06/04/2023
AN EYE OPENER STORY ON WHY EACH FAMILY MEMBER NEED A HEALTH COVERAGE
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Witnessed a heartbreaking moment at a hospital in Taguig this morning.
Billing Rep (BR) to a Patientโs relative: Sir, kailangan na daw po iadmit yung sister ninyo kasi may procedure po na kailangan gawin sa kanya. Urgent daw po.
Brother: Ano nga yun?
BR: Craniotomy po.
Brother: Magkano yun, miss?
BR: Php267,000 po without professional fee pa po, Sir. Pero pwede naman po i-credit card.
Brother to another relative: Magkano limit ng credit card mo?
Relative: Php30,000. Yung saโyo?
Brother: Php20,000.
Relative: May natitira pa ba sa debit mo?
Brother: Meron. Mga Php20k pa ata.
Relative: Sige. Karga mo na lahat. Bahala na bukas.
(Brother and relative gives card and authorizes debit from their savings and credit cards)
Billing rep: Sir, how will we settle the difference po?
Brother: I-go niyo na yung procedure miss, magtatawag lang ako.
I realized that everyday, this scenario happens to a lot of Filipino Families.
It is common knowledge that healthcare in the Philippines is very expensive yet very few Filipinos make it a priority to prepare for it. Most families would not have an HMO or Health Insurance or Critical Illness Insurance that can help them cushion emergency expenses like this. Hence, when it strikes, they would often resort to taking it directly from their pockets, thus, depleting their lifetime savings.
To whoever is reading this, give your financial advisors a chance to talk to you and your family about health coverages. You may think they are just pushy sales agents but in reality, they might just save your families in crisis such as this.
Secondly, EVERYONE in the family should have a coverage, not just the breadwinners. Because (1) you donโt know who in the family would get sick next (2) the financial impact of it happening to any member of the family will likely be same if it were to happen to the rest.
Lastly, do not delay. Do not think itโs an expense. Because the premiums for the health coverage is not the problem. Itโs actually the solution.
Story from Ysabel Victoria Benitez which happened last March of 2018.
Credits to prudent generation