HMO for WFH Employees: You Need it at Home

Yes, it is comfortable to work from home. But have you realized that you are prone to some health risks? Let me give you some pointers on what HMOs are ideal for your situation.

Are you Busy?

Many people think that those with WFH jobs have flexible time. But this is not always true. Many of them are employed by foreign companies, and their office hours are usually at night. It would be difficult to set an appointment to meet an HMO agent.

That’s why I will provide you first with prepaid options because they are easier to avail.

Maxicare

Since you are already in front of a computer, you can easily buy a prepaid health card online. Maxicare has Prima Gold, which is available with a simple click.

Features:

• Unlimited diagnostic tests, laboratory and consultation (only at their Maxicare clinics)
• Affordable price at Php 16,888 (as of this writing)
• Emergency care up to Php 20,000 coverage

Medicard

The Outpatient Plus by Medicard is among the most affordable prepaid health cards. It is also available through their online portal and you can pay easily simultaneously.

Features:

• Affordable for only Php 6,990
• Unlimited consultation with doctors among Medicard Clinics (family medicine, gastro, cardiologist, etc.)
• No need to have a medical check up
• You are covered up to Php 30,000 for emergency benefit due to trauma cases (for example burns when you are cooking food). Since you are at home, you are also covered by animal bites or vehicular accidents.

iCare

The MedConsult by iCare is ideal for WFH employees who at least have an existing health concern. This is hard to come by among comprehensive plans because pre-existing conditions are usually not included in their benefits.

Features:

• Unlimited teleconsult over the phone for 1 year
• 4 face to face consultation if you want to meet a doctor in person
• Price is from Php 2,500 (18 – 64 years old), Php 3,500 (65 and above), Php 3,000 (1 to 17)
• 1 dental prophylaxis, unlimited dental check up

I’ve noticed that the practical HMOs for Freelancers are those that can be availed online. We are too busy with our work and it can be a hassle to meet up with an agent.

How to Pay

The good news is that you can also pay online. Similar to purchasing any items from the internet. Credit card, Gcash, Maya and other wallets are available.

I once availed a prepaid card and I used my credit card to pay for it. Afterward, I received an email instruction to activate it.

Activation Time

In most of these prepaid cards, there is a 7-day activation period before you can use them. Read their instructions on how to activate your prepaid account after you pay for it.

All images were sourced from their respective brands, Dall-E 3