Insurance question

[MarcRosie]

Hi,

 

Don't know if anyone has any experience in such things but I am trying to research a few things. My wife's nephew was diagnosed with thyroid cancer a few months ago. Surgeon in China will not give him a date on when the surgery might happen but says it might not be for a year or more! So we want to bring him here to have this resolved as he is worried that the care he will receive there is not going to be as it would be in the USA. And also, afraid that in a year the cancer could and most likely will spread to other areas.

 

Question is has anyone had any experience in getting medical insurance for a Chinese national here in the states with a pre-existing issue? Just starting to delve into this and thought with the knowledge base the people in this site have that someone might have dealt with such things.

 

Thank you so much for any thoughts!

 

Marc

[Randy W]

I can't imagine ANY aspect of that that is a good idea - http://www.moderncancerhospital.com/

[Randy W]

The first three paragraphs here pretty well cut to the chase - https://www.insubuy.com/visitors-insurance-for-cancer-treatment-in-usa/

 

. . . and this article pretty well covers the other aspects - http://ramoslink.info/treatcancerusa.html

Edited April 16, 2018 by Randy W (see edit history)

[MarcRosie]

Interesting. I guess if you have personal experience with the health care in China, thoughts would or might be different.

 

My wife was diagnosed with tubular carcinoma which is breast cancer. #1 reason why she got it was the high doses of estrogen a doctor in China had prescribed for her and demanded she keep taking as it was "good for her". It was also the cause of the cataract in her right eye. High levels of estrogen and some steroids can cause these. Was the first thing the eye doctor asked.

 

Doctor in China wouldn't even do a mammogram. Didn't do a biopsy. Just said that "it wasn't pretty" and they needed to get rid of it. Wouldn't call it cancer. He wanted to do a double mastectomy, radiation and chemo. My wife would've had no breasts, no hair and been very sick from the treatment. Mortality in China is only about 20% for breast cancer after 5 years. USA it's almost 85%. They said that she would be in the hospital for 10 days with a constant IV. All of this came in one of the best hospitals in China and a supposed top notch doctor.

 

Luckily, we had her taken care of here. They found that it was not even a Stage 1 cancer. Very low grade. Size of a pea. Did biopsies of 3 different lumps and mammograms. Did the surgery, no sentinel lymph nodes involved. Was in surgery in the morning and we were home in the afternoon. 33 rounds of radiation but low intensity to reduce as many issues as radiation can cause. They said her chances of a recurrence were less than 4% but have her on tamoxifen for 5 years which cuts that % in half.

 

So my wife had cancer and a cataract because of the health care system in China. And would've gone through all I described if we had not had her come here for a second opinion and care. So possibly you can see why we want her nephew to come here.

 

I understand you could run into poor health care anyplace, but from what I have seen (and I've visited many 'top notch' hospitals in China) and was basically appalled at the lack of cleanliness and old run down equipment. Doctors standing in the hallways smoking standing right next to a "NO SMOKING" sign. Lights hanging out of the ceiling by a wire. Open windows (no glass...just open to the outside with cat footprints going in and out). Hospital workers on lunch drinking beer. I've seen it all.

 

Anyway, I appreciate your efforts in the links! Have a great day!

[Randy W]

Interesting. I guess if you have personal experience with the health care in China, thoughts would or might be different.

 

. . .

 

Anyway, I appreciate your efforts in the links! Have a great day!

 

 

Different from what ? I live in China - you have choices. Getting cancer insurance while on a tourist visa is apparently not one of them.

 

Maybe someone else will have thoughts more to your liking.

[Randy W]

My own wife had a medical condition AND insurance in the U.S. The insurance covered Chinese-speaking doctors, but their staff had VERY little Chinese capability.

 

She chose to go back to China. The TCM Hospital here in Yulin is THE best-equipped, most up-to-date, computerized facility I've been to (even has ultra-sound prostate exams).

 

Do a little research - my guess is that you'll find the best options in Hong Kong or Guangzhou.

 

I don't mean to downplay the advantages of the U.S. medical system, but it doesn't seem to be an option in this case, unless you want to bring him over for a diagnosis.

[Greg.D.]

I have no experience with this myself, but India has a "medical tourism" industry catering to foreigners who find the high quality in those hospitals sufficient and the price too good to pay cash elsewhere.

 

Since you mentioned insurance, I am guessing cost is a concern.

[danb]

Hello. Sounds like there are several issues being looked at in this thread. Insurance for all us will probably be an important matter when we decided to retire or even maybe before we retire. The quality of care and the cost of good health is also important. MarcR asked about medical insurance in the US for a Chinese national. Also I think he was asking how it works. To be truthfully I don't know how it works in the US but I find it hard to believe that insurance companies will insurance people who have pre-existing conditions. Especially if the treatment is going to be costly. Not sure about Obama care. Perhaps there are pre-existing exemptions. Also don't know if it available to a Chinese national in the states. Perhaps if the nephew is young enough to be adopted in the US something could be worked out. As far as how good medical care ( and cost of treatment) is in China compared to the US needs to be calculated. TCM is probably very good for some ailments. For cancer I do not know how success it would be.

 

I like Greg post. Cost and quality of care is very important. Where those things may not be in China? And maybe they are. I think one should at least consider other countries that are known for Medical Tourism. India is one of them. Thailand also, Mexico. Here is a link that gives some insight of medical tourism that is available:

 

http://nomadcapitalist.com/2014/01/05/top-5-best-countries-medical-tourism/

 

MarcR I wish you and your family the best in this trying situation. Danb

 

part of what was mentioned :

 

"Medical tourism is on the rise and dozens of countries around the world, from Asia and South America to Eastern Europe, are getting in on the act. Agencies are being set up to promote less expensive health care costs to potential foreign visitors from developed countries where health care costs are through the roof.

Procedures that cost into the six figures in the US or the UK cost as little as four figures in these countries. All the while, the best hospitals in these medical tourist hot spots have highly-trained, English-speaking doctors, just like you’d find at home – and sometimes better than you would find at home, as healthcare costs and challenges continue to rise in high-tax Western countries."

[Randy W]

It seems like there would be advantages, culturally and for communication, to finding an actually good cancer hospital in China. But of course, that's a personal choice.

 

the best hospitals in these medical tourist hot spots have highly-trained, English-speaking doctors, just like you’d find at home

 

 

Some may have Chinese specialists as well.

[dnoblett]

My Mum-In-Law is living with us on a green-card and because of the afordable care act we are paying for medical insurance for her, it's not very afordable in Texas though.

 

The key thing is Mum-In-Law is a lawful permanent resident not a visitor.

[danb]

I went back and read that article again. I was surprised to hear some of the top ten countries on that list. Singapore was mention for cancer specialty:

 

"Singapore, while expensive, has one of the most sophisticated hospital systems in the world. Singapore’s status as one of the world’s freest economies, as well as a highly developed nation, has made it a medical tourism hub for both Asians and Westerners for years. Cancer treatment is a top speciality there. Gleneagles Hospital was ranked among the top ten hospitals around the globe by a health travel group, but many other hospitals offer excellent care as well."

 

On one of my trips to Asia I stopped for a stayed over in Thailand. I went to a couple of hospitals and a dental clinic. I paid everything by cash or credit card. I had a chipped tooth and a filling taken care of there. Cost 80 bucks. I also went to two hospitals. I had several things taken care there. Chest cold, skin and swelling problems, diarrhea and? One hospital was about 150 dollars and the other was about 65 dollars ( all inclusive. ) The follow up visits were less than 10 dollars. The $150 hospital had some more flash. I almost felt like I was in a Beverly Hills' hospital. I got reasonable care at all places. English was spoken. Good Luck. Danb

[Randy W]

Mandarin (with Simplified Chinese script) is one of four official languages of Singapore. So maybe not a bad choice.