Phillhealth insurance for an ex pat

I forget the cost when we checked into it a while ago but I can tell you that it covers very little at a pretty high price so I didn't sign up. Some expats say that they get coverage under their Philippino spouse but when we checked it out we were told no. I can only guess it depends on who and where you inquiry as to what answer you get. That's the Philippino way!

ericcoyle
08 July 2019 21:52:41
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#1
sir
its Php 15000 yearly
I was in Philippines I=we went to Philhealth this is what I was told...

i was told by hubbet 112 save the money for your health She said Php Php 300.000  - I did ask for Her tell me where She had got the 300.000 for Her medical health expences Sadly she never told to me ..
Hubbet 112 is always on Expat

regards

Zyrena wrote:

i was told by hubbet 112 save the money for your health She said Php Php 300.000  - I did ask for Her tell me where She had got the 300.000 for Her medical health expences Sadly she never told to me ..

Do not misquote me Zyrena, that is NOT what I told you.

I DID NOT tell you to save your money.  I said that is what I do.  It is called being self-insured.

And I DID tell you how I came up with the figure of PHP 300,000 which is my goal to have saved for my medical issues.  I told you that if an expected medical cost was to exceed that figure I would return to my home country and have the matter addressed under the medical care I have there.

Check out https://www.philhealth.gov.ph/
It'll answer all your questions.

Hi.can i jointhe phil health being foreigner on the 13a visa with permenent residentcy. Thanks Andy.

Yes.  Read the above link supplied by Tim_L.

Hobbit112
I would never disrespect you ''no'
I was trying to help >> 
ericcoyle
08 July 2019 21:52:41
#1

as 15000 is a true amonutn to pay a year Philhealth
I appologize Hobbit112

True respect from Terry

Hello;

My Experience:

It is ONLY hospital insurance, no doctor, office visit, outpatient tests.

Wife's surgery in private hospital, 300,000 Peso, Phil Health paid 28,000.  So for decent healthcare it is still large out of pocket.  Her annual premium 2400 peso.

Expat premium, you cannot be a dependent on your wife's insurance so your cost is about 15000 per annum.  For my recent hospitalization with a bill of 200,000, it would have paid 10,000.  or less than one years premium.

So no Phil Health is only for those expats that like to be treated as an ATM.

Lem

LemSaDipolog wrote:

Hello;

My Experience:

It is ONLY hospital insurance, no doctor, office visit, outpatient tests.

Wife's surgery in private hospital, 300,000 Peso, Phil Health paid 28,000.  So for decent healthcare it is still large out of pocket.  Her annual premium 2400 peso.

Expat premium, you cannot be a dependent on your wife's insurance so your cost is about 15000 per annum.  For my recent hospitalization with a bill of 200,000, it would have paid 10,000.  or less than one years premium.

So no Phil Health is only for those expats that like to be treated as an ATM

Lem

Lem can you elaborate a little more on costs and figures and your experiences to date, mine have only been 3 or 4 hundred peso consultations and a script or two without Philhealth but a topic that we are looking into seriously.

Cheers, Steve.

Hello;

PhilHealth is Hospital ONLY.  It pays so much cash to the hospital bill based on what procedure was performed.  Nothing additional for any outpatient post op either.

First, use public hospitals at your own risk, they are not wholly incompetent but the level of care is very basic, as in the minimum needed to get you out the door and the accommodations are wards often lacking Air conditioning.

Hospitalizations (one me, one spouse) so far have been pay as you go affairs.  Once admitted to the private hospital when you exhaust the PH and any initial deposit then you pay each script and test and lab before they perform it and then the Dr and room at the end.  Often your helper, spouse,  is the one running to fetch scripts.

NO outpatient care is covered, only procedures flat rate, as per their schedual. 

My 80,000 peso angiography would only have been PH covered for only 9700, (https://www.philhealth.gov.ph/services/acr/)   Just do a search for keyword cardiac, which is the highest probability of hospitalizing you,   If you think you may need more than 3 heart procedures in a year then it is worth the premium.  but if I expected that many surgeries...........

Your highest probability cancer, prostate, is paid at about 37,000.  so if you do not pay premiums for 3 years, then you are ahead.

Bottom line is that there are extremely few procedures that you will most likely be subject that would pay even the amount of your ANNUAL premium.  Of course if you think you will be hospitalized at least once a year while here you may come out ahead paying the foreigner premium.

Since i have been here for 4 years now the total savings of not paying premiums 60,000 peso saved, has already exceeded the total benefits they would would have paid out in that 4 years.  Based on statistics, expect one more hospitalization for cardiac, one for prostate cancer, another for whatever, i have already broke even.

Like i said, in the eyes of many Philppinoes, especially the government, you are a cash cow. The key is to be smarter than a cow and you will live comfortably here on very little.


Lem

Just my 2 cents worth.  I am a resident from USA.  I have an SSRV visa which is a permanent retirement visa.  I have opted to carry Philhealth for myself and family.  The cost is minimal, 3750 pesos per quarter, 15000 per year.  It will also cover my Philipino wife and 2 daughters.  Yes it will only cover hospital cost.  Not any out patient costs etc.  I have used it to have several surgeries recently.  It paid minimal on them.  Even so I came out ahead if you count cost ratio to premium paid.  The main reason I have it is for my family.  I doubt I would use public hospital for my family but want that option if needed.  Foreigners need to understand that the law was changed about one years ago and included was a hike in premium.  Included was the fact you could not be carried under your wife's name.  She and other members you want covered are covered under your coverage.  Prior I was paying only minimal cost.  I consider the current cost of 3750 pesos to also be minimal so I carry it.  This  is primarily as a back up if I need it.  One must have money set aside for any medical cost that one incurs because for sure Phil health will not pay the bills.  Good luck everyone with this issue.  rainrider9

Thank you Lem and Rainrider, makes a little more sense now, other posts I have read over the years seem to agree with what you say Lem "self funded" though If I had a family like Rainrider it would be logical for the cost to go with Philhealth.
To add to the pain I have looked at private health cover and at around AU 5,000 bucks a year one wonders/ponders the value versus returns unless health was poor and frequently hospitalised.
I think best to leave those funds in my superannuation account to grow until really needed.

Cheers, Steve.

Oh the wife is on PH, therefore any other dependents are covered, premium is 2400/annum.  If your health warrants premiums for any of the international insurance concerns please rethink coming here.  Office visits cost less than any deductibles.  My cardiac echo cardiogram out patient cost 60 us, back in the states they are 5000 US.  So here it would have only hit the deductible portion a little bit.

Hi all,

I'm asking here as I didn't find the info, and I have checked every document I found on the Philhealth website.

For Philhealth, is there one document (summary) with the list of all the benefits + the percentage or amount of coverage per disease?

Thank you

I paid for Philhealth for 2 years at a cost of around P4,000 per year and then around 2 years ago it increased to P17,000 per year for foriegners, although I was told I could have the option to pay for 3 years up front at the old price at that time.

johanne24 wrote:

Hi all,

I'm asking here as I didn't find the info, and I have checked every document I found on the Philhealth website.

For Philhealth, is there one document (summary) with the list of all the benefits + the percentage or amount of coverage per disease?

Thank you

I have seen numerous documents listing coverages for certain illnesses or surgical procedures, though, as yet I have not seen one that summarizes benefits and payouts per illness or surgery.

If you find one, share it with the group.

Regards

Attn FindlayMacD  Hi I am very interested re your health insurance that you pay Findlay, can you give me a number I can phone as due to me not able to arrange appropriate health insurance am returning to New Zealand, have found what is available have very high excess costs, and I thought Phil Health was for Philippeno clients only, If  you could give me a number and ( if you deal with a certain PhilHealth broker ) their name would be appreciated as at 17k, that is a reasonable cost, I only arranged one month travel insurance thinking I could arrange a plan and within my budget, but one's I have seen are high in price and excess very high, anyway any info you could give would be helpful Findlay, thanks for your post and info ( gives me some hope ) !

Here Eric.
https://www.philhealth.gov.ph/about_us/map/regional.htm
That's their contact page, you should be able to find the office closest to you.

As per my earlier posts, Phil - Health is a waste of money for foreigners.  Additional information has come my way since then.  First of all rates are going up soon for the universal health care initiative, for Philippinos.  They rely on a "Robin Hood" model  a sliding scale based on ability to pay so that 65% of the premium payers will pay for 100% of the people.  It is also what we would call catastrophic insurance.  It only softens the financial hit you take with an illness.  In 3 years you will pay enough premiums to equal what they will pay for cardiac bypass.

LemSaDipolog wrote:

As per my earlier posts, Phil - Health is a waste of money for foreigners.  Additional information has come my way since then.  First of all rates are going up soon for the universal health care initiative, for Philippinos.  They rely on a "Robin Hood" model  a sliding scale based on ability to pay so that 65% of the premium payers will pay for 100% of the people.  It is also what we would call catastrophic insurance.  It only softens the financial hit you take with an illness.  In 3 years you will pay enough premiums to equal what they will pay for cardiac bypass.

The increase is minuscule, google it.  PhilHealth for foreigners is 17,000 pesos per year. In 3 years that would be 51,000 pesos  divided by the current exchange rate for U.S. dollars. That would come to about $1000 dollars for three years.

Premium increase:
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/945835/ph … as-regions

Heart bypass surgery runs from 265.000 to 367,000 pesos for a ward bed in the Philippine Heart Center, more for semi-private and private accommodations.  This does not include the extras.

https://www.phc.gov.ph/services/treatme … bEDNmEXzl4

I have read about and talked with other expats who have used their PhilHealth Insurance and coverages average 20 to 50% of the costs.  On a 265,000 peso heart surgery that would save you approximately 79.500 pesos or approximately $1600 dollars at 30%.  At 50% coverage that would be about $2.600 dollars.
The by-pass price I quoted is for a single extremity. The price goes up nearly a 100.000 pesos for more complicated surgery.  The Z care package is not available to foreigners.

One expat in Davao had an infection requiring hospitalization and PhilHealth paid 70% of the costs.

Unless you are setting aside the amount you would pay Phil Health per year for a medical emergency, then Phil Health is beneficial and cheap in comparison to western and international insurance policies.

If you can tell us all where you can get professional by-pass surgery done for 51,000 pesos, I am sure everyone in the group would love to know. 

P.S. SRRV visa holders pay just over 15.000 pesos per year for PhilHealth

Regards

TeeJay, I see where you are coming from and like any insurance is aimed at the masses contributing for the benefit of members and of course the shareholders no matter health, home or car insurance, we all pay as a part of our due diligence and at times insecurities but pretty normal in western norms, why should it be any different here in the Phills?
I will certainly contribute to the Philhealth system in the country that I have chosen to retire to for the benefit of all including myself.

The shortfall within this system should be backed up with cash reserves as we do instead of paying an extra 3,4,5,6K or more per annum for private overpriced health cover from outside PH. to prop up doubts?

It's up to the individual. While the centavos don't add up and the hard earned dollars even less so. Hold your cash reserves as it may be 10 years before you need them.
Each to their own and only an observation from a relatively healthy bloke that drinks like a fish and smokes like a burning tyre.

Cheers, Steve.