[Ask Dr Chiu] Take notice of your healthcare needs when you are overseas ­­

[Ask Dr Chiu] Take notice of your healthcare needs when you are overseas ­­

[Ask Dr Chiu] Take notice of your healthcare needs when you are overseas ­­

Health

2022-11-08

5  Mins Read

We can literally find Hong Kong people in every part of the world, be it youngsters furthering their studies in Australia or old friends settling down in the U.K. Wherever we stay or plan to go, healthcare needs are always part of our everyday life. If you are considering living abroad, do you have a good grasp of the local healthcare system and services?

In this episode, I will walk you through what healthcare needs you should take notice of when you are overseas.

Get in line for healthcare services, wherever you are

The U.K. is undeniably among the top picks when it comes to migration. It is not only a country renowned for its quality education for our children, but also an ideal retirement destination for the middle-to-old aged.

Whichever life stage we are at or whatever reason for immigration we have, healthcare is just as important as any other everyday issues that we have to think through beforehand. I received quite a few enquiries recently on National Health Service (NHS) in the U.K. – does it offer sufficient medical coverage to Hong Kong emigrants? To start with, let’s consider the followings.

NHS has a long history of offering professional healthcare services to U.K. citizens. At the peak of the pandemic, however, the British healthcare system took a heavy toll, causing non-emergency surgery services to postpone or cancel. The number of patients with a waiting time of over a year has increased by 200 times compared to the number before the outbreak, i.e. from 1,613 patients in Feb 2020 to 330,000 patients in May 2022*, implying that patients may not be able to receive timely treatment even though they have paid the NHS surcharge.

In the U.K., you have to wait for one to two weeks after making your appointment to see a general practitioner. Alternatively, you can choose to pay more to see a private doctor with a shorter waiting time. Even though the waiting time greatly depends on how serious the illness is, a day spent waiting is a day of suffering. It is just wishful thinking that lining up for healthcare services only happens in Hong Kong – be well-planned before your immigration.

In addition, many other countries offer healthcare programmes to their people, similar to NHS. Since these programmes are mostly government-funded and are seen as a critical bread-and-butter issue, every term of administration is likely to make adjustments or changes, implying variables and uncertainty. To make sure you and your family remain unaffected, you are advised to buy medical protection that fully covers your medical expenses with global cashless arrangement.


Medical inflation is a worldwide phenomenon

Besides, there is a worldwide phenomenon closely related to us.

Still remember the skyrocketing price of butter in the U.K. and people were shocked by the severe impact of inflation? Well, there is not only inflation in our basic necessities but also healthcare services. According to the 2022 Global Medical Trends Survey report by Willis Tower Watson, the world’s medical costs are estimated to increase by 8.1% - whether you are in Hong Kong or overseas, your medical expenses would continue to soar.

You may ask why it is a global phenomenon, and this is the main reason – medication has become more effective and complicated due to technological advancements, reflecting higher costs, while the growing ageing population worldwide creates more needs for healthcare services. It is very likely that prices for medical services will continue unabated. For the same reason, medical protection plans will surely consider inflation when adjusting the premium to offset the added costs.

Get the peace of mind you deserve

There are ways to maintain good health while alleviating the impact of medical inflation, whether you are leaving or staying in Hong Kong.

For instance, some medical plans cover multiple countries and regions with over ten thousand quality medical service providers around the world. In case hospitalisation is required, inpatient and medication expenses would all be taken care of, and you may also consider receiving treatments back in Hong Kong for greater sense of belonging. Furthermore, you can opt for a medical insurance supplement that accumulates guaranteed interests to counterbalance the ever-increasing medical expenses.

With such all-round and well-thought-out medical protection, planning for your future has never been this secure and relieving!

Watch the clip and learn more about medical inflation.

*Sky News: https://news.sky.com/story/nhs-england-reduces-two-year-waits-for-treatment-but-12-month-delays-soar-12668652

The above content is reviewed by Dr Alexander Chiu - Chief Medical Officer of AXA Hong Kong and Macau.

Information and materials provided is general in nature and does not constitute medical or health advice from AXA Hong Kong and is on an “as is” and “as-available” basis without representation and/or warranty of any kind, either express or implied.  While AXA Hong Kong has taken reasonable care in providing such information and materials, they are not specific to your investment objective, financial situation, health or medical conditions or particular needs.  No warranty or responsibility is assumed by AXA Hong Kong and our related or holding companies regarding non-infringement, security, accuracy, completeness, adequacy, reasonableness, fitness for a purpose or free from computer viruses in connection with the information and materials provided.  AXA Hong Kong and our related companies and holding companies do not accept any liability for any loss, damage, cost or other expense, whether wholly or partially, directly or indirectly, arising from any error, inaccuracy or omission of the information and materials to the extent that such liability is not excluded by law.

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