Is Aetna/Bupa Worthless now?

[dia1]

I was in the middle of signing up for Bupa last year (per all the reviews in this thread), but ended up not sending in the application because I got busy.

 

Contacted the agent a a few weeks ago and she told me BUPA was purchased by AETNA and she sent me new premium rates which were about 5,000 baht more or so.

 

Anyway, I see mixed reviews of Aetna.

 

Is Aetna not worth signing up for now? Seems like BUPA was the go to choice before it was bought out so now I'm lost. Any recommendations for someone in this late 30's who is living full time in Thailand? Preferablly someone I don't have to fight to get coverage and pays the hospital directly during claims.

[itsallmedia]

I wanted to join BUPA as well as that's who I use in the UK. I ended up signing up for Cigna Global Platinum. The premiums are higher, but it is global insurance for expats with no limits on cover.

 

3 weeks after joining, I wanted to get some hormone testing done and I called up and they gave me an auth code without asking much.

 

Went to hospital and they ran 32k baht of blood tests in 1 day and it was all directly billed to Cigna.

 

So far they've been great, the only con being it's a UK phone number to call them.

[gk10002000]

5 minutes ago, itsallmedia said:

I wanted to join BUPA as well as that's who I use in the UK. I ended up signing up for Cigna Global Platinum. The premiums are higher, but it is global insurance for expats with no limits on cover.

 

3 weeks after joining, I wanted to get some hormone testing done and I called up and they gave me an auth code without asking much.

 

Went to hospital and they ran 32k baht of blood tests in 1 day and it was all directly billed to Cigna.

 

So far they've been great, the only con being it's a UK phone number to call them.

Do they insure Americans that are out of the USA and traveling or living in Thailand or other countries?

[itsallmedia]

Just now, gk10002000 said:

Do they insure Americans that are out of the USA and traveling or living in Thailand or other countries?

I believe they would, yes.

 

I'm from the UK and live in Thailand now. They also offer 90 days of coverage back in your home country in their plans which was useful for me so I can cancel my BUPA back at home.

 

I didn't include US cover as it was included for upto 30 days per year as well, otherwise having world wide plus US jumped the premiums a lot.

 

I picked Platinum (unlimited cover), Med Evac, Outpatient, Well being, no deductibles and co pay and it came out at about 12k/mo which I thought was reasonable for what I was getting considering I can cancel all my coverage at home.

[gk10002000]

9 hours ago, itsallmedia said:

I believe they would, yes.

 

I'm from the UK and live in Thailand now. They also offer 90 days of coverage back in your home country in their plans which was useful for me so I can cancel my BUPA back at home.

 

I didn't include US cover as it was included for upto 30 days per year as well, otherwise having world wide plus US jumped the premiums a lot.

 

I picked Platinum (unlimited cover), Med Evac, Outpatient, Well being, no deductibles and co pay and it came out at about 12k/mo which I thought was reasonable for what I was getting considering I can cancel all my coverage at home.

12 k @ 31baht/USD is about 400 USD/month.  A bit pricey, but would be better than what Obamacare would cost me.  Doable until I am 65 and on medicare.  Thanks for the info

[dia1]

I ended up going with Cigna Global... I have had Cigna in the past when living in the US, so I know they are good about claims.

 

Anyway,  my cost is around $1200 per year and that is for a million dollars per annual, and I got 60 days of emergency coverage if I travel back to the US where other providers won't cover americans if they travel back home for any length of time. That is only a tiny bit more than if I had went with Aetna, and they are only offering a few hundred thouand baht per annuam unless you go with their most expensive plan.

 

The only thing I will mention is that you have preexisting conditions, including those conditions will cost you a lot more. They wanted about $600 per year because I have previously been diagnosed with Anxiety if I wanted that covered. I decided to have that excluded in my plan to have the normal rates, so I can't get treated for Anxiety under my plan now. But on the flip side Aetna/Bupa doesn't cover any mental health issues or lots of other stuff like Cancer/Aids, etc.

 

So I think I made a good choice with Cigna Global.

[dia1]

On 4/18/2018 at 12:43 PM, gk10002000 said:

Do they insure Americans that are out of the USA and traveling or living in Thailand or other countries?

 

Yes.

 

I confirmed this on the phone. You're covered worldwide, except America. However, if you are American, you will get 60 days of coverage if you travel back to the states. It's emergency coverage only during that time, so you can't just pop into the clinic for a checkup. But an emergency visit would be covered.

Edited April 23, 2018 by dia1

[rustyhinges]

I am also shopping around for health insurance. Has anyone heard of or holds a policy with Thailand Ultracare "underwritten and administered in Thailand by Safety Insurance Public Company Ltd. (Company Registration. Number 0107536000854). The company is authorised and regulated by the Thailand Office of Insurance Commission, Ministry of Finance." I was requesting a quote from Aetna (now in lieu of BUPA) in London the broker there transferred me to broker here in TL.  But my Artna quotation became a quotation from Thailand Utracare. If anyone has a policy and used the service I would be interested to hear what they are like.

[cornishcarlos]

William Russell have just increased my premiums buy 30% month !! Because I moved into the 46-50 age bracket ?

I have cancelled my policy with them, even though the service provided was excellent, the only time I used it.

Cigna Global have a good rate for Gold level cover but will not cover me for any work related claims... Not such a big deal as I have separate policy provided by my employer.

I'm considering this option, cheaper than my Bronze package with William Russell, just hope they are as good when it comes time to pay up !!!

[gk10002000]

On 4/18/2018 at 1:46 AM, itsallmedia said:

I believe they would, yes.

 

I'm from the UK and live in Thailand now. They also offer 90 days of coverage back in your home country in their plans which was useful for me so I can cancel my BUPA back at home.

 

I didn't include US cover as it was included for upto 30 days per year as well, otherwise having world wide plus US jumped the premiums a lot.

 

I picked Platinum (unlimited cover), Med Evac, Outpatient, Well being, no deductibles and co pay and it came out at about 12k/mo which I thought was reasonable for what I was getting considering I can cancel all my coverage at home.

I just checked their website.  I just turned 61,  The silver plan is $281/month.  That is reasonable especially since the current healthcare.gov plans here in the USA for just me and a crap bronze plan are in the $800 dollar range.   Based on the way work went this week, I may speed up my retirement by one year!  The idea is hang out in Thailand or other places, need medical insurance until I am 65 and eligible for US Medicare.  I probably will come back to the USA for a contract job now and then because I get bored.  Although I have plenty of money and passive income, not even including social security to be able to punch out now.  Does CIGNA really direct pay to the Thai Hospital?  Are there Thai hospital networks they prefer or mandate you use that are in their network or whatever?

[expatfamily]

Only Bupa Thailand was purchased by Aetna you can still get a Bupa global policy from the UK or other country you have links to. 

Bupa / Aetna / Cigna are all top class insurers but best to use a decent broker too.

[kamalabob2]

Attached is the real cost of AETNA Thailand for a 65 year old male. 2 million baht per condition, not 2 million baht cap per year on the policy. It is the same management, same staff, same broker as when it was BUPA Thailand. In patient and accident. Out patient costs have been nominal for me, while I have run up some hefty elective surgery costs at better hospitals in Thailand, all 100% paid by BUPA.  The premium has only risen in the 5 year age brackets. Easy and cheap to get a one month health policy if you travel to the USA.  I bought my insurance since 2005 from Eric Dohlon in Phuket. Home renter, Home owner, auto, motorbike, and health cover with all policies in English and Thai. 

[Pib]

On 4/18/2018 at 10:09 PM, gk10002000 said:

12 k @ 31baht/USD is about 400 USD/month.  A bit pricey, but would be better than what Obamacare would cost me.  Doable until I am 65 and on medicare.  Thanks for the info

Medicare only provides coverage within the U.S.

[merijn]

On 10/27/2018 at 2:32 PM, expatfamily said:

Only Bupa Thailand was purchased by Aetna you can still get a Bupa global policy from the UK or other country you have links to. 

Bupa / Aetna / Cigna are all top class insurers but best to use a decent broker too.

If you try to ask for a policy on Bupa Global and you live in Thailand they will not provide you with one and instead you have to call a UK number for more information.