How do you feel that with just one hospitalization due to a major sickness, you could lose all of your hard-earned money – including your life savings?
This was the discussion on Saturday, February 13, after Twitter user @claudiopoy posted about the cause of his anxiety in his Twitter thread.
Are you also petrified that your life savings is just one major hospital admission away from being depleted?
— Clyde every mountain(@claudiopoy) February 13, 2021
(@claudiopoy) As of posting time, the series of tweets garnered more than a thousand retweets and over 8,000 likes, with netizens sharing the same worries about financing medical emergencies.
Yep. Scared for me and my mom. That’s why I’m working my ass off now to make sure my safety nets in case something happens.
— Ate Czarot (@smurfette017) February 13, 2021
The more petrified part is that it’s your family’s hospital admission that depleted it before
— JAM约翰 (@heero_yuy2) February 13, 2021
约翰 (@heero_yuy2) Nakakatakot sobra lalo na yunv tulad kong walang malaking savings at insurance
— Abe (@angweirdko) February 13, 2021
Para sa may ipon; kung wala diretso sa morgue.
— mertin santos (@mertinsantos) February 13, 2021
As Filipinos were left to fend for themselves, some netizens said they got health insurance for when a medical emergency arises.
That's why I got insurance. Lol
— Chella (@Chellyyygirly) February 13, 2021
Anyway, my savings was drained from my multiple hospital visits mid last year. Take care of your health guys, or better yet get yoselves insurancehttps://t.co/tJYgrsTimh
But what happens to poor Filipinos who cannot afford to pay for a safety net once they get sick?
FA ako pero I don’t wanna be a hypocrite. I don’t blame people for not having insurance or emergency funds. Magkano ba sinasahod ng normal na trabahador, tapos ang taas pa ng presyo ng bilihin, minus taxes, SSS, PAG-IBIG at potaenang PhilHealth. Tapos bibili ka pa childseat chz https://t.co/f67WicK1Fh
— Montreal Pineda (@MontrealPineda) February 13, 2021
Most (working) Filipinos (myself included I admit) are one sickness away from poverty.
— Dwight Kurt Schrute (@ass2dregnlmngr) February 13, 2021
That’s on the assumption that you’re not yet living in it.
Poor health care system
This personal but collective anxiety emanated somewhere, according to the discussions.
Systemic problems in health care caused this stress – from inadequacies of the Philippine health care system to the alleged corruption involving officers of government health institutions, such as in the case of the state insurer Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).
People should not die because they cannot afford the cost of medication they need https://t.co/iLGRxc7U1U
— Christ Orozco (@xtianorozco) February 13, 2021
Sad reality is, no matter how “financially secured” you are, it will never be enough pag nagkasakit ka dito sa Pinas; daming hidden charges, faulty healthcare system and making health a business talaga. https://t.co/OohaMAmuLg
— MightySuman (@SumanSaLihiya) February 13, 2021
Imagine stressing over your fam member being admitted, stress over his/her condition, then worrying every day on where to get the payment for the next cycle of hospital bills.
— Carl (@carlsbaddelr) February 13, 2021
healthcare was supposed to be a basic human right. now poor people can only die than get admitted. https://t.co/I0UUthVLaj
Totoo ito. Tapos narealize ko lang na yung pagiging manggagamot ng isang doktor ay namamaximize lang pag may pera at budget ang isang patient. W/c is sad kasi nananatili parin tayo sa out of pocket system compared sa ibang bansa na govt ang bahala. Huhuhu
— Jarly Barley (@jaroldrobino) February 13, 2021
Kaya sana yung UHC ay totoong universal health care. One major illness can push one individual or household below the poverty line. Also, HMOs and insurance can only protect you up to a certain degree.
— Joey Hernandez (@joefranc) February 13, 2021
Privatization of Philippine healthcare in a nutshell. Tapos kulang sa pondo mga public hospitals (at nanakawan pa tayo ng 15 billion ng PhilHealth) https://t.co/GLlNSRVfmf
— saving for tsaritsa(@lexhelios) February 13, 2021
(@lexhelios) The coronavirus pandemic added fuel to the fire, as it is now more costly to undergo treatment once an individual gets sick with COVID-19. (READ: Getting treated for coronavirus comes with a hefty price tag)
May mga horror stories na yung mga nahohospital because of COVID are P5 – 6M in debt. Dead or alive. Parang kahit may Philhealth ang laki pa rin ng utang mo.:(
— Nor-B-Cool(@nordomingo) February 13, 2021
(@nordomingo) Kaya I’m very careful pag lalabas eh.
— abby (@eyjiel) February 13, 2021
Maselan kung maselan pero lahat disinfect agad. At hanggat maaari, hindi lumalabas pag di important na lakad. Putangina. Mahal maospital sa covid. https://t.co/GJDEU9uj2F
We have large health expenses because of my brother’s cancer so I’m super OA with health protocols and distancing. I’ve been turning down invitations because it’s a fine a line. Getting sick is a luxury. https://t.co/sjuSQKuU9b
— jo(@mojojolienne) February 13, 2021
(@mojojolienne) Read more sentiments on this issue below.
On funding & emergencies – Curated tweets by rapplerdotcomIn the Philippines, COVID-19 cases have reached 547,255 as of February 13, 2021 – with 11,507 deaths and at least 500,781 recoveries. – Rappler.com