Expat Health Insurance & Healthcare Guide

We asked expats what they are doing to prepare in case the coronavirus situation deteriorates in their location to develop a sense of how expats are handling the situation and help expats share ideas and glean critical insight at a time of need.

We surveyed expats and asked if they are returning home or making plans to repatriate due to the coronavirus pandemic. The majority of expats said that felt safer staying put or were unable to repatriate due to travel restrictions.

Expats in Austria have access to highly respected private and public hospitals, English-speaking doctors and more.

New York City is widely regarded as one of the best places in the world for specialized health care. Here are some important medical resources for expats living in New York City.

Expats in Boston have access to excellent healthcare and hospitals attached to the best medical schools in the world. As with other parts of the U.S., it's imperative to know your coverage before you access any kind of care or purchase prescription medication.

An expat living in Krabi, Thailand talks about local hospitals, private vs. public healthcare, the expat health insurance requirement and much more. Continue Reading

What's the difference between Social Health Insurance and National Health Insurance in Japan? Are there some English-speaking doctors in good hospitals in Tokyo? What's a typical doctor visit like? An expat in Tokyo answers these questions and more. Continue Reading

What would happen if you lived in Mexico with private health insurance and were hit by a taxi? One expat tells her harrowing story and how she survived both the accident AND being treated at a public hospital. Continue Reading

An expat talks about public and private healthcare in Paysandu, Uruguay. Common prescriptions are available at the local pharmacy. And, they would probably return home to have a serious medical condition treated, because specialist are limited. Continue Reading

An expat talks about healthcare in Paysandu, Uruguay. COMEPA hospital is the best local hospital, but some people go to the British Hospital in Montevideo. Continue Reading

This is an excellent report about the specific health care conditions in Ngombo, Sri Lanka. Information about hospitals, medicines and the best health insurance is included. Continue Reading

An expat in Playa del Carmen talks about the importance of private health insurance in Mexico. Because of her private insurance, she has access to private hospitals and even coverage worldwide. She can even travel to the United States for treatment. Continue Reading

An expat in Malaysia talks about the high quality of care at private hospitals in Penang, public vs private health insurance, the low cost of prescription medicines and emergency medical services. Continue Reading

An expat in Abu Dhabi talks about the quality of healthcare, recommends American hospitals for their standard of care, explains that many people skip the doctor and get prescription medicine from the pharmacy. Continue Reading

An expat in Bordeaux talks about hospitals, the importance of supplementary health insurance, the need to keep your own medical records since doctors don't keep them and prescription medicine costs and availability. Continue Reading

An expat mom who gave birth to two children at St. James Hospital in Sliema, Malta talks about choosing the hospital, doctors and more. She explained that mothers are very well respected in Maltese culture. Continue Reading

An expat whose wife had a baby in Barbados describes talks about choosing a hospital (Bayview), finding a doctor, having a Caesarean and more. Their baby needed to be transferred from Bayview to QEH to use a CPAP machine, which made life a bit complicated for a few days. But, both mom and baby were released and healthy. Continue Reading

An expat in Olongapo talks about having a baby in the Philippines - having a c-section, needing to pay doctors in pesos and getting advice from other expats. Continue Reading

An expat mom who had a baby in Italy talks about finding a doctor willing to assist with a homebirth, the birth and follow-up care. Continue Reading

An expat mom talks about what it was like giving birth to her son at a public hospital in Salzburg, Austria. The care was wonderful, but she had some advice for other soon-to-be expat moms in Salzburg. Continue Reading

An expat talks about having a baby in Calamba, Philippines. They spent time finding an OBGYN that they liked. His wife gave birth via C-section at a clinic near their house where their OBGYN worked. Continue Reading

A dad in the UAE talks about he and his wife's experiences having two babies in the UAE. The first was in Dubai and the second in Abu Dhabi at a government run hospital. He offers great insight into the positive and negatives of both experiences. Continue Reading

An expat married to a Filipino woman describes his wife's experiences giving birth to their two children in Davao, Philippines. They chose a simple clinic with a hospital as a backup plan. He explained that in the Philippines hospital births are almost always c-sections. Continue Reading

An expat dad in Monteria, Colombia describes he and his wife's experiences having to babies in Monteria. He offers very helpful tips about what to expect and bring to the hospital. Continue Reading

I had a beautiful baby boy in an Army Medical Center on an Army base on the northern island of Japan. I was late arriving at the hospital, so only local anesthesia! It was so fast, I didn't have time to hurt! The care was wonderful. I went home the next day, feeling fine, and so happy! Continue Reading