Medical Coverage Options

Medical

Medical coverage needs may vary depending on the individual, family, or group, such as company or corporate arrangements; therefore various types of medical coverage are available.

Some companies offer premade health insurance packages, but often customers enjoy the freedom of being able to pick and choose the terms that best meet their needs.

Photograph by Chris Wong

The following points outline the major options when searching for a medical insurance plan:

• In-patient – This is standard for most plans as it provides coverage for overnight stays at any medical facility.

• Outpatient – Outpatient medical insurance is used for medications and treatment where hospitalization is not necessary, such as a trip to the doctor or consulting a specialist.

• Dental – This simply allows for quality dental care.  Dental health insurance is not always included in primary policy provisions, especially with employer-sponsored plans, so employees may need to ask for the additional coverage or find an independent dental insurer.

• Maternity – Maternity health insurance provides assistance with all maternity related costs and often allows newborns to be added to the plan.  This type of coverage requires planning, as there is usually a waiting period from the time it is added until claims for maternity expenses can be made

• Emergency Evacuation – Emergency evacuation ensures policyholders that if an injury or illness occurs while overseas, they will be evacuated to the nearest medical center capable of providing the necessary treatment.  As Hong Kong is in the forefront of medical equipment and care, those who remain here may opt out of emergency evacuation coverage; but for people who travel extensively throughout Southeast Asia or other less developed areas of the world, this may be a practical option.

• Critical Illness – For persons with an illness that currently has no cure, critical illness health insurance provides assistance in receiving care and managing the symptoms, such as purchasing medicine, regular mandatory testing, etc.  Diseases covered vary from company to company, so if this type of medical coverage is needed, it is important to research the details of each plan.

• Other– Though the aforementioned points cover the majority of situations, a number of other options exist for tailoring medical insurance plans to individual, familial, and group needs.