Singapore Expats

Hi guys!

Here's the thing, I am evaluating an offer from my company that wants me to relocate to Singapore. The chance is not to be missed definitely, except from one issue from my side.
The problem is that my wife is struggling with hematological disease in a quite rare form - aplastic anemia. Narrow transplant is not an option due to rare phenotype which means there is no suitable donor.
So, we are currently getting a treatment with medicine and blood transfusions if blood tests are too low (hopefully happened only once since last 6 months).
So the questions are:
1. Options for medical insurance with existing disease? What can be covered? Contacts of agents/insurance companies are appreciated.
2. What are the options if blood transfusion is needed? Here in Russia we are covered by national medical insurance, which is of course not valid abroad. And we will be not members of Singapore national health insurance until we not residents. So, what are the options, costs or maybe you can share any contacts of local doctors (hematologists preferred) or hospitals where I can get some answers.
3. Where I can check availability and prices of medicaments? Cyclosporin (aka Sandimmun Neoral or Ecoral) for instance.

Thanks and regards
Alex

alexisonfire wrote:Hi guys!

Here's the thing, I am evaluating an offer from my company that wants me to relocate to Singapore. The chance is not to be missed definitely, except from one issue from my side.
The problem is that my wife is struggling with hematological disease in a quite rare form - aplastic anemia. Narrow transplant is not an option due to rare phenotype which means there is no suitable donor.
So, we are currently getting a treatment with medicine and blood transfusions if blood tests are too low (hopefully happened only once since last 6 months).
So the questions are:
1. Options for medical insurance with existing disease? What can be covered? Contacts of agents/insurance companies are appreciated.
2. What are the options if blood transfusion is needed? Here in Russia we are covered by national medical insurance, which is of course not valid abroad. And we will be not members of Singapore national health insurance until we not residents. So, what are the options, costs or maybe you can share any contacts of local doctors (hematologists preferred) or hospitals where I can get some answers.
3. Where I can check availability and prices of medicaments? Cyclosporin (aka Sandimmun Neoral or Ecoral) for instance.

Thanks and regards
Alex

Your only choices for medical insurance lie with various global health insurers, for example, this one
http://www.globalhealthinsurance.com/gl ... alth-plans

... do a google search for global health insurance. Most of them offer quite a wide variety of plans,but be aware that most will be quite expensive.

You will not be covered by any of Singapore's "free" healthcare policies... you will need to buy your own, and my guess is that it will be very hard to get pre-existing coverage with local policies.

You should take a look at Bumrungrad Hospital in Bangkok. This is an internationally accredited hospital and even US insurance companies send people there for certain procedures. You will generally find it cheaper than any other hospital if you have no insurance coverage.

Personally I would not move here with that pre existing condition.

Gwt it in writing from your company that they will pay the costs

Hi Alexisonfire

1. As Strong Eagle rightly mentioned, it would be unlikely that any local insurance company will cover pre existing conditions, and that would include any treatment claims/payouts deriving from said pre existing conditions. Sometimes, insurers' underwriters might include a pre existing condition with a loading (extra premium) on the policy, but the decision making process depends on the severity and risk of the condition. To answer your question about existing diseases, there are policies that are meant to cover certain pre existing conditions, like high blood pressure, high BMI, diabetes, high cholesterol, but I believe those are outside your purview.

2. In terms of the panel of clinics/hospitals and doctors to treat Aplastic Anemia, as well as blood transfusion, Singapore has quite an extensive support for that. However, you would likely need to pay for the treatment/services.

3. For the range of availability and prices for medicaments, a medical professional/pharmacist might be better suited to answer that. A simple google search would be able to direct you to the professionals handling those substances. If you need help, do let me know, and I'll try to get you a list of numbers to call. (I am assuming Cyclosporine is not the only substance you are concerned about)

Thanks everyone for the info!

BR
Alex