Check out My Health Beijing, a new website focused public health and preventative medicine for expats living in Beijing and other neighboring cities in China. The website was created by Richard Saint, an American family doctor who immigrated from San Francisco to Beijing in 2006. Shortly after his arrival, Saint noticed the overwhelming lack of information provided to Beijingers regarding health care issues and concerns in the country.
“I created MyHealth Beijing in the summer of 2009 to fill what I’ve seen as an Internet information gap regarding health care issues for Beijingers. There are a lot of blogs and websites about food, media, restaurant – but precious little good information on health and wellness,” Saint writes.
Topics of discussion popular amongst expats visiting the website include air pollution, ayis (housekeepers), food safety, obesity, exercise, vaccines and nutrition. Visit the website and read Dr. Saint’s blog at http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/
Our Global Navigator international health insurance policy has relationships with 3 hospitals in Beijing. by visiting one of these pre-screened medical facilities, you can be assured of an English speaking doctor and review the doctors credentials online prior to your appointment. Direct billing is also arranged to limit out of pocket expenses. Call Insurance Services of America at 800.647.4589 or 480.821.9052 and speak with a licensed agent who specializes in providing affordable health insurance for missionaries.
Get that expiring passport renewed quickly: Charges for U.S. passports and visas for foreigners will rise July 13, the U.S. Department of State says.
That means the cost of a passport for an adult will go from $100 to $135, including a $25 administrative fee. Those under 16 will pay $105 with the fee, up from $85 now.
Passport cards, which can be used by Americans traveling by land or sea on trips to the non-U.S. parts of the Caribbean, Canada and Mexico will cost more, too. The new scale is $55 for an adult, up from $45; $40 for a minor, up from $35.
A complete list of the new fees can be viewed here.
Frequent travelers will also be hit by a new charge of $82 to add more pages to an existing passport for visas and stamps by immigration officers.
Missionary Health is proud to offer missionaries who are serving abroad international health insurance. Our newest plan features:
$2,000,000 sickness and accident benefit
$10,000 maternity benefit without any waiting periods (must not be pregnant at the time of application)
Choice of 6 deductibles
Worldwide coverage
Annual renewable as long as you reside outside the US for at least 6 months per year
$50,000 emergency medical evacuation benefit
Unlike most international health insurance policies which require 10 - 12+ months before the policy will cover maternity expenses, our newest policy offers maternity coverage from day one of your policy as long as you are not currently pregnant at the time of application. It’s a great option for missionary couples and families wanting maternity coverage.
Below is a recent press release of an insured missionary who was evacuated from Haiti. While others are waiting in line to get aircraft into Haiti, Seven Corners successfully rescued its members out of Haiti, including the evacuation of one, seriously injured, member.
Dr. William Barker, who has been providing emergency care for the Haitians as well as coordinating Seven Corners’ efforts on the island sent an alert stating:.
“There is a… missionary in Grand Goave Haiti with a ruptured spleen, broken ribs, and other injuries. She cannot be transported to Port-Au-Prince by ground which is where appropriate medical treatment can be provided. She needs to be transported by helicopter to Port-Au-Prince for appropriate care…”
Immediately upon notification, Seven Corners began coordinating the evacuation with the U.S. Navy and communicating with the missionary team members on location in Haiti. At the time, the airport was still closed to private aircraft. Air ambulance companies would not fly out of Miami without the guarantee that the airport would remain open for them to land. To resolve the issue, a U.S. Navy plane airlifted our member to the aircraft carrier, USS Carl Vinson. Below is an account from one of the mission team members of the experience:
“We just witnessed up close and personal, an amazing experience, as the U.S. Navy picked up (our member) and took her to the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier Carl Vinson where she will be kept for 10 days, evaluated and treated.
We thought the helicopter was going to land right away but instead he circled the property multiple times scoping it out. Then instead, it went out over the basketball court and dropped the rescuer down and he immediately ran across the field to where (she) was on a mattress under a tent. Apparently their circling was to locate her. He then ran directly to the location… The rescue officer did a fantastic job as the helicopter hovered over the grounds. He slid (our member) on to the rescue/lift board… The Americans and our Haitian helpers and translators were right there together and on cloud nine as we saw God answering our prayers in such an exciting and dynamic way. Then after she left we all sang God Bless America…
Our friends at Mission of Mercy sent a medical team to Haiti. Our prayers are with them. Watch the interview on the local NBC television station.
If you are sending a medical, relief or mission team to Haiti, then we recommend purchasing our Day Tripper or International Provider group travel insurance which includes medical evacuation and repatriation. Get a travel medical insurance quote?
I discoverd a website search that makes it easy to search Google in two languages. The home page has two search boxes. You select the language you want to search in (I would suggest your native language) and the language you want your search query translated into. As you start typing, your query is translated in real time and search results start appearing. It’s called 2lingual: http://www.2lingual.com/
With the recent outbreak of H1N1 flu being alarming, we hope you’re taking care of your health and your family. Remember to wash your hands and encourage others to do so.
The White House designated October as National Cybersecurity Awareness Month. Here are three easy wasy to protect your online identity:
Keep your security software and operating system up-to-date.
Protect your personal information online.
Know who you are dealing with.
You can forward spam or phishing emails to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at spam@uce.gov. For more tips and ways to prevent hackers and viruses attacking your computer visit www.onguardonline.gov.
National Medical Insurance for Missionaries Living in Mexico
I have been researching the availability of Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (IMSS)or Mexican “Medicare” for Missionaries moving to Mexico. A recent expatriate living in Mexico post the following:
‘I just renewed my IMSS after completing two years now. not one, then and only then does it cover (my) preexisting conditions.”
The IMSS is socialized medical plan for Mexican citizens, but Mexico has allows foreign residents and expatriates to buy into the plan. It costs around $3000.00 per person per year for someone 60 years of age, it is less expensive if you are younger. There is a medical questionnaire you have to answer and there are some pre-existing medical conditions which could prevent you from qualifying. There is an article at mexconnect which lists what pre-existing medical conditions are covered and which conditions are not. You can read all the details of the IMSS benefits at http://www.imss.gob.mx/.
Words of warning for newbies to IMSS coverage: This is NOT medical care like you’re used to up north. (Which is good and bad.) Your first clue is when you are asked for a urine sample and they hand you a small mayonnaise jar (sans label) with a big “M” on the red lid (McCormick). I’m sure they are sterilized, but still it is different than the sterile cups up north that come complete with instructions for a “clean catch” and include a handy wipe, all sealed in plastic. - www.mazinfo.com
Another expatriate blogger writes:
My personal wish for everyone who comes to live or retire in Mexico is that they don’t have to use IMSS. I had IMSS as a “benefit” when I worked as a regular, full-time employee (this is called nomina) at a language school in Cuernavaca.
Our friends at Med To Go have received varying opinions on the quality and user friendliness of the IMSS system and caution:
…the following interesting health-care statistics might help you decide what is best for you:
Although less than 3 percent of the Mexican population possesses a private medical insurance policy, 52 percent of the country’s total medical expenditures are for private medical services. In fact, more than 25 percent of Mexicans with IMSS insurance pay for their medical expenditures out of pocket. As a general rule, Mexicans tend to prefer private health care to the state-run system.
When we speak with our clients who plan on moving to Mexico, we recommend identifying your insurance needs and checking all your options. You want to be comfortable and confident you will receive adequate medical care in a timely manner from doctors you trust. Please also be aware that the IMSS does not cover you outside of Mexico. If you plan on returning to the U.S. or your home country to receive periodic medical care, then it might be wise to purchase a private international health insurance policy.
If you decide the IMSS plan meets all your health insurance needs, then you can still purchase temporary travel health insurance for incidental trips back to the US. Call or email us for more information and a no-obligation quote.
Do you know the difference between Cold and H1N1 Flu symptoms? Take our True of False quiz and find out?
1. Fever is rare with a cold?
2. a non-productive (non-mucus producing) cough is usually present with the flu (sometimes referred to as dry cough)
3. Severe aches and pains are common with the flu?
4. Stuffy nose is not commonly present with the flu?
5. Chills are uncommon with a cold?
6. Sneezing is not common with the flu?
7. Cold symptoms tend to develop over a few days?
8. A headache is very common with the flu, present in 80% of flu cases
9. Sore throat is commonly present with a cold and not the flu?
10. Chest comfort is often sever with the flu?
If you answered “True” to all the above questions, then you know the difference between Cold and H1N1 Flu Symptoms. For more information regarding H1N1 symptoms, visit the Center for Disease Control website at http://www.cdc.gov/.
The only way to stop the spread of the epidemic is to spread the awareness.
If you do not have health health insurance and you are concerned about the cost of medical care in case you become ill, then we recommend short-term health insurance. It features a $50 Urgent Care Center Co-Pay and coverage can begin within 24 hours. Get a free quote online at www.BestShortTermPlan.com.
We hope by sharing our travel experiences as well as those of the 450+ mission organizations we serve, you might be better be prepared before you depart and know what action to take in case of an unforeseen emergency while you are abroad.
Do you know the difference between Cold and H1N1 Flu symptoms? Take our True of False quiz and find out?