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THE GUIDE TO RETIRING AND INVESTING IN THE PHILIPPINES

5. HEALTH CARE- Retiring is no fun business especially when it comes to health. In this connection, you have to consider healthcare when moving to a tropical country. Is the country you are moving has adequate medical facilities and good, if not, better doctors and medical professionals? Is the place you are retiring near from these healthcare establishments? Are the infrastructures of the country in good shape for transportation so you could quickly be transported in case of emergency? Are medical services and medicine expensive? Think about these questions and DO YOUR HOMEWORK before you decide to migrate and retire in the tropics.

Philippines is one of the medical tourism destinations in Asia. This means people in the North America, Australia, and Europe come to the Philippines for their medical procedures and surgeries because these works are very expensive when done in their countries. The hospitals and facilities in the Philippines are modern that few are even well-equipped with medical equipment and machines compared to 95% of hospitals in the United States. For instance, St. Luke Hospital. It is the first Joint Commission International- accredited healthcare facility in the Philippines and second in Asia. St. Luke is an international affiliate of New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeon, Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University, and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, the world's most prestigious cancer center. St. Luke's staffs are trained overseas. It has most of the top caliber medical professionals in the country. St. Luke Medical Hospital is constructing the most modern 600-bed medical facility in Global City and is set to operate in the first quarter of 2010. Other than St. Luke, some of the well-known hospitals in the country are Medical City and Cardinal Santos Hospital in Pasig City, Asian Hospital in Muntinlupa City, Makati Medical Center in Makati City, among others.

It must be expensive, then, to pay for medical bills in other country such as Philippines? For Americans, Medicare cannot be applied in the Philippines (check your country's policy if you are not American). Americans have to go back to the United States every six months so Medicare coverage does not expire. This process is cumbersome and defies the purpose of tropic retirement. The Philippine Government, through the lobby of the health sector, attempted to negotiate with the US government about medicare application in the Philippines for US citizens. Owing to the fact that there are many Filipino-Americans who want to retire in the Philippines, this move is beneficial for us and to our foreign US citizens also. But before this thing becomes a reality let us analyze health care cost in the country.

Healthcare is fairly cheap in the Philippines. That is why we are one of the medical tourism destinations. You can buy health insurance in the country and the premium is comparably low. Even if you do not have health insurance healthcare still cost you less. Take for instance, my mother suffered a mild stroke and was admitted to a good hospital in Cagayan de Oro City. She stayed in the hospital for three days. Her bill is Php22,000.00. At today's exchange rate of $1=Php40.00, her medical bill is $550.00.In this connection, if you buy health insurance in the Philippines, it will cover part of this bill. Comparably, if you do not have health insurance in the United States, you will get another stroke if the bill is presented to you before you check out of the hospital.

The cost of health care maybe a little expensive in the capital city of Manila. The cost could be double that from a hospital in Cagayan de Oro City ( this is a progressive city in Northern Mindanao, another retirement destination for baby boomers). Therefore, a bill of $550.00 could be $1,100.00 in Metro Manila, or a little bit more. But for a mild stroke ailment this healthcare cost is not really that much.

In Northern Samar we have 20 hospitals, clinics, and Public Health Centers excluding doctor offices, visiting midwives, dental offices, and eye clinics. Some hospitals have modern equipments. Patients with advance diagnosis can be flown to Manila at the airport in Catarman. The flight is 45 minutes. There are 5 weekly flights now in the province, a progress from 3 flights when I visited the area last July of 2007. Paradise Village is only 15-minute ride to Catarman. But, based on our inventory, wherever you decide to retire in our province our roads are cemented, well maintained, and always in good condition, Our public transportation are well managed, on schedule, and reliable. Boats to the islands are on time and readily accessible in case of emergency. San Antonio Island (click here to go to that page), the next Boracay, has a new airport also.

PLEASE GO TO THE NEXT PAGES TO SEE VIDEOS OF TWO LEADING HOSPITALS IN THE PHILIPPINES.