Greetings from Texas

It depends on what the illness is... I wouldn't come here. I'm disabled and there's no treatment available for me, so I just get by. If medical care matters to you, I wouldn't even put the Philippines on the list. I'm here to enjoy myself, not to live a long time 😎🍹🌴

🤔 Before you go... I love living in the Philippines, I'm just saying this for your information... Don't even think about relocating until you've lived there for at least 3 months. It's nothing like what you imagine. It's a developing country, and you won't know what that means until you experience it yourself. Yes, there are beautiful places, and many of them are almost impossible to get to, but that's only a tiny part of daily life. Also, floods are common on every island. Foreigners can't own land. Be careful. If you buy land, the woman can kick you out and take it, and that really happens. You can own a condo, but renting is usually best. If you feel you've been wronged, there's no higher authority to appeal to, so just leave and chalk it up to experience. Medicare doesn't apply overseas. You need to buy separate accident and medical insurance. Some people think they can get treated at the VA hospital in Manila, but they're wrong. It's just an outpatient clinic for military-related injuries and illnesses. For most medical care, regardless of severity, you pay cash up front before admission. Plenty of other places are like that too, but you can't choose where an accident or heart attack happens. A jeepney driver will take you to the nearest hospital or whichever one he has a deal with. I know from experience. In an accident it's automatically your fault and you have to settle at the scene, so carry plenty of cash. An acquaintance is currently unconscious in a hospital in Dumaguete after a motorcycle accident, with 25 beds in one room, mostly two people per bed. The hospital demands payment, but nobody knows how to access his bank account or ATM card. These are things we don't think about. He passed away afterward. Ambulances are rare and traffic is terrible in most cities, so it takes a long time to reach a hospital. Not every doctor can be trusted. One person was told by a doctor he needed open-heart surgery, so he came back to the US for a second opinion and was told there was nothing wrong with his heart. The Philippines ranks in the world's top 10 for rabies deaths, and neglected dogs and cats roam everywhere like wild animals with no vaccinations. If you need prescription drugs from the US, it will probably be difficult. Prescriptions must be shipped by a pharmacy with the proper paperwork, and controlled substances and any prescription drugs sent by individuals through the mail are strictly prohibited. Lawyers and bankers... be careful... they don't always act in your best interest, and there's nothing you can do about it. One foreigner bought a resort through his wife, and the seller didn't actually own the land. Foreigners face a 'skin tax,' a 'foreigner tax,' and price gouging. They think you're rich. And compared to them, you really are. Most areas are stiflingly hot and humid. Mail, electricity, internet, phone, and water go on and off and can't be trusted. They shut down the power plant for maintenance every week. It's very noisy. Dogs barking, loud talking...

Forget it - I was healthy and had health insurance... but after two cervical vertebrae were compressed, the insurer dropped me — they're all scammers... If you can, go self-insured - IMG were scammers

Check carefully whether there's a pre-existing condition exclusion clause.