private/expat insurance?

[campas12]

So- currently my job provides me with expat/international insurance- this mean that

1) i'm covered no matter where i travel
2) my limits are similar to back home (to the tune of 3MM or something USD)

I've noticed that most local healthcare pkgs don't cover international travel, and more importantly, limits may be to the tune of around 300k USD. I'm thinking of moving jobs, but if i do, i'd most likely get picked up under a local hire- which is fine, but i'd be most concerned about the lower limits. not that i plan on getting sick, but i've had family members here who had life threatening diseases which cost more than the limits they had to treat.

so- does anyone have any links or recommendations for places, where i can replace my international/limits with something similar!?

[PDLM]

In Hong Kong hospital treatment is free for residents (anything acute is going to put you in the public hospitals anyway), so really it's only the travel insurance aspect you need to look at. For them the key thing for me is whether they will air ambulance you back to Hong Kong. If they will then that's all you need (if you're beyond air ambulancing the question is probably moot anyway - they'll pay for you to come back in a box if you wish).

[campas12]

In Hong Kong hospital treatment is free for residents (anything acute is going to put you in the public hospitals anyway), so really it's only the travel insurance aspect you need to look at. For them the key thing for me is whether they will air ambulance you back to Hong Kong. If they will then that's all you need (if you're beyond air ambulancing the question is probably moot anyway - they'll pay for you to come back in a box if you wish).

yeah. i've seen the public and private hospitals, i'd rather keep to private, or ultimately have insurance that will fly me back to teh states for treatment.

just as an fyi- differences in treatment that i've seen btn public and private-- public will generally pick the cheapest course of treatment, and procedures may take days to get results or even schedule surgeries. private is way quicker, and would be more willing to try to diagnose using multiple techniques vs. going it one at a time. cost being a key concern to them. (and yes, i've verified this with my brother who works as a doc in the public system here). in addition (related to cancer treatments), public will NOT use single course treatments- whereas private will give you a list of chemo drugs to use and point out plusses and minuses.

now- why i'd prefer to fly home for any life threatening disesases. two cases of cancer in hkg-- docs aren't up to snuff (i've seen two cases of family members back in a ny hospital who got treated way better and facilities are way better than hkg - and understandably so with the amt of money being pumped into healthcare over there). one case was even to the point that the private hospital doc was so egotistical, he misdiagnosed a case- currently in courts now.

...

thanks for your 2 cents on healthcase, but i wasn't asking for a debate- i was asking if you had any links

[PDLM]

Since you obviously have money to burn then call an insurance broker - how hard can that be?

The US healthcare system is one of the most broken in the developed world - your faith in it is touching, but utterly absurd.

When my father was taken ill in the US they saw the insurance he had and basically just proposed every possible test and treatment that they could, knowing that basically there was $xM on offer. I would far rather have medical treatment on the grounds of effectiveness rather than on the grounds of making sure that absolutely every penny of the insurance limit is sucked out. He was air ambulanced as soon as possible back to the UK, primarily to avoid him being subjected to a whole heap of procedures that would make very little difference to anything except the "medics'" bank balances.

[shri]

>> i've had family members here who had life threatening diseases

Quite often, when it comes to long term chronic problems, many expats would prefer to go back to their home countries - if there is a good public health option available, to deal with the long term problems. Atleast there you have an extended support network of friends and family.

If you're a lifer .. then HK's system does provide competent care as long as you weigh in the fact that they are not on the cutting edge. (I'd suspect many national health care systems in Europe / Australia, even Singapore etc, based on conversations with doctors and expats are better. But I don't have first hand knowledge of them...)

[shri]

>> why i'd prefer to fly home for any life threatening disesases. two cases of cancer in hkg-- docs aren't up to snuff

Thats what I was trying to say

[shri]

We use Health Care International ... with high deductibles to cover options you need. Again, they might not cover your costs back in the US should you choose to move back, unless you specifically buy US coverage.

[campas12]

Since you obviously have money to burn then call an insurance broker - how hard can that be?

The US healthcare system is one of the most broken in the developed world - your faith in it is touching, but utterly absurd.

When my father was taken ill in the US they saw the insurance he had and basically just proposed every possible test and treatment that they could, knowing that basically there was $xM on offer. I would far rather have medical treatment on the grounds of effectiveness rather than on the grounds of making sure that absolutely every penny of the insurance limit is sucked out. He was air ambulanced as soon as possible back to the UK, primarily to avoid him being subjected to a whole heap of procedures that would make very little difference to anything except the "medics'" bank balances.

right. unlike your "experience" my father had cancer. the hospitals gave him a few choices, but he went with the number 2 in the country (cancer center) and they tried some new and innovative surguries to fix him up. the fact that the choice is there is great. over here, the choices are limited and if you go public non existent. say what you will about the medical system over there, but it works, and unlike free systems like the uk (where coincidentally i have another brother who works in that healthcare system, and even HE says the states system is better), we don't have to wait, or go see a GP before using private insurance, nor does one have to wait on the long line of people waiting for special equipment. i don't recall what kind of scan it was, but my brother was telling me there are only 3 of the machines in the UK often with long lines- my father was able to get the scan on the same day why? because there was so many availible in the states which comes with the territory of private health. again, i'm not on here to debate with you, nor did i invite you to debate the healthcare systems.

as far as calling a broker- again, i figured the collective here may have run into the same issues as i- since an expat friend of mine has mentioned it but not actually done it.

thanks shri- i might have to look at that option- still trying to decide is it's better buying one from a co based in hkg, or one back int he states- that speciflcally what i'm trying to look into/get feedback on.

[PDLM]

In what way is that unlike my father's experience? It was cancer that he had too.

[campas12]

In what way is that unlike my father's experience? It was cancer that he had too.

fine. since you really want to debate this.

in the states- my father luckily has insurance. he was given the best care no matter the cost. good for those who have insurance. for those that dont- they can still get treatment but it won't be the best.

in hkg- cousin had insurance. had cancer. did private until the 300k lmiit was hit, then went to public. in public scans/tests took way longer, no choices were given in terms of drug usage etc etc...oh and guess what. if you don't have private you can get treatment just not the best?

seeing a similarity here? both here and the states, if you have insurance you have better treatment, if you don't you get shitty treatment. so, back to your father specifically- if he were here, he'd have whateer the gov't wants to give him. if somethings not working, and the alternate is not something the gov't wants to pay for cause it's too new or experimental, then too bad....at least in the states you have the option (you have it here too, but like i said, the private facilities aren't world class)