New health plan protects family in medical emergencies, shields savings

To many uninsured Filipinos, perhaps no other incident drives home the importance of a health card or medical insurance than a sudden, and possibly life-threatening, medical emergency. The agony starts at the hospital admission section where they are asked to produce evidence of the capability to pay like government IDs or credit cards. Then, they might not even have cash in hand to pay for a down payment or out-of-pocket expenses. The ordeal continues even after admission, as the costs of hospitalization increase. Hospital room rates alone range from P900 to P3000 per day, depending on the privacy level or hospital status. The patient resorts to borrowing from family, friends, or informal lenders.

The post-hospitalization result: depleted savings, bankruptcy prospects, and huge debts that might take years to pay.

Illustrating that health is truly wealth, medical and financial protection just might be the best gift one can give to loved ones starting this Christmas season. The traditional happy holidays have also unfortunately heralded the onset of medical conditions. For example, the outbreak of unhealthy habits such as food-binging and drunk driving can result in unexpected heart attacks or road accidents respectively. Careless clan gatherings create exposure to COVID-19, flu, pneumonia, and other infectious diseases.
Recognizing the situation that millions of uninsured Filipinos find themselves in, ASEAN insurance provider Etiqa Philippines launched ER Protect, a yearly renewable individual health insurance card for emergency care and other medical services.

"We are well aware of the challenges that many of our countrymen face when it comes to emergency-related medical expenses," says Etiqa Philippines General Insurance Head Glenn Navea. "ER Protect is designed to give them the services that they need during crises, accidents, or unforeseen health conditions like a stroke. First, our network of 30,000 doctors and 1,600 accredited hospitals and clinics nationwide can meet them at their point of need."

"Second, the emergency medical coverage is accessible because it is affordable. ER Protect, which can be a medical lifesaver as well as a deterrent against financial hardship, can be availed of for as low as P925 one-time fee per year or the price of a food-franchise family dinner," Navea adds.

Another advantage to gifting a loved one with medical or emergency protection is that the benefits go beyond Christmas. An annual coverage ensures access to emergency medical services once needed, during the next 12 months. The policyholder also has the confidence and peace of mind that he or she will not contend with skyrocketing hospital bills upon admission.

Affordable medical insurance or emergency protection is not just a shield against the woes of hospitalization—it is also an investment.

As a virtual health card, ER Protect takes care of a lot of the emergency-related medical services that a patient can expect, regardless of whether the hospital admits the insured or deems that his confinement is not necessary. ER Protect covers both inpatient and outpatient services. The coverage extends to costs related to doctors' fees, lab and diagnoses, operating and treatment rooms, and emergency-related surgical services at the rate of P50,000/year. In cases of admission, it pays for the hospital room, board, and nursing services. In cases where the patient cannot be brought to the ER through the usual means of transport, ambulance service is also covered by the product.

Should the worst happen, it also has a P25,000/year accidental death and dismemberment benefit for the policyholder's family.

Etiqa Philippines' use of the latest InsureTech also makes accessibility to emergency services fast, efficient, and unencumbered by the usual paperwork. Registration, application, and payment for the policy can be done through Etiqa Philippines' website. Customers can also use their debit or credit cards to settle their payments through over-the-counter payment facilities or digital mobile wallets like GCash.

Emergency room services can be availed through the Smile 3.0 app, a unified omnichannel that integrates common basic features such as inquiries, profile personalization, and contact details updating with very specific transactional processes.

A patient can just tap into the Smile 3.0 app to avail of his ER Protect virtual card in just a few minutes. He can then connect with the preferred chain of hospitals and medical providers digitally. Once brought to the ER or hospital, all he needs to do is show the virtual card, making admission smooth and fast.

"ER Protect is designed to be customer-friendly, helpful to the patient, and family-friendly," says Etiqa Philippines eChannel Head Noel Tordesillas. "It is inclusive and covers a wide range of demographics, from the 2-year-old toddler to the 70-year-old grandparent. The whole family can be protected, which does make ER Protect an ideal gift for Christmas and other celebrations and holidays."

Etiqa Philippines has a wide range of relevant, customizable plans catering to the many diverse needs of the Filipino public. As one of the handful of insurance companies in the country that has a composite license, it offers both life and non-life insurance products under one brand. To know more about ER Protect and other insurance solutions, visit www.etiqa.com.ph.