Philippines Health Insurance
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About The Philippines
The Philippines is an island country in Southeast Asia, occupying part of the western Pacific Ocean near the equator. This location provides the Philippines with stunning geography, including fantastic beaches and jungle environments, and great temperatures that attract many tourists throughout Asia. The Philippines location makes it highly susceptible to annual typhoons, and the possibility of earthquakes which can devastate the region. This developing country (LDC) centralises it’s main medical centres to the larger cities throughout the Philippines, meaning that quality healthcare is not always immediately on hand in remoter, rural areas. Evacuation cover should be considered for visitors and expats, but do not let this sway you from visiting this gem of the Asian Pacific region.
Healthcare System
Quality
Healthcare quality and availability differs widely throughout the Philippines based on where you are staying. The more rural the area, the less likely you are to receive medical treatment or services, with the major cities (e.g. Manila) offering the best quality and availability of hospitals and medical services. However, even these higher quality hospitals are generally below the standard available in many Western or more economically developed countries.
You may not find the standards of care comparable to what you are used to in your home country.
The majority of healthcare is provided by the private health sector, with approximately 30% of health costs coming from the government through the Department of Health. The public health sector is funded through government taxes, and is available to all locals for free, but is not available for expats. If you are an expat or tourist visiting the Philippines, you must have a private health insurance plan. This entitles you to treatment in public and private hospitals, and is beneficial as the private hospitals have better facilities and more up to date technology available to treat you with.
The Philippines is excellent at training and supplying medical staff, producing the largest number of nurses of any nation. The quality of care received by medical professionals is exceptional in both the public and private sector.
Language
The Philippines has been influenced by many cultures and ethnicities in its history, and as such has diverse language capabilities. Though Tagalog is the national language, over 90% of citizens are fluent in English. This means that it is exceptionally easy for expats and tourists to communicate whilst in the Philippines.
Costs
While public healthcare is free for locals, any private medical care can be very expensive. This is especially so if treatment requires lengthy hospitalisation, or medical evacuation to your home country or a nearby medical facility. Patients are often required to pay an estimated down-payment in cash before they can be admitted to hospitals, and treatments, hospital discharges, and important personal or medical documents may be withheld until payment of bills is received. It is therefore highly advisable that you and your family have full medical insurance to protect you from these potentially high costs whilst traveling or living in the Philippines.
Hospitals
Approximately 40% of the hospitals in the Philippines are government run, with the remaining 60% part of the private sector.
PUBLIC HOSPITALS
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San Lazaro Hospital, Manila.
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Tondo Medical Center, Manila.
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National Children’s Hospital, Quezon City.
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Amang Rodriguez Medical Center, Marikina City.
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East Avenue Medical Center, Quezon City.
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Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center, Manila.
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Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital, Manila.
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Quirino Memorial Medical Center, Quezon City.
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Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, Muntinlupa City.
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Rizal Medical Center, Pasig City.
PRIVATE HOSPITALS
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Medical Centre, Alabang.
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Makati Medical Center, Makati.
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St. Luke’s Hospital, Quezon City.
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Asian Hospital and Medical Center, Muntinlupa City.
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The Medical City, Pasig.
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Cardinal Santos Medical Center, San Juan City.
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Manila Doctors Hospital, Manila.
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World Citi Medical Center, Quezon City.
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UST Hospital, Manila
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Philippine General Hospital, Manila.
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AFP Medical Center, Quezon City.
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Vincente Sotto Memorial Medical Center, Cebu City.
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Chung Hua Hospital, Cebu City.
SPECIALIST HOSPITALS
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National Center for Mental Health, Mandaluyong.
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Philippines Children’s Medical Center, Quezon City.
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Lung Center of the Philippines, Quezon City.
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National Kidney and Transplant Institute, Quezon City.
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Philippine Orthopedic Center, Quezon City.
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Philippine Heart Center, Quezon City.
If you would like more information about healthcare centres in the Philippines, contact us. Or you can compare quotes now by clicking here.
Please find a list of hospitals in the Philippines here
Health Risks
Vaccinations
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Hepatitis A: recommended due to the possibility of contaminated food or water
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Hepatitis B: recommended, as can contract through sexual contact or contaminated needles or other medical equipment.
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Typhoid: recommended due to the possibility of contaminated food or water
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Rabies: not necessary, but possible to contract through contact through local dogs, bats and other animals.
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Malaria: not necessary, but to guarantee prevention, take anti-malaria pills for the extent of your trip.
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Japanese Encephalitis: not necessary. Talk to a doctor to see if the time of year, length of your trip, or area you’re staying in requires you to get this vaccination.
Proof
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Yellow Fever: the Philippines government requires proof of vaccination only if you have arrived in the Philippines from a place with a risk of yellow fever (excluding the USA).
For more information on the health risks in the Philippines, or to discuss your plan options contact us today. You can also click for a free Quote right now.