Which is the Best Medical Insurance for retirees moving to Philippines

I'm 58 and on Medicare in the USA . I have spoken to medicare 05/11/21 and stated if I visit Philippines can I use medicare . Which answer is NO. But if I had any type of procedures in Philippines. You would have to pay out of your pocket full amount. Then save medical bills receipts and turn it into Medicare and get full refund from Medicare for any procedures  . But don't say your moving to philippines. Just visiting family.

Also I stay in Philippines 4 months at a time and also to call anywhere in USA from Philippines.
Download APP Rebtel calling plan activate with your philippines phone number and put $5 or $10 load and will show you in your account free calls to the US . And the load minutes you receive won't eat the minutes calling USA

FYI

Thank you for the info. I head that you must have medicare advance to be able to get coverage in Philippines but inly if you admited in ER. For anything else medicate will not pay. I saw some videos on youtube about medicare in Philippines. I think is better to have global insurance. Was wondering if anyone knew more about which global insurance is best

Pretty sure Medicare doesn't cover anything in the Philippines.

PhilHealth is cheap but cover only some things. If I have understood correct PhilHealth make hospitals let you in without showing much money first, which is very important at emergencies to not get denied... 
But it's an other question if they will let you out      Many hospitals hold people as hostages until their hospital bill is paid, which is ILLEGAL  (except if have chosen "private room").
LOCK UP!   Some hospitals have CRAZY definition of "private room" e g one had LOW screens. if stand up you see over them to person in bed, and NO SCREEN towards the middle were people walked to pass!!!

Some have Blue Cross. I have no idea which are good/bad

LOCK UP!  Some insurances cover up to a rather low max as e g 100 000 pesos, so with such max people can get in big trouble.
(I hope I will find an "opposite"  =self risk up to 100 000 and by that low fee.)

FortuneFavorsTheBold wrote:

Pretty sure Medicare doesn't cover anything in the Philippines.

Correct. Original Medicare does not. However some of the Part D Medicare Advantage plans do. Mine will reimburse for expenses incurred overseas but only while "traveling".  90 day limit. Living overseas not gonna fly.

When I was looking at global coverage plans Pacific Care looked reasonable, but anyone looking at these plans has to read the plan. Take into account YOUR needs. We can't tell you what is best for your individual needs. And keep in mund with the global plans that if you want US coverage it will double the cost of the premium due to the exorbitant healthcare costs in the US.

pnwcyclist ~

Thank you for clarifying this.

Thank you for the response. Yes I saw about medicare advantage but as you said it only coveres within 90 days and also only if you admited through ER. A Filipina successful friend that always live in Philippines but travel a lot she  has the Pacific premier about 150k a year and told me she is happy with it for years. I wonder what the difference with AXA which is only 60k a year. I do not need coverage for US because I will still have medicare in case.

You need to do your homework. What do they cover? What is their track record. I briefly looked on their site and it appears they may be a broker - they link you up with coverage from a third party suitable for your area.. but I'm not sure. They certainly do seem legit, but I couldn't get the Phil site to load. Perhaps the reason it is cheaper is because it is one country or region only? Whereas PacificCare was worldwide coverage, and it is underwritten by them. Again, you just have to do a thorough investigation.

PNW-Dont have insurance now because Phil health raised the premiums from 2400/3600 pesos a year up to 18,000 pesos a year. I just pay when I need the medical treatment.Prices here are very low anyway compared to the USA. My guess MAY be TRI CARE as best insurance to have if you are retired military.My Ex navy seal friend who passed away 6 months ago at 82 had it here for over 15 years and they pay most everything but mucho paperwork.Jimmy

Yeah, I pay out of pocket also. Never had insurance in the PI. As you say, most visits are pretty inexpensive, and good docs.  Even the MRI on my knee was only $240 at Chong Hua Hospital in 2015. I had one in US a few years before that and it was billed at 10 times the cost, almost $3000.

I do however, always keep US coverage since I live in both countries, and as an avid cyclist and motorcyclist, I have an Air Med evac plan in the event of something really serious. I cannot tell you the number of close calls I have had in the Philippines.

PhilHealth is almost useless.  It pays no medical expenses.  If you go to the hospital, it pays that expense, if the hospital accepts PhilHealth.  I investigated getting health insurance and found the rates for here to be the same as the Unites States, even though medical costs, in the Philippines, are only a small fraction of the United States.  I suggest taking what you think you would spend on health insurance and setting it aside in an emergency fund.

pnwcyclist wrote:

Yeah, I pay out of pocket also. Never had insurance in the PI. As you say, most visits are pretty inexpensive, and good docs.  Even the MRI on my knee was only $240 at Chong Hua Hospital in 2015. I had one in US a few years before that and it was billed at 10 times the cost, almost $3000.

I do however, always keep US coverage since I live in both countries, and as an avid cyclist and motorcyclist, I have an Air Med evac plan in the event of something really serious. I cannot tell you the number of close calls I have had in the Philippines.

pnwcyclist ~


Yes, just pay cash here. Is your bike in the Philippines? I miss my 903cc Kawasaki.

Haha the famous Z-1? or one of the newer ones? Kawasaki makes really great performance machines, have had a few myself.  We had a 650 Kawi "big bike" in Cebu but I eventually sold it after too many close calls. We took it all over though - Negros, Bohol, etc.  I will probably get another when we move out of the city. My GF really wants a bike too, lol. Probably get her a 300 Ninja. I have a BMW R1200GS here in the States.

pnwcyclist ~

Yes, actually a preproduction Z1. Put money into the suspension. Didn't need anything with the engine. 0 to 60 MPH stock. Raced it for 10 years. I'm lucky to be alive. 🤣😂

Phil health will get you in the hospital, but you will more than likely get a bill, Guam is just a few hours away, good hospital takes Medicare, also VA hospital, you need to copy this bill and keep it with you if you need to go to the hospital it is RA 8344 it is illigal for a hospital to require a deposit before treatment, the hospital will tell you different but put the law on them, they can be charged if they try it, I had a family member in the hospital with a 100,000 bill they said she couldn't leave until the bill was paid I showed them the letter, in two hours they made up a payment plan on and she was released

Wow. great info. They held my wife captive for 2 weeks while I was out of the country during the March 2020 lockdown. Wish i had this info then.

I cancelled Phil Health as they didn't pay for much anyway. 1st 5 years was 2400 pesos and 6th year it was 3600 pesos a year. When I went to renew it last time they wanted 17,000 pesos  Which tells me they will just keep raising it in the future. They really only cover inpatient and surgical expenses and about 12% of that. Not worth it. I just pay as I go now. Works well for me so far! I just keep my fingers crossed and keep emergency money in BPI and in the states. Most procedures here are cheap enough and not gonna hurt the wallet unless you have something major. As far as making you pay the bill before they release you I  just don't think they can do that legally unless you sign something before they admit you that you must pay before releasing! I don't believe the guards in the hospital have the authority to make arrests. Signing an agreement to pay when you are released is the best way to go.

Okieboy wrote:

Phil health will get you in the hospital, but you will more than likely get a bill, Guam is just a few hours away, good hospital takes Medicare, also VA hospital, you need to copy this bill and keep it with you if you need to go to the hospital it is RA 8344 it is illigal for a hospital to require a deposit before treatment, the hospital will tell you different but put the law on them, they can be charged if they try it, I had a family member in the hospital with a 100,000 bill they said she couldn't leave until the bill was paid I showed them the letter, in two hours they made up a payment plan on and she was released

As I have understood it, its an exception its allowed for hospitals to keep "hostage" until bill is paid IF have ordered a "private room".  Some hospitals have a very odd crazy wide definition of what they count as that...

capricornrising wrote:

PNW-Dont have insurance now because Phil health raised the premiums from 2400/3600 pesos a year up to 18,000 pesos a year. I just pay when I need the medical treatment.Prices here are very low anyway compared to the USA. My guess MAY be TRI CARE as best insurance to have if you are retired military.My Ex navy seal friend who passed away 6 months ago at 82 had it here for over 15 years and they pay most everything but mucho paperwork.Jimmy

If not changed, PhilHealth pay big part of SOME illnesses e g dengue.
If suspect tuberculosis such checkup and meds are FREE but I dont know if get that without PhilHealth too. Its free of spread risk reason, government dont want anyone to not go to hospital, if expect tb. of economical reason.

Okieboy wrote:

Guam is just a few hours away, good hospital takes Medicare, also VA hospital,

I Googled Medicare Advantage plans in Guam. It seems it might be possible but I didn't go farther  in depth (reading). If this is possible maybe I can divert my $140 Medicare monthly co-pay into a zero out of pocket advantage plan like I had in the states. As of now I'm just throwing that monthly $140 away.

When I have time I will look further into it.

hey bob.. me too.. keep me posted about that.. from what i've read- it seem that only the original medicare will work in Guam, etc.  I don't think the advantage plans will work.. I talked with BC/BC of Tenn until I was blue in the face.. and no go.  They don't do it.. no coverage.. maybe on vacation.  I am seriously thinking about just dropping my $148.50 a month b/c it would be a waste in the Phils b/c you can't use it.  Little things medical one can probably get away with just to pay as you go.. anything really major- I just don't know except to have an emergency fund of about 5K. US

On topic or off just relating a current experience here in PH with family and health cover.
Mum and Dad and most of the Barangay refused to be vaccinated for free because of all the things they read and interpreted in their own way, their choice, I spoke to the family, an average Filipino family but not wealthy and definitely no savings, I advised that if they didn't get vaccinated they were putting themselves at risk both health wise and financially and my choice like theirs, I would not pay the hospital bills if they contracted Covid as we supply enough already, I was ignored even scoffed at,,,,,, that was 6/8 months ago.

5 weeks ago Mum and Dad both ended up in hospital with covid, Dad pulled through ok with only 11 days in hospital and recuperating at home. The bill was some P200K and Philhealth picked up all but P30K out of pockets for the hospital, Medications etc, were paid for up front and not covered by Philhealth.

Mum has been in hospital now for 5 weeks, finally testing negative to Covid a week ago and moved from isolation to ICU and still fighting, we hope and some pray that she will pull through and none bar me look at the long term ramifications realistically, ongoing heart and kidney problems etc.
To date the hospital bill for Mum is at P 1.1M and at least a week or two more if she pulls through so potentially a P1.5/6M bill. Philhealth according to the better half covers a max of P750K for covid cases.
Bens out of pockets to date for medications are P130K, Dad P30K, Mum potentially P800K.
No Philhealth? We can all do the sums. OMO but regardless of private overseas medical coverage for say like me? P17K for Philhealth, SRRV holder P15K, better half P3.6K is very affordable medical insurance here.

Cut to the chase, a large sum of my better half's personal savings from 5 years working in Australia have been squandered by foolish decisions by his family, thank god they had Philhealth or he would have been broke.

https://www.philhealth.gov.ph/benefits/

An idea of what Philhealth covers and the limits.

Hope all are well through these trying times.

Cheers, Steve.

@Enzyte Bob something that was in effect years ago, but I don't know about now, the senator from Guam got it thru Congress so citizens of Guam could be treated in the Philippines instead of flying to Hawaii, but I think the new hospital  is complete, also new VA, about 6,000 troops from Japan and their families are to be relocated there

@Enzyte Bob something that was in effect years ago, but I don't know about now, the senator from Guam got it thru Congress so citizens of Guam could be treated in the Philippines instead of flying to Hawaii, but I think the new hospital  is complete, also new VA, about 6,000 troops from Japan and their families are to be relocated there

- @Okieboy

@ylouis2 Hi, if you need insurance see Michael Onstad on FB. He is the best for Expats living in the Philippines. The rest of brokers here are rip offs.

@ylouis2All the insurance company you listed are the most common. I priced them all but didn't like their preexisting condition policy. I decided should the need arise for anything major, Ill just fly to Hawaii and use my American insurance.