The current health situation has opened the eyes of many to how unexpected medical bills can cause financial distress.

Yet despite this reality, many Filipinos do not have a health care plan. And while almost everyone is covered by the national health insurance program or with company-provided HMO plans, sometimes, their coverage may not be enough to cover all or majority of the expenses.

Especially for those who are working jobs with irregular income like freelancing or those who are part of the SME (small and medium-sized enterprises) group, the monthly expense of a health insurance plan may seem daunting, so many are opting to skip getting one.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, out-of-pocket payment (OOP) remains the largest among sources of health financing in the country, amounting to P379.7 billion or 47.9% of Current Health Expenditure (CHE) in 2019.

People who fall sick and are hospitalized with the ongoing virus are faced with a hefty hospital bill that can reach millions, and the family is forced to empty their savings to pay for it. The high infection rate of the latest variant to have entered the country is still making people anxious even with vaccines being continuously rolled out.

All these facts may truly alarm anyone who does not have or has insufficient health insurance coverage.

Seeing this gap in the market, one of the trusted global insurance companies, AXA, is offering a health care plan to lend a helping hand to those who currently do not have a health plan or those who have existing ones but with limited coverage.

Health Care Access (HCA) is an insurance product that offers comprehensive financial protection for medical needs in one health care plan.

AXA's Health Care Access has two plan types, each with different inclusions.

Health Care Access Prime

This is a comprehensive health care plan that provides coverage for hospitalization and primary health care needs.

Choose your health care coverage from five hundred thousand pesos (P500,000) up to five million pesos (P5,000,000) annually, from 0 to 75 years old, and provides a Longevity Health Fund that can be used for future medical needs at age 76 onwards, when you need it the most. This plan is ideal for those who do not have any form of health insurance and is looking for comprehensive health care coverage that the family can count on.

Built-in benefits include inpatient care with hospital admission costs including doctors' fees, surgical and special diagnostic procedures, medicines, and usage of the ICU and operating rooms; outpatient care and 24/7 teleconsultation that covers medical consultations and laboratory tests; and emergency care treatment up to the Annual Benefit Limit (ABL).

In case of unfortunate events, the health insurance owner or their beneficiaries will receive an amount equivalent to 10% of the ABL of the chosen plan with life and accidental death and dismemberment insurance.

The HCA Prime also includes an Annual Physical Examination starting from seven basic exams and dental care. One can include optional benefits such as a critical illness booster, an annual benefit limit booster, and optical care.

Health Care Access Lite

Health Care Access Lite is an option for those who already have an existing health care plan, but want more health care coverage. It is a plan that is designed to supplement the existing health plan of the insurer for complete health protection against unexpected health setbacks for the insurer and their family to protect against unexpected health setbacks.

Just like the HCA Prime, the HCA Lite comes with inpatient care, emergency care, life and accident insurance from P50,000 to P500,000, a longevity health fund, and 24/7 teleconsultation.

Moreover, you can enhance the coverage of your plan with outpatient care, optical care, or dental care benefit by paying a small additional premium.

Both Health Care Access plans include coverage for pandemic diseases, something very relevant to the situation today. It covers hospitalization, prescribed tests, and vaccine complications.

Health care plans like AXA HEALTH CARE ACCESS can help people focus on their or the patient's wellbeing first without having to worry about the burden of paying medical bills and its impact on the family's finances.

For more information, visit AXA's website.