Health Insurance To Supplement Philhealth?

[i am bob]

I use generic meds for my heart condition (mild arrhythmia) and to be honest? I don't bother to submit the bill to my health insurance... They are cheap enough that I don't make the minimum for reimbursement... Hehe! Shop around once you get settled... Everybody has different prices... And make sure it's a "branded" generic and not a knock off...

 

I agree. And I think for any generic med or meds, I would be surprised if the cost would be above 100 pesos/day, probably way under.

P6... :)

[MikeB]

I just got a text back from my insurance agent. A new Blue Cross customer can start a new policy at any time. The anniversary date will be whenever it starts. I started mine in Aug, the other 2 family embers started in April. She's been doing this more than 20 years, all companies, not just BC. I'm laughing about post #9 because that is typical of the illogical, convoluted, bass-ackward stuff I hear on a daily basis.

[StayAtHomeDad]

So, what if you have diabetes and high blood pressure, is there a company here that will cover you with those pre-existing conditions?

[Dave Hounddriver]

is there a company here that will cover you with those pre-existing conditions?

 

I was informed (by the agent I spoke with) that Blue Cross will cover you, but only for stuff that was not directly related to the preexisting conditions.  Its up to them whether they decide that your heart attack (for example) was a direct result of your diabetes so its a crap shoot if they will pay for that, but if you spill your motorcycle and have a million or two pesos in hospital bills then they will surely cover that.

 

Note that I have no link to that nor brochure that says that, but even if I did I would trust the word of my very good friend (the agent who shall remain nameless) who tells me what he sees in claims every day.  Hard to recommend health care coverage here when everyone's experience differs.

[MikeB]

So, what if you have diabetes and high blood pressure, is there a company here that will cover you with those pre-existing conditions?

Even if you could find a company that would guarantee coverage for any preexisting (good luck) the cost would be prohibitively expensive. But I can safely say that the likelihood of them paying out becomes a lot more likely after the first year and thereafter. So the sooner you get it the better.

[jkeenan213]

Gentlemen:  As usual, great information and as usual conflicting experiences.  This will certainly be an adventure.

 

 

 

What Meds? Branded original? Or Generic possibly from Indonesia, India, maybe Thailand?

 

Generics:  Diltiazem (240mg, generic for Cartia XT), Lisinopril (10mg), Simvistatin (40mg, generic for Zocor)

 

 

 Instead of BCBS, have a look at Blue Cross Philippines.

 

My bad, need to lose my US buzzwords.  I have been looking at BC Philippines.  Their website states that any pre-existing conditions will be evaluated by the Medical Director (look under "Some things all applicants should know").  If you go to the "Blue Gazette" section (their newsletter), here is a statement from the CEO himself:

 

"In Blue Cross, we follow the "yes" or "no" approach to answering important medical questions. Any "yes" answer does require the applicant to provide basic details of a condition specified under a "yes" answer. If the condition is serious and/or chronic, it is normally excluded. Often a disclosed will be covered or it maybe covered on the second year. It is, however, important that the applicant does disclose the existence of pre-existing condition on the application form. There is a significant amount of willful non-disclosure which may (or may not) be relevant to an underwriting in assessing risk. It is in everyone's interest to be totally transparent. It is very important to honestly disclose information since in the longer term when a patient does submit for medical treatment, a person's medical pathology will normally show evidence of pre-existing condition. An insurer requires you to submit your medical test results and associated reports as a condition for payment of claims. Sometimes, clients complain about the detail that goes into our claims requirements. We have to be judicious in claims adjudication for the benefit not just of Blue Cross, but also for you - although you see this as an inconvenience."

 

On pretty much all of the sites I have been on, hypertension always and high cholesterol sometimes are listed as targeted conditions.

[jkeenan213]

 

So, what if you have diabetes and high blood pressure, is there a company here that will cover you with those pre-existing conditions?

Even if you could find a company that would guarantee coverage for any preexisting (good luck) the cost would be prohibitively expensive. But I can safely say that the likelihood of them paying out becomes a lot more likely after the first year and thereafter. So the sooner you get it the better.

 

 

Actually, I have found quite a few that do in their "higher end" plans.  Caritas, MaxiCare, Medicard.

 

One of the MediCard program for my age bracket has limits 300K PHP dreaded disease, another 150K if an accident, 15K for pre-existing, 5K for outpatient prescriptions, and dental.  It covers both in and outpatient.  45K PHP.  That's a lot, but not horrible.  Remember, I come from the US.  When my daughter was ill last year, I paid ten times that in three days before I hit my OOP max...and that was with my company insurance that cost me about $6K a year in premiums.  Now I really know I'm not in Kansas any more, Toto.  :rolleyes:

[MikeB]

One of the MediCard program for my age bracket has limits 300K PHP dreaded disease, another 150K if an accident, 15K for pre-existing, 5K for outpatient prescriptions, and dental. It covers both in and outpatient

My feeling is that medical insurance in the Philippines is for catastrophic medical events, not nickel and dime doctor visits because they're so much cheaper here. But a real medical emergency is a whole other matter. My one claim for the accident was in the neighborhood of p2 million. My annual maximum limit with BC was $500k (dollars). That will buy a lot of medical care in the Philippines.

[intrepid]

For those who want to consider this one, it is what I use.   https://www.chministries.org/default.aspx   Read it over and some may like it.  It will cover you anywhere in the world but you may have to pay up front,for sure in the Philippines.  Pre-existing conditions are covered by phase in over three years.  They have three level of plans and I have been using the bronze plan.  It's not for everyone but neither is everything in life.

[jkeenan213]

Intrepid, link is not working.