

. Although, the GF has just told me I'm covered because she has it, but only if overnight hospital admission...I think her expectations of philhealth are even higher than yours (just) 

If you are not married you are not covered.  If you are married then she has to sign you up with appropriate IDs and marriage certificate, if I recall correctly.

[hk blues]

13 hours ago, Colsie said:

 Although, the GF has just told me I'm covered because she has it, but only if overnight hospital admission.

 

I wouldn't bank on it - especially if you are not married.  Possibly misunderstanding on her part?  You can easily check by logging in to your GF's account and there is a list of dependant members - if you're listed then you're covered.

It's not only for overnight admission though, my son had an accident and we went to the hospital to have it stitched and we were covered.   

It's a cheap and cheerful system and provides a very basic service for many at an affordable premium.  

[Viking]

2 hours ago, OnMyWay said:

If you are not married you are not covered.  If you are married then she has to sign you up with appropriate IDs and marriage certificate, if I recall correctly.

What about if a former Philippino citizen sign up for Phil Health, can her husband be " included" as well, or is that only possible if the wife is a "true" Philippina?

[hk blues]

4 minutes ago, Viking said:

What about if a former Philippino citizen sign up for Phil Health, can her husband be " included" as well, or is that only possible if the wife is a "true" Philippina?

Not sure it matters now as a new member foreign husband would need their own account as of a few years back.  

[OnMyWay]

8 minutes ago, Viking said:

What about if a former Philippino citizen sign up for Phil Health, can her husband be " included" as well, or is that only possible if the wife is a "true" Philippina?

I don't know.  I'm not even sure husband's can still get signed up under the wife's plan anymore.  They changed it a few years ago.  Husbands who signed up under the old rules were grandfathered.

[Colsie]

18 minutes ago, hk blues said:

I wouldn't bank on it - especially if you are not married.  Possibly misunderstanding on her part?  You can easily check by logging in to your GF's account and there is a list of dependant members - if you're listed then you're covered.

It's not only for overnight admission though, my son had an accident and we went to the hospital to have it stitched and we were covered.   

It's a cheap and cheerful system and provides a very basic service for many at an affordable premium.  

  no, I'm pretty sure that I'm not covered or any of her family either... 

I see that the low cost of Philhealth may encourage many to take advantage of it and take advantage of 30% discount on treatment (or proportion compared to public hospital rates) 

But my experience of the provincial hospitals here can be simply described as grim... I've used none public several times as well and paid the full amount, 500 peso, the going rate for seeing a consultant, the girl saw the local GP last week, that cost 150 pesos. Couple of years ago I the dentist in the medical centre and had a filling... 400 pesos... If I had a motor accident or something more serious I am prepared to shoulder the full cost from my own funds, with that in mind, I've saved about 200k pesos in philhealth fees having lived here over 10 years 

My plans may change as I get older 

If I had a serious illness I would either head back to Aus or the UK, yes I know there's a waiting period before treatment. 

Edited July 11, 2022 by Colsie

[hk blues]

7 minutes ago, Colsie said:

  no, I'm pretty sure that I'm not covered or any of her family either... 

I see that the low cost of Philhealth may encourage many to take advantage of it and take advantage of 30% discount on treatment (or proportion compared to public hospital rates) 

But my experience of the provincial hospitals here can be simply described as grim... I've used none public several times as well and paid the full amount, 500 peso, the going rate for seeing a consultant, the girl saw the local GP last week, that cost 150 pesos. Couple of years ago I the dentist in the medical centre and had a filling... 400 pesos... If I had a motor accident or something more serious I am prepared to shoulder the full cost from my own funds, with that in mind, I've saved about 200k pesos in philhealth fees having lived here over 10 years 

My plans may change as I get older 

If I had a serious illness I would either head back to Aus or the UK, yes I know there's a waiting period before treatment. 

It's free for me so it's a no-brainer.  Would I pay 16k a year for membership - probably as it wouldn't take much to offset it if/when I needed treatment.  If I was dipping in and out of the country as per CebuAndy I'd probably give it a miss.  

[Colsie]

41 minutes ago, hk blues said:

It's free for me so it's a no-brainer.  Would I pay 16k a year for membership - probably as it wouldn't take much to offset it if/when I needed treatment.  If I was dipping in and out of the country as per CebuAndy I'd probably give it a miss.  

I agree with your sentiments... 

From my understanding of CebuAndy issue, is that he wasn't dipping in and out, so much as was essentially locked out for a couple of years, otherwise he would have been enjoying life in the Philippines during the covid experience