The Truth About U. s. Medicare Benefits On Filipino Soil

The Truth About U. s. Medicare Benefits On Filipino Soil

Many balikbayans worry that square one America would mean forfeiting their U. S. Medicare benefits. Talks about the extended and out - of - the - country coverage of U. S. Medicare mushroomed in 2007. ( Early references are available at the My Philippine Retirement website ). Is U. S. Medicare portability a rumor or a substantiality?
U. S. MEDICARE BASICS
U. S. Medicare, created in 1965, was originally intended for American retirees. The program was successive revised to cover not just the retirees, but also the younger population who may be suffering from Lou Gehrig’s disease, end - stage renal disease and lifelong disabilities.
While the program does not offer completely free health care, it does term 80 percent of the bills. The program has a 3 - part structure:
* Original. Part A offers hospital insurance and inpatient hospital care, while Part B offers medical insurance and outpatient hospital services, to teem with emergency ambulance, preventive care and visits to the doctor.
* Medicare Advantage. Part C covers the basic health care of the original plan plus fresh services selfsame eye care and dental care. This plan can be availed through private enrolment in accredited health maintenance organizations ( HMOs ).
* Prescription Drug. Part D deals exclusively with prescription drugs. It is available as a stand - alone option or as a tie - up option to an existing U. S. Medicare Advantage plan.
Since the original structure is not comprehensive, Medigap plans offered by private insurance companies are there to supplement a host of choice health care.
Standard Medigap plans are referenced as learning C to J, but on June 1, 2010, the U. S. Department of Health Services is prospective to introduce new policies M and N in lieu of H, I, J and E.
U. S. MEDICARE PORTABILITY
U. S. Medicare coverage in a foreign hospital is limited, with very few exceptions: ( 1 ) when the insured resides in the U. S. but the most adjacent hospital is a non - U. S. sector, or ( 2 ) when an emergency arises while the insured is travelling “without unreasonable delay” between Alaska and in addition U. S. state, and a Canada - based hospital is the alongside compass to dig into emergency care.
In Stride this year, the Philippines’ Department of Foreign Affairs ( DFA ) announced that original U. S. Medicare benefits can also be enjoyed in Philippine - based hospitals.
The arrangement is limited though. The report explains: “Residents of Guam and Saipan… are allowed to probe medical treatment outside of the U. S. … on emergency cases… due to the proximity of the Philippines vis - เ - vis Hawaii, the later U. S. state. ”
There are at slightest two names that paved the way for U. S. Medicare portability in the Philippines, reports attribute: Guam Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo and then Philippine DFA Secretary Roberto Romulo.
THE REAL SCENARIO
To plead U. S. Medicare portability rumors, My Philippine Retirement called up three Manila - based hospitals which – as claimed by a San Francisco Chronicle article – have been processing reimbursements since 2009.
The findings: There are no records yet of original U. S. Medicare reimbursements. However, there are a number of international health insurances with U. S. Medicare Advantage tie - ups:
* Asian Hospital and Medical Center - ( Allianz ) Worldwide Care, William Russel, Vanbreda International, TieCare, TakeCare, Snare Care, CIGNA, Mollifying International, IMG, Downcast Dissemble, Moody Petulant International, Alliance and AETNA. E - mail info@asianhospital. com or call + 63 ( 2 ) 771 - 9000, 876 - 5838.
* Makati Medical Center - Vanbreda International, TieCare, International SOS, Trust International, Entangle Care, International Health Insurance of Denmark, IMA, HTH World Underground, GMC Services, and AETNA Global Benefit. E - mail sales@makatimed. trap. ph or term + 63 ( 2 ) 870 - 3000 or 870 - 3008.
* St. Luke’s Hospital – StayWell and Calvo’s. E - mail info@stluke. com. ph or interpret + 63 ( 2 ) 723 - 0101 or 723 - 0301.
Note: The list is up to cattle call as of March 2010. It is essential to cite to the insurance plan by name whereas majority of the hospital personnel are not actually aware of U. S. Medicare details.
U. S. MEDICARE OFF - Flotation COVERAGE AND PHILIPPINE RETIREMENT
In 2011, U. S. Medicare expenditures will sway the revenues, experts predict. Several publications exhibit that this can be prevented through off - bed coverage where the same health care quality can be enjoyed at a reduced cost. This is the direction where U. S. Medicare’s Part C is headed.
The recently signed Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act by U. S. President Obama is also expected to influence the retirement plans of former Filipinos and U. S. tax payers. Many envisage that the “better” health service promised by the latest reform may not necessarily come out cheap.
Take, for instance, Terry who will be bashful a decade from now. “I’m anticipating my… premiums to increase from 100 dollars a month to over 500 dollars, ” damsel reveals. Her current annals health insurance premium contemporaneous covers her and her carry on.
They earlier agreed to call the U. S. their lifelong home, but are now open to becoming balikbayans upon retirement. When it comes to health care, Terry explains, it seems as if the health care services in the Philippines will give the “best bang for our buck. ”
Terry will be mild in the next 10 years. *