How much thought do Filipinos give to health insurance?

“I’ve always been a believer,” says Raymond Rufino, copresident and director of The Net Group, the largest owner, developer and manager of office buildings in Bonifacio Global City.

“Whenever insurance agents come to me, I always tell them, ‘You can skip the part about why I need insurance, I already know that. Tell me about your product.’”

Among his many policies are medical insurance, local and international life insurance, and educational plans. “When we got married and started having kids, one of my commitments to Anna (Palabyab-Rufino, his dermatologist wife and mom to  three young boys) was to have all the insurance protection we could get,” he says. “If something happened to me, I made sure they would be okay.”

For Jeannie Javelosa, health insurance is a necessity.  Her life involves frequent travel  across the archipelago or around the world, promoting livelihood and sustainable practices as cofounder of ECHOstore Sustainable Lifestyle, ECHOsi Foundation and the Gender Responsive Economic Action for the Transformation of Women (GREAT Women) brand.

Scary

“These days, everybody is global, so to have a health insurance policy that  applies only locally doesn’t work for me because I’m away half the time,” she says.

“An international insurance provider makes you feel secure. How scary to be sick in another country and not know a hospital or anyone who can help you!”

That’s something Mookie Katigbak-Lacuesta realized only recently. Before attending a three-month International  Writing Program hosted by University of Iowa in 2015, the Palanca award-winning poet, contributor to numerous publications, and mom to a little boy, secured health and travel insurance for the first time.

“It was not in my consciousness,” she admits, “but my pragmatic husband (fellow writer and Palanca winner Sarge Lacuesta) told me to get it. When you’re away for a long period, you see its importance, especially since you don’t know what will happen to you once you’re there. Plus, I didn’t know anybody there, so I had no support system. And hospitalization is expensive in the United States.”

According to Rahul Hora, president and CEO of fast-growing insurance provider AXA Philippines, most Filipinos know they have some kind of insurance through their employer. “But based on our research, Filipinos lack knowledge on what this insurance covers; they don’t know if the product is sufficient to cover their needs.”

Global Health Access (GHA), a product launched recently by AXA Philippines, should make people value and prioritize health insurance before they actually need it.

A comprehensive worldwide health care plan, GHA gives policyholders up to P100 million worth of annual health care coverage plus access to the best doctors, hospitals and emergency response teams here and around the world. An annual physical exam is included in this extensive product, as are in-patient and select out-patient procedures like radiotherapy, chemotherapy and dialysis.

Convenience and flexibility are GHA’s most attractive features. Policyholders have the choice of seeking treatment from AXA’s worldwide network of medical specialists and institutions—or sticking with their trusted and long-time doctor in the Philippines.

Access card

Once a treatment is decided on, and provided that it’s within AXA’a network, a policyholder simply has to call the Global Health Access hotline for AXA to coordinate their planned treatment.

Besides making arrangements for the treatment, AXA can settle hospital fees, freeing policyholders and their loved ones from  stress and legwork of discharging a patient.  If arranged early enough, AXA can even take care of settling medical expenses before the policyholder is admitted into the hospital for treatment.

Policyholders also have access to AXA’s team of nurses, pharmacists, counselors, and midwives, who are available round-the-clock and anywhere in the world to dispense expert advice on the signs and symptoms of an ailment and the proper medication for them.

Meanwhile, a global concierge can facilitate other aspects of  medical treatment: contact its efficient staff to arrange flight and travel arrangements, transfers to and from the hospital, and even dining reservations pre- and post-treatment.

Global Health Access is available to Filipinos and non-Filipinos primarily residing in the Philippines who are between 15 days old and 70 years old. Clients can choose between “Worldwide Coverage” and “Worldwide Coverage excluding USA.”

They can also avail themselves of a family package that covers their spouses and children with the same Global Health Access plan to enjoy a 15-percent reduction on their total premiums, provided a minimum of four eligible members are enrolled.

Even with its high-end perks and privileges, GHA is not exclusive to the elite. Annual premiums for a 35-year-old can be as low as P49,920 for P100 million worth of coverage.

“The premiums are quite affordable,” says Hora, “so it’s a question of how much you prioritize your health.”

“That’s the message we want to impart,” he sums up. “While we spend money on worldly goods, it’s also important to set money aside to ensure that when the need arises, God forbid, we are able to reach out to the best health facilities here and around the world. Even if you’re not a frequent or avid traveler and are locally based, you can still benefit from GHA.”

Visit www.axa.com.ph for more information.