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PRESENTED BY MY CLINICAL COACH

5 reasons UK expats should get healthcare help from home

Moving abroad broadens your horizons. You try new food, learn a new language, and acclimatise to a country’s cultural quirks. But there are some things you don’t want to change – like feeling that your healthcare is in good hands.

Published: 6 December 2016 15:28 CET
Updated: 9 January 2017 15:28 CET
5 reasons UK expats should get healthcare help from home
Photo: Pixabay

Navigating the health care system in another country can be tough, and even when it all works out, sometimes you just miss the comfort of the system back home.

Luckily, there are options that can help ease that uncertainty – no matter how far away from home you are.

“My Clinical Coach is a service which gives expats support and reassurance even if they are thousands of miles away from the UK,” says Wendy Norton, Director of Clinical and Customer Operations at the company.

“We help people who are worried about their own health, either with long-term medical conditions or undiagnosed symptoms, regain control of their lives. Our clinical health coaches have helped thousands of people make life-changing improvements to their lives through personalised treatment programmes.”

My Clinical Coach provides a more holistic approach to care, empowering and emotionally supporting patients to improve their own health and wellbeing.   

“That’s why doctors, patient organisations and, most importantly, the people we help, trust us,” says Norton.  “Whether they just feel a little unsure about what health issues they have or if they have a long-term condition, the clinical health coach is there when they need them.”

Health coaching is not a new concept.  The approach has seen success in America, Australia, Spain and Scandinavian nations for example – but specific, tailored nurse-led Clinical Health Coaching for patients with long term conditions has until now not been widely used in the UK or by British citizens living abroad. 

But the potential benefits are massive. Haven’t heard of it? Here are just a few reasons why you should consider signing up for My Clinical Coach today.

1. It’s in English

Doctor's offices are places full of jargon – and that can be extra tough in a foreign language. “It is really difficult to describe things like pain or odd anatomical occurrences when you only have a limited vocabulary in a foreign language,” says UK expat Tara.

“Similarly, if it was a question of managing something like diabetes with diet and exercise etc., it might be handy to have an English speaker explain it all and coach you through it so that you really understood what it was all about.”

My Clinical Coach gives you just that: a fellow native English speaker who can coach you through every step, whether it's managing a long-term condition or just helping you double check symptoms and medication in English.

2. It’s tailored

You never know what you might get abroad. Many health care facilities seem to offer one-size-fits all treatments, and you’ll frequently get a different doctor every time you visit.

With My Clinical Coach you always know who you’re talking to – and they know you.

 “Essentially it provides the patient with an expert friend,” Norton explains.

The nurses at My Clinical Coach won’t just ask you what’s the matter – they’ll ask what matters to you. It’s not just medical – it’s personal.

 “These expert friends are experienced nurses who can help with any condition, from diabetes to lung disease to heart disease and so forth,” Norton adds, “And they are in constant contact with their patients, supporting them, motivating them, helping with nutrition, and noticing behavioural changes. They can help with any worries patients may have around their own health, whether it’s getting a new diagnosis, a change in existing condition or being on new medication.”

3. Skip long waiting lines to see a doctor or a nurse

Sometimes seeing the doctor comes down to a matter of time.

“I recall that there was a really long waiting list when I wanted to see a county dermatologist, and it was really hard to get a private consultation without having insurance,” says James, a UK expat living in Sweden.

“It was really hard to find anyone who would see you. I ended up getting a video consultation with a British consultant instead.”

While My Clinical Coach doesn’t work specifically with dermatology, the same principle rings true if you’re waiting to see a doctor or nurse – you can skip the lines and get the help you need quickly.

4. They do what some healthcare systems can’t

My Clinical Coach is a private healthcare service delivered by highly trained and experienced nurses.

“We provide ongoing support from a specialist nurse who can really get to know you. My Clinical Coach was born out of the idea that the NHS provides good service, but that there’s a gap in the market,” Norton explains.

“When someone has a long-term condition. they don’t always get all the support and information they need, and they have to go out looking for it. Or perhaps they are unable to develop a strong relationship with their nurse.”

This means that patients might not have the opportunities to ask all their questions, little questions that may make a big difference to their life.

“At My Clinical Coach, we provide you with your own personal expert nurse who will help understand your own health, resulting in better control and management of your long-term condition,” Norton says. “Your expert nurse may even solve problems you did not realise you had, or that you didn’t know could be solved.”

5.  Don’t worry about residency issues

There’s no place quite like home – especially when you need medical help.

Living abroad with a serious health condition can be frightening and can add major stress to your life.

“Getting to grips with the local system and understanding what’s best for your own health and wellbeing can be intimidating. But it doesn’t have to be like that,” Norton says.

Plus, recently the NHS has been clamping down on rules saying that the moment a British citizen has moved out of the UK, they lose their right to NHS treatment. New rules say that you must be 'ordinarily resident' in the country to use NHS services.

But with My Clinical Coach it doesn’t matter what your residency is. No matter how long you’ve been abroad, you can get the health coaching you want straight from the UK.

“We have a patient in France, for instance, who was worried about a pre-diagnosis and wanted some reassurance and support. He couldn’t come back to the UK and get that kind of support anymore, so he turned to My Clinical Coach,” Norton says. “We’re there for you no matter where you are.”

Considering My Clinical Coach? Find out more here.

This article was produced by The Local and sponsored by My Clinical Coach. 

 

 

For members

HEALTH

How you can save money on healthcare in Switzerland

Between insurance premiums and over-priced drugs and other costs, healthcare in Switzerland comes at a steep price. Clare O'Dea looks at why the costs are so high and some of the ways you can save money.

Published: 18 December 2023 10:40 CET
How you can save money on healthcare in Switzerland

On the surface, the Swiss healthcare provision model looks egalitarian. All residents are obliged by law to purchase the same basic package of insurance, and the premiums are subsidised for those on low incomes. So why is cost such a bone of contention?

The problem is that the healthcare itself is very expensive, the second most expensive system in the world after the United States. And most of the cost is shouldered by households one way or another. This hurts those on low to middle incomes the most.

Between health insurance premiums, out-of-pocket expenses and over-priced drugs, households are spending a significant chunk of their income on health. Amazingly, Swiss residents fund 59 per cent of the national expenditure on health, according to the Federal Office for Public Health figures for 2020. The rest comes from state coffers, and, to a small extent, from employers.

To bring it down to an individual level, Swiss residents shell out 478 francs per person per month on health costs. Compulsory health insurance premiums account for 252 francs of that total on average. The rest goes on supplementary (top-up) health insurance premiums (42 francs), co-payment on policies plus out-of-pocket expenses (174 francs) and ‘other funding’ (10).

Politicians across the spectrum seem to be incapable of doing anything to curb health inflation. The latest is that health insurance premiums are set to increase by 8.7 per cent in 2024. That’s not a projection but a fact, as announced by the health minister in September.

KEY POINTS: What you need to know about Switzerland’s health insurance price hikes

Public purse

The worst thing would be to miss out on your entitlements. To find out if you qualify for premium subsidies, you’ll have to go through your home canton. Each canton has its own reduction rates and rules on eligibility. In some, there are systems in place to identify and notify eligible people but in others, you have to check and apply yourself.

This possibility is definitely worth looking into if you think you might be eligible – around a quarter of the population qualify for these payments. In some cantons, the proportion of recipients is higher. Moneyland.ch has put together a list of the contact information for premium reductions in each canton.

Take the initiative

Generally speaking, to save money on healthcare costs, the insured have to take the initiative themselves. New arrivals to Switzerland are required to take out a policy within three months, and should definitely shop around. Pricing comparison websites such as moneyland.ch , comparis.ch and Priminfo (in the national languages only) help to cut through the noise and find the best deal for your individual circumstances.

Age and location are important criteria. There are infinite tiny pricing variations between the 40+ non-profit insurers (known as “Krankenkasse”, “caisse maladie” or “cassa malati”), which means you may even find a better deal by buying policies from different insurers for different members of the family.

For those who already have a policy, it makes sense to do an annual price check up when the following year’s rates are announced in the autumn. Chopping and changing, which everyone has a right to do once a year, can really pay off.

The window for changing providers has just closed but you can be ready to notify your current provider by November 30th next year. Handily, the comparison websites also provide template letters for cancelling a policy.

READ ALSO: Which Swiss health insurance providers have the lowest rates in 2024?

Different models

Even if you decide to stay with the same insurer, you can obviously change the type of policy to a cheaper version. The so-called standard model is the most expensive. Under this arrangement, you decide which doctor you’d like to see, including specialists, and make appointments when you feel the need. 

There are other cheaper managed care models which are designed to cut down on unnecessary visits to the doctor. With these, you have to have a telemedicine consultation or visit a pharmacy before you get the green light to make an appointment with a doctor. There is another model where you have to see your general practitioner to get a referral to a specialist.

Calculations

The best way to save overall is to get clever with your deductible. That’s the share of medical expenses that you have to pay from your own pocket in the space of the year before your insurer starts reimbursing. The lower the deductible, the higher the premium.

Making the right choice involves a certain risk. But it is at least possible to make an educated guess based on past experience. There are several bands between 300 and 2,500 francs per year for deductibles (the amounts are lower for children).

If you tend not to need medical care and think your health costs are likely to be low in the coming year, it would make sense to go for the maximum deductible, which can translate into a saving up around 40 per cent on premiums. If you have reason to believe your bills will add up to 2,000 francs or more, then you’re better off going for the minimum deductible.

Don’t double up

That’s all speaking about the mandatory insurance package, which includes illness, accident and maternity care. But make sure you really need that accident insurance. Anyone who is employed for more than 8 hours per week is covered by their employer’s accident insurance, in which case it should be removed from their personal policy.

If you are looking to save money on health insurance, chances are you won’t be looking for additional insurance, also known as supplementary insurance. These policies give you more freedom over choice of hospital, and also cover therapies and treatments that are not included in the basic mandatory package. You can have both policies from the same provider or mix and match.

Though it can be irritating to hear this, especially if you already have a health condition, there is one final way that you can save on health costs – don’t get sick. What this advice really means is to lead a healthy lifestyle by taking exercise, eating a balanced diet, not consuming too much alcohol and cutting out smoking. Those are things we have control over, unlike genetics and luck.

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