jogry blok
Hi to you all,
With great interest I have been reading your postings.
As you might be aware my DH Neil and I are 78-73 years old. For the moment we are both in excellent health,but one has to be realistic, this can change any moment.
We are australians and have a four year leave of absence from our Private Medicare in Australia. of which 2 years have been used. We do not know, not living in Australia if we can still have the same insurance.
I have tried several insurances here, but we always got the reply you are to old to be insured.
We have no insurance and have to make the best of it. I worry sometimes, but this will not help the problem.
Any suggestions??
Have a nice day
Roy
Jorgy, with great regret I have to say that most individual health insurance, as well as term life insurance policies, include an age cut off for those eligible to be insured.
Group insurance policies, as issued to employers covering their employees typically do not exclude our elder statesmen and states-ladies, but individual policies normally include this provision with a typical age cut off at 70.
For Bali to ever become THE retirement place on earth, there has to be some major upgrading of medical care that is available right here without being flown out to Singapore or Bangkok.
I have a number of statesmen I count among my closest friends on Bali. For them, they have weighed the scales and ultimately decided that life on Bali was well worth the risks. Indeed, this is a very personal decision.
jogry blok
Roy, we have here in Singaraja a brand new hospital. A friend of mine from Switzerland who is an Intensive Care nurse, inspected the hospital, she told me that the have more newer machine than they have.
The question is do they have the qualified staff to operate it.??
What I have heard sofar from other expatriates who had to be hospitalised, was the treatment ok. The only thing is that the fam. had to come and give them a bath.
Knowing the care in the Australian hospitals, 90.000 year die of bad treatments or mistakes.
Another friend of mine lost her husband through treatment by "Doctor Death" . Her husband had open heart surgery and bled to death in the recovery room. The australian gov. had employed this doctor who was not qualified at all. He escaped to USA.
We have to take our chances and hope that we will die from a heart attack.(LOL)
I hope that your friends can do something to get the health condition better in Bali
Roy
Jorgy, one of the healing outcomes of the first Bali bombing was an emphasis on the medical infrastructure within Bali...thus the new hospital in Singaraja, as well as the new international wing at Sanglah in Denpasar. It is unfortunate that it took such great tragedy and suffering to bring about these changes.
I totally agree that medical care in Bali has improved greatly over the years...and as Martha Stewart would say...”that’s a good thing.” As you point out though, it is the level of medical expertise that is of prime importance.
I am personally aware that Bali is being considered as yet another base for “medical tourism.” The conglomerate that owns Mount Elizabeth in Singapore is considering this, as are the owners of Bumrungrad in Bangkok.
Of major concern to those that would embrace Bali as another perfect, and highly logical base for another source of first rate medical tourism has to do with the licensing and ongoing accreditation of its physicians. Indonesia, very simply, has to open up and allow foreign medical practioners to be able to hang up their shingle and practice medicine here. In addition, Indonesia has to raise the bar on the quality control of its own practioners of the healing arts.
My gut tells me that this will all eventually happen. Once Bali is able to open up and allow such facilities as Mount Elizabeth, or Bumrungrad, to open a sister facility here...I say “look out.”
Not long ago, the 35 million members of AARP...the American Association of Retired Persons, put Bali as number five in their survey of members who voted on the top places on earth to retire.
Time will tell all, that is for certain. In the mean time, I know many retired expats, who, after weighing the pros and cons of current retired life on Bali, opted for Bali anyway.
jogry blok
Thanks for your posting Roy it has been appreciated.
DCC
Hey Everyone - David here! I'm new to this forum.
I relocated to Bali last August and as my travel insurance recently expired I too have researched available plans. I made a fairly quick decision to use William Russell based on service and cost. And the agent, Sue Speak, is competent and straight forward. So I believe Roy made a good referral to you, Sanurian.
Additionally, I read the BIMC rate&terms page suggested by Mats and unless I'm missing something their program is a simple evacuation plan with the addition of discounts (very little in my opinion) on their services. Only simple consultation is fully covered. In other words, when needed you or your loved one will be evacuated in order to receive the best care but will then be left on your own to pay for Major Medical expenses. Treatment for serious illness or trauma could cost much much more that an airlift to S'pore. These are the costs for which most people insure themselves.
Being a longtime motorcycle enthusiast, and having suffered a serious injury as a result, I would STRONGLY advise anyone who is often driving or riding on a moto to have emergency medical coverage. Fender benders on motos can easily cause serious injury to limbs spines skulls & organs - think about it! And to those with family - be honest - in the case of an emergency most of you would spend all or sell everything to save them and without insurance you could be left destitute.
As for the concept that where you live on the island is somehow a factor in determining need for insurance - you lost me with that logic. Most medical emergencies are not, at first, life threatening, I just hope no finds themselves recuperating after an amputation because there was no better local treatment available to them.
Sue has programs that range from roughly $100 to $200 per month for an individual. Cheap? It could be! Reasonable? Yes.
irma1812
[b]Re: RE: Medical Insurance[/b]
David, firstly welcome to this forum. Hope we will have more posts from you.
[quote=DCC]
As for the concept that where you live on the island is somehow a factor in determining need for insurance - you lost me with that logic. Most medical emergencies are not life threatening, I just hope no finds themselves recuperating after an amputation because there was no better local treatment available to them.
Sue has programs that range from roughly $100 to $200 per month for an individual. Cheap? It could be! Reasonable? Yes.[/quote]
I completely agree with you. Medical insurance is definitely something that you cannot afford not to have there! When we move to Bali, we will definitely contact this Sue. Thanks for your recommendations guys..... :)
a leap of faith
[b]Re: RE: Medical Insurance[/b]
[quote=irma1812]I just can't believe how people here moan so much about NHS service, they just don't know they're born!! Honestly!! :evil: :x[/quote]
Could not agree more Irma
baliexcite
Has often been stated the importance of med. ins. with evacuation benefit for living in Bali. Could those who have such insurance share from which companies, agents to purchase, and any good or bad experiences with it.
Thanks much.
spitfire
that's actually a question that has been on my mind as well. We are still insured on an expat insurance from Holland but it will only cover us for a maximum of five years. Since we don't have any plans on returning, does anybody has a good advise on local insurance companies. I have been to lazy yet to contact any that advertize in Bali Advertizer.
BaliLife
I've heard some use their amex gold insurance, which covers for 3months each visit, but these people are in and out frequently so it may work for them.. I'd be interesting in learning about some options too..
Ct
jogry blok
We cannot get an insurance, than we do not want to be flown back to NZ or Aussie. We like to stay here till the end and be buried here.
BaliLife
that's nice jogry.. ashes in bedegul?
ct
Sanurian
BIMC (
Bali International Medical Services), has a variety of health-care packages available.
A bit over
Rp 3 million/year, (roughly AUD 375), includes emergency evacuation, free consultations, and various 'discounts' for more specialised stuff/laboratory tests/etc.
Their web address is:
http://www.bimcbali.com
Worth a look...!
:)
spitfire
Yes, but don't confuse the BIMC packages with a real medical insurance. BIMC offers membership packages that offer discounts and benefits, but it is not the same as a medical insurance. I have seen a some regular adds in Bali Advertizer that I should give a call for more information.
Balined
Try 'BALI MEDICAL INSURANCE' in Denpasar.
The contact here is Sue Speak.
Sorry I don't have their phone no.
I am in the process of arranging insurance myself through them on the recommendation of a number of expats.
They will not push any particular product.
As Spitfire said BIMC and SOS are good but don't offer insurance as such, only membership packages.
Balined
Sanurian
[b]Balined[/b] and [b]Spitfire[/b] point out:
[quote]As Spitfire said BIMC and SOS are good but don't offer insurance as such, only membership packages.[/quote]
That's all well and good but [b]BIMC[/b] claims to include [b]medical evacuation[/b] in their packages. At least that's something worthwhile, if they can/do deliver. I haven't had the pleasure of trying it out.
I believe that comprehensive medical insurance for expats in Indonesia is quite expensive. Still, if you need it and haven't got it, the alternatives can be much pricier. It's up to individuals to assess the costs for their own circumstances, and what price for 'peace of mind'.
:)
rien.gluvers
(One of) My business(es) in Holland is insurance advice and financial planning. People who can afford it and are going to live elsewhere (from Holland) I always give the advice:
http://www.william-russell.com/.
spitfire
[b]Re: RE: Medical Insurance[/b]
[quote=Sanurian]
I believe that comprehensive medical insurance for expats in Indonesia is quite expensive. Still, if you need it and haven't got it, the alternatives can be much pricier. It's up to individuals to assess the costs for their own circumstances, and what price for 'peace of mind'.
:)[/quote]
You've put it very clear Sanurian. Everything you get comes with the price you pay for it. With insurances it's the same. Everyone needs to assess their own situation and risk they want to take for insurance. Westerners are used to high premiums for medical insurance, but it typically comes with coverage for areas like fertility treatments, special dental treatments etc. If you don't need them and can cut them out... Maybe a membership at BIMC is enough.
I've gotten a really fast reply an good quotation from Bali Medical Insurance today including one from William Russell that they offer. The costs are similar to the one I have now from Holland looking at a glance.
It's very important to investigate the details of the costs that are covered and also which areas of the world if you are travelling a lot. For example: Some will cover for South east Asia only with a limit for outside those areas. USA is usually excluded or you pay a higher premium.
Medical evacuation can be a good thing to have covered, but not if all other cost afterwards are still not be covered or only to a limit (if you would like to have that be). To my opinion, medical insurance as a westerner in Bali is like your pension fund. How much you want to invest for security for things that might happen in the future. It's the piece of mind like Sanurian states very well that applies for Bali. You have to take care of yourself more as opposed to the western countries that like to take care of you...
jogry blok
As I wrote before, the insurance is too expensive for our age,
we are kitas holders and pay the same for medical cost as the indonesiars for hospital, doctors enz.
