“The Now Health Customer Service team went above and beyond to support me during this difficult time. I might not be here today had I not been able to access the urgent specialist treatment that I needed abroad, and I am eternally grateful for their help in arranging this. It was only when I fell ill that I realised the value of international health cover which meant I could access expert care from the leading medical specialists in their field, even though they were located abroad. Being able to recover back home in Italy has also been so important to me and my family. Thank you Now Health!”
Rita is an Italian citizen who was living as an expat in Bali, Indonesia. She purchased one of Now Health International’s comprehensive WorldCare Advance plans which provides high levels of cover for both in- and out-patient treatment, including medical evacuation.
In 2017 Rita started to feel unwell and experience a high fever. She went to her local doctor in Bali and received medication, but her fever progressed and a few days later she was admitted to hospital. The doctors were concerned that Rita may have a cancer of the blood as her haemoglobin levels were very low, however there was no specialist doctor available in Bali to confirm the diagnosis and her health was continuing to deteriorate.
We were contacted on Saturday about Rita’s medical condition, and by the Monday we had arranged for her to be medically evacuated by air ambulance to neighbouring Singapore so she could receive the specialist care she needed. We also covered the travel costs for a companion to come with Rita on the air ambulance, so she could have a friend with her during her treatment in Singapore.
Rita was evacuated to Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital which is renowned for its world class medical facilities, where they discovered that Rita had a severe bacterial infection that was attacking her liver. Rita required urgent surgery to remove the abscesses on her liver and lungs that had resulted from the infection. As we had placed a guarantee of payment with the hospital, Rita did not have to pay any costs towards her surgery or hospital stay.
Rita remained in hospital for a few weeks after the procedure, and was then advised by her doctor that she should remain in Singapore so she could continue to be monitored and return to the hospital for a follow-up consultation. Now Health International arranged for Rita to stay in a hotel and later a serviced apartment at her request for a further five weeks, covering all of her accommodation expenses until she was well enough to return home.
Following her successful treatment Rita informed us that she would prefer to be repatriated back to her home in Europe rather than to Indonesia, so she could be near family while she recovered fully. Her international health insurance plan meant she was covered for repatriation back to Italy where she is now recovering well.
Rita said “The Now Health Customer Service team went above and beyond to support me during this difficult time. I might not be here today had I not been able to access the urgent specialist treatment that I needed abroad, and I am eternally grateful for their help in arranging this. It was only when I fell ill that I realised the value of international health cover which meant I could access expert care from the leading medical specialists in their field, even though they were located abroad. Being able to recover back home in Italy has also been so important to me and my family. Thank you Now Health!”
Joanne Tsang, Customer Service Team Leader for Asia Pacific added, “Rita’s medical condition was very complex and it was important for me – working with my team members located across Indonesia, Hong Kong and Singapore – to act fast and ensure she could get the urgent treatment she needed. I stayed in regular contact with Rita during her time in Singapore to make sure everything was going well, and was delighted to hear that the treatment was a success. It’s cases like this that make our hard work so worthwhile and give the phrase ‘job satisfaction’ a whole new meaning!”