Living in Cebu

In early 2006 I will be moving to Cebu, Philippines with the entire family.

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Health Insurance in the Philippines

I am starting to think about the need to create a list of specific things to be done or researched in preparation for the move to the Philippines. I will create such a list and put it on a separate page so that it can be updated as more things come to mind.

One of the things I am keen to research is Health Insurance. Not because we have any health concerns. In fact we are an extremely healthy family and don’t think about getting sick. We almost never visit a doctor and I none of the family have ever had a serious illness.

I am aware that the Philippines has a very different system than home. I remember at the time of the birth of our eldest in the Philippines a sick man came in. I learnt that he had Rabies and had been turned away from the hospital a few weeks earlier because he did not have the money for the required injection.

The family had finally come up with the money and returned with him for the injection only to be informed that the disease was now to advanced for the injection and the man would now die.

So I was there for the birth of my son and they were there to watch their loved one die for lack of what I remember to be not a great deal of money. This was one of my first lessons in how harsh this country can be for those without money.

At home the doctors will treat anyone to what ever extent in a life threatening situation and let the admin worry about accounts later. In the Philippines they will not lift a finger until they are sure you can pay.

I never want to be in a situation where urgent medical attention might be delayed for even a minute for my family because I need to prove I can come up with the required payment. I also want the option to seek out the very best medical attention should it be required without concern about cost.

I have had experience with one Filipino based medical insurance which I took out for my son. The first and only time we needed to use it they deemed the medical condition to be pre-existing and would not pay. I do not want to go into details but to suggest it was pre-existing was ridiculous.

The hospital then implied they would not release my son until the 20,000 bill was paid. It was a minor medical problem and I believe my son was over serviced by the hospital but I was not complaining about this. Better he was over serviced and under serviced. So I sent the money to his uncle.

The attitude of the medical insurer was arrogant and dismissive. They never did get back to me regarding their determination. I would strongly advise others to be careful who they choose in the Philippines for medical insurance. Those that want to know the one I will avoid in future it was PHILAM.

I now want to find a more internationally based medical insurer or perhaps one at home that will provide overseas cover for an extended period of time.

Posted: Monday 6th June 2005, 8:31 AM