Cost of health care?

YANKEECAT · Oct 13th, 2009, 12:39

Hi all,

Be moving to Bangalore next month, was just wondering if anyone knows what could I expect to pay as far as medical insurance for myself (34 years old) since my company will not do this for me.

Is it better to pay just your doctor visit? or get health Insurance if such thing exist?

thnx..

dillichaat · Oct 14th, 2009, 10:37

I'd strongly advise you to tell your company to go to hell and send someone else if that's their attitude. Seriously. If they want to send you abroad and presumably make money out of your activities then the least they can do is provide for something as essential as this.

A visit to a doctor is not expensive, a good one should certainly not cost more than 500 Rs (about 8 USD). Local policies are available and not very expensive, can't help you there because I'm here on an expat health policy. From Indian colleagues I've heard both very good and very bad stories about their insurers. If you do a search I'm pretty sure you'll turn up some threads.

Whatever policy you take out, make sure it gives you access to top-quality hospitals in the area where you'll live. Also -and I suspect this will be the hardest part- find something that arranges for you to be medevac-ed out to wherever you live (BTW: very practical touch to give gps-coordinates but I assume it's NY). It's not that medical care in India is not good, if you have money it's on par with the best in Europe/the US, it's just that in case something really catastrophic happens, you want to be able to get back home without selling your house.

Nick-H · Oct 14th, 2009, 13:36

Quote:

I'd strongly advise you to tell your company to go to hell and send someone else if that's their attitude. Seriously. If they want to send you abroad and presumably make money out of your activities then the least they can do is provide for something as essential as this.

Couldn't agree more. Whilst you are (from other posts) being paid quite a lot of money, in Indian terms. as an expat employee, you are probably also having to maintain a place back home, and you should be rewarded considerably for the upheaval. Health insurance is a basic.

RS500 is quite a lot to pay for a doc. Here in Chennai, it is the cost of visiting a specialist at a top private hospital. Just as an example, I just paid Rs300 to an ENT specialist for syringing both my ears, and he did one ear for my wife at the same time.

YANKEECAT · Oct 14th, 2009, 15:26

Thank you all for the great and informative responses. To me right now the biggest issue is the taxes that I am subject to, like I mentioned in another post...

Will see how all this will play out. But I am still looking forward on moving up there, sometimes you need a change in your life and this is one of them.

Nick-H · Oct 14th, 2009, 15:58

My wife complains about paying tax. I say, "don't complain! It means we earned money!"

Of course, when it comes to salaries, it is the after-tax amount that matters.

dillichaat · Oct 14th, 2009, 16:07

Quote:

My wife complains about paying tax. I say, "don't complain! It means we earned money!"

Trying to keep my cynicism in check here but, living in India I understand her complaining as you get preciously little back in terms of social security and infrastructure. Paying more than what you get out of the system is one thing, but paying and getting back close to nothing is another matter. Glad I'm tax-exempt in India.

capt_mahajan · Oct 14th, 2009, 16:25

Quote:

Just as an example, I just paid Rs300 to an ENT specialist for syringing both my ears, and he did one ear for my wife at the same time.

A specialist with three hands! Only in India.

(sorry, taking a break and feeling silly)

Nick-H · Oct 14th, 2009, 16:54

That's why he charged three hundred rupees, of course!

Oct 13th, 2009, 12:39	#1
YANKEECAT Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: "lat":"40.887475","lon":"-74.005642"," Posts: 10	Cost of health care? Hi all, Be moving to Bangalore next month, was just wondering if anyone knows what could I expect to pay as far as medical insurance for myself (34 years old) since my company will not do this for me. Is it better to pay just your doctor visit? or get health Insurance if such thing exist? thnx..

Oct 14th, 2009, 10:37	#2
dillichaat Professional cynic Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: जोर बाग़,New Delhi Posts: 431	I'd strongly advise you to tell your company to go to hell and send someone else if that's their attitude. Seriously. If they want to send you abroad and presumably make money out of your activities then the least they can do is provide for something as essential as this. A visit to a doctor is not expensive, a good one should certainly not cost more than 500 Rs (about 8 USD). Local policies are available and not very expensive, can't help you there because I'm here on an expat health policy. From Indian colleagues I've heard both very good and very bad stories about their insurers. If you do a search I'm pretty sure you'll turn up some threads. Whatever policy you take out, make sure it gives you access to top-quality hospitals in the area where you'll live. Also -and I suspect this will be the hardest part- find something that arranges for you to be medevac-ed out to wherever you live (BTW: very practical touch to give gps-coordinates but I assume it's NY). It's not that medical care in India is not good, if you have money it's on par with the best in Europe/the US, it's just that in case something really catastrophic happens, you want to be able to get back home without selling your house. __________________ When the wise man points out the black hole, the fool looks at the finger.

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Oct 14th, 2009, 15:26	#4
YANKEECAT Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: "lat":"40.887475","lon":"-74.005642"," Posts: 10	Thank you all for the great and informative responses. To me right now the biggest issue is the taxes that I am subject to, like I mentioned in another post... Will see how all this will play out. But I am still looking forward on moving up there, sometimes you need a change in your life and this is one of them.

Oct 14th, 2009, 15:58	#5
Nick-H This is just a cameo appearance Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 36,213	My wife complains about paying tax. I say, "don't complain! It means we earned money!" Of course, when it comes to salaries, it is the after-tax amount that matters.

Oct 14th, 2009, 16:54	#8
Nick-H This is just a cameo appearance Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 36,213	That's why he charged three hundred rupees, of course!