Live in the Philippines

Live in the Philippines helps expats with visas, moving and other services regarding the Philippines.

Healthcare & Supplies – EAM

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Nothing is sure but death and taxes.  A number of people have been credited for that quote.  For us Americans, we have mostly been told that it was from Benjamin Franklin.  However, the truth is that the first person who said that was Daniel Defoe in the book, The Political History of the Devil in 1726.

However, there are other truths too.  Another thing that is universally true is that we will all experience sickness at one time or another.  Because of this truth, we all need to think about our health, buy cipro product, the availability of health care and that sort of thing.

The healthcare plan survived Supreme Court reviewWhen we move to a new country, healthcare is always something that comes to mind, something that we need to check into and learn about.  It is nearly certain that we will need health care at one time or another, and it’s always better to be informed before the need arises.

Today, I received a question from Paul about healthcare, and also about the availability of health supplies in the Philippines.  I hope that you will give the podcast a listen and learn more about health – care and supplies in the Philippines.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  3. Hi Bob- thank you for another informative podcast. For those of us thinking about moving to the Philippines, you provide us with a lot of useful information that helps us decide whether it is worth pursuing or not. There is so much to learn and think about. Keep up the great work.

  4. If you know what area you plan on being in you may be able to find a lot of information on the internet. As someone who visits The Philippines on vacations, I did that. When I came down with Pneumonia on my vacation in 2012 I knew exactly where to go. I will agree with what Bob Martin mentioned in the podcast I was treated more like an individual than just another insurance account. In the USA health care is actually run and dictated to by insurance companies. I think in the UK I think it is dictated by taxpayer funded NHS. I believe in The Philippines for the most part health care is still run by real medical professionals such as Doctors and Nurses etc. To me, that is the way it should be and the way it used to be done here in the USA.

    • Hi Bob – Thanks for sharing your thoughts! I would say that here in the Philippines, the care for one’s health is run by a conversation and cooperation between the doctor and the patient, and that is how it really should be in my book.

      • This is one of the ways I remember how it used to be here in the USA until it seems the entire health and medical field was turned into an ” industry ” by insurance companies dictation to Doctors how to do their job. It would not surprise me if more Doctors here get out of the medical practice business and go into other related fields such as research etc. Being in the hospital in The Philippines brought back a lot of good memories of how things used to be here, concerning doctor and patient and medical staff genuine care. More than being just another case number.

  5. Good info as usual Bob.

    I enjoy the podcasts as it is so much more personal than reading the information all of the time.

    A couple of points purely for your info on the latest podcast, and this is in no way a criticism –

    In the UK health system drugs and medications are supplied and administered by the the treating hospital for outpatients and inpatients. If you go to a doctors surgery you will be given a prescription and you would take this to a pharmacy. Very similar to the US system I believe.

    Secondly, The US$ is 1.51 against the UK pound as of this morning. We’ve taken quite a hit recently but as I’m paid in US$ it’s not too bad for me LOL

    Keep up the good work.

    • Hi AJ – Nice to hear from you, Happy New Year! 🙂

      You know, or maybe you don’t, I have gotten criticism for the podcasts from some. Some people say they don’t like the podcasts, would rather just read articles. Other have told me they don’t understand how to listen or don’t have the proper equipment to listen. Truth is all you need is your computer or smartphone. No special equipment is needed. I like to do the podcasts because it just offers another way of getting information, and like you say it is more personal I think. I feel it just mixes things up and makes it “not the usual” all the time. So, I hope most people like it. I enjoy doing it.

      Thanks for your input about the British healthcare system. It does sound similar to the USA in terms of how it is administered, if not the cost end of it. 🙂

  6. Bob, do you think the Philippines will ever develop a health care insurance plan like some Central American countries where expats can buy health care equivalent to their Medicare for the same cost as they are charged from Medicare ?

  7. Hi Roger – To be honest, I am not at all familiar with the health systems in Central American countries. Sorry. What the Philippines has now is PhilHealth, which I have found to be quite good, and private medical insurance. I am not sure what else might come along in the future.

  8. Thanks , I read article last year in Manila paper where they were talking about trying to provide something similar . The deduction from SS is 100 dollars month so and covers 80 percent . What would cost of Phil health for that run? Curious 🙂

  9. Hi Bob , been reading your posts for years finally bought an iPad so I can join in,
    It’s very important to find a good doctor here in the Philippines , I have a great
    Doctor in the pollymedic hospital in mandulong ,other thing to consider are cost
    Of tests blood tests scans etc,in the pollymedic hospital the cost of my scan,blood
    Test is nearly 7000’thousand pesos ,in a local clinic which is very professional run
    The same blood tests ,scans,etc is only one thousand,five hundred pesos,
    So allways look around this clinic has saved me a lot of money and is walking
    Distance of my house in pasig . Derek in pasig

    • Hi Derek – I agree, having a good doctor that you know and trust is a real necessity here. If you wait until you are sick, it could get hairy real fast. Living in the tropics, things like infections can kill you quickly if you don’t take care of them right away. When I have had a full panel of blood tests in the past, it has been more in the P1k+ mark, nothing near the P7k that you mention. That price kind of surprises me in fact. 🙂

  13. Hi Roger – That is quite interesting. The cost of the private plans depends on things like your age, health condition and such, but it is considerably more than $100 per month. I would be interested to see if anything develops from the plan that you mentioned.

  14. Hi Roger – That is quite interesting. The cost of the private plans depends on things like your age, health condition and such, but it is considerably more than $100 per month. I would be interested to see if anything develops from the plan that you mentioned.

  15. Hi Roger – That is quite interesting. The cost of the private plans depends on things like your age, health condition and such, but it is considerably more than $100 per month. I would be interested to see if anything develops from the plan that you mentioned.

  19. Hi Bob , that the price with a ultra sound on my prostrate , in the pollymedic the ultra sound
    Alone was over two thousand pesos in the local clinic was four hundred pesos,
    Maybe the price is a lot more in Manila ,back home they check your prostate the old way,
    But it’s best to get these things checked .

  20. Me to Bob, wish i had kept the article.It was tied with their plan to promote Philippines for retirement. I for the life of me dont understand why the SS dept doesnt ok medical care out of country. It would obviously save them money compared to what they pay for our health care in the US. I draw disability and that is a key thing for me because now they pay all my medical and prescriptions .

  22. Bob, Thanks for your usual informative podcast. I just turned 72 and lived in Leyte from 2009-2013. The main reason I decided I could not live and retire permanently in the Philippines is the possibility of a major acute health issue and the fact that medicare will not cover an individual in the Philippines. After reaching the age of 65, private insurance becomes prohibitively expensive so Phil health is about the only option. Though health care costs are much lower in the Philippines, something like a stroke could possibly run to as much as $20,000 I suspect ,or more, if the person was left disabled. This would be quite a lot of money for most retirees in the Philippines.

    I agree with Roger that both Medicare and the retirees would be better off if Medicare would cover in the Philippines. Unfortunately I don’t see that happening.
    Thanks for reading.

    • Hi rickey – Glad you enjoyed the podcast and found it informative. Health is a major issue, especially as we age, no doubt about that. I personally find the health care in the Philippines to be quite affordable, and also good care. However, if I had a catastrophic event occur it could create problems, I can’t deny that.

      I don’t think that a stroke would run the kind of money you are talking about, unless you were in Makati or somewhere like that. I had a stroke in 2001 and the cost to me for 2 weeks in the hospital (mostly in Intensive Care) was a little over P150k.

  23. Hi Roger – Like you, I don’t understand the logic of the US Govt. Instead of paying out hundreds of thousands of dollars for a procedure in the USA, they could pay out a tiny fraction of the expense for those who are in the Philippines or some other foreign country. But,t hey refuse. Then, many of these expats just go back to the USA to have the procedure, so it costs the govt a multiple of the price they could have paid! 🙂

  24. That’s exactly what happened to me & my wife , we were forced to go back here in States after staying for 18 months to avail the Medicare . PhilHealth will only cover 20% while in States is 80%. I hope there are some changes in the future as most major hospital facilities & medical personnel in Philippines are fast improving for possible approval required by the US Medicare standard . I will pack up right away heading back to PI as soon as I hear the good news, right now I’m crossing my fingers real tight. Good luck BOB !

  25. I hope this question is not out of context. As far as diabetic supplies and insulin goes. I read that test strips and meters were much higher in the RP. Why is that. How about insulin such as Lantus SoloStar. It is comparable to US prices or even available.

    Thanks, Dan

  27. It isn’t only Philippines. Medicare is useless anywhere outside of the United States. Google international health insurance. There are very inexpensive plans as long as you exempt coverage in the USA.

  28. Well Bob Martin my friend. YOU chose to live in the Philippines as did many others. No more US bennies, that was everyones personal choice! I know what I’m gonna get into and therefore plan ahead. If I need any type of surgery I’ll go to Davao or Manila and get the best. Hopefully I will not need any! same with YOU guys!

  31. I would say the only good thing about living in PI is if you have the time to plan it is only about 300 to fly to Guam where medicare will pay and their hospitals are pretty good. Just an option:) For small things i would agree you could just pay the bill in PI but say open heart surgey or something like that could be expensive .

  33. Ben, I don’t know your health history but google “international health insurance” and see what is affordable for you. I checked for a 74 year old friend of mine several years ago and I believe it was around $200 a month but that would not cover while in the USA. Still would need Medisare if you ever plan on using it. I would also go along with Roger Craft.

  35. I, too, suffered a major stroke a couple of years ago. I’m over 70, on medicare, with a supplemental insurer (Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Florida.) Medicare is suppose to take care of the first 80% of major hospital costs and the supplemental insurance policy takes care of the other 20%. Ignoring the facts that Medicare has a cost deducted directly from Social Security, and the supplemental insurance is paid by me each month irregardless if I use it or not — my additional out of pocket coast was less than $800 — Insignificant, all things considered. I do not remember the exact amount.
    — For those of you who pursue your dream home there in Paradise — way out in the boonies — you need to think of the time it will take you (make that someone else – you will be in no condition to do this yourself) to get to a major hospital in case of a heart attack or stroke. Even here in America where most people can call 911 and have an ambulance (paramedic) in front of the house in under 5 or 10 minutes — people frequently die before they get to a hospital.
    — Its none of my business, of course, but I think any Expat living in the Philippines needs to start practicing “preventive health” rather than just taking the “it can’t happen to me” attitude in regard to major health problems. For instance, I have had open heart surgery (triple bypass) but have never had a heart attack! How can that be? Twenty years ago, Doctors monitored the blockage in the heart arteries for about 8 years and watched it grow from 20-30% blockage to 90% before deciding to operate.

  36. Thanks for the health information. That was a concern to us because we plan on relocating to the Philippines,. I have another question. My wife is from the Philippines. I teach online for a University, and I am very concerned that high speed internet will not be available for me to teach. We would not be in a large city, we would be in one of the provinces. Is high speed internet available in the provinces?

    Thanks!!

    • Hi Joe – Thanks for listening, and thank you for your comment and question. You are right to be concerned about your Internet Connectivity out in the Province. Unfortunately, I feel it is VERY unlikely that you will get a fast enough connection to do something like online teaching. If you are in a City then yes, it is not difficult to get a good connection. But, even in smaller towns, and certainly in the province, something like online teaching is just not going to happen. At least not now. I feel it will be a long time in the future before the companies spend the money that would be needed to upgrade internet connectivity in the provinces because there is just not enough demand in those areas to pay off. If I were you, and if teaching is important to you, I would consider modifying your plans to live in the City yet have a rest house in the Province for regular visits.

      Good luck to you.